Life Hack: Three household chores to do before you head on holiday

Taking time to tidy before you go on holiday will pay dividends on your return home

One of my favourite things to do for myself before leaving home for a while is to strip the bed and add fresh bedsheets for my return. Picture: iStock

Holiday season is in full swing and there’s nothing better than escaping from your day-to-day realities for a week or two, right?

Well, actually, one thing can make it better: Making sure you’re not returning home to housework.

It might seem overly simplistic, but taking a bit of time to prepare your home for your return before you leave can extend that out-of-office joy a little longer. 

Coming back home to a clean and calm space is infinitely better than opening the door to find festering dishes in the sink, stinky rubbish sitting in the bin, and all the items you decided not to pack piled up on your bed.

Instead of crashing back down to reality, there are a few key areas I always try to prioritise for a quick sweep before I head away on any trip. Future me is always grateful for the small household chores that have a big impact mentally when I return from a break.

Empty the bins

Opening the door after a relaxing trip only to be met with a stench from the kitchen is no one’s idea of a welcome home. Household waste sitting for days or weeks in a bin will only get smellier, so before you jet away, empty your kitchen bins into your wheelie bins.

Before popping in another bin liner, take a moment to clean the bin itself. Add hot water and washing up liquid and give it a good scrub to dislodge any remaining grime. Dry it fully with a cloth before sprinkling some bicarbonate of soda onto the bottom of the bin. This works to absorb any lingering odours. If you can, keep the lid propped open while you’re away to encourage fresh airflow through the bin.

While you’re at it, don’t forget about emptying and cleaning bathroom bins too.

Clean out your fridge

Another culprit for post-holiday stinks is your fridge. Before you go away, assess the food sitting in it and check all expiry dates. Make sure you don’t have anything that will expire while you’re away — anything that will go off could be given to family, friends, and neighbours or moved to the freezer, if safe for that item, to reduce food waste.

While you’re clearing out your fridge, consider giving it a quick clean too. Wipe down the shelves and sides of the fridge and check for any leaked food and drinks causing stickiness and stinks.

Some parts of your fridge, like the drawers, may be dishwasher safe, so take the opportunity to pop anything like that into the machine for a wash.

Much like what you can do to soak up scents in your bin, a small bowl filled with bicarbonate of soda can be placed into the freshly cleaned fridge to absorb any lingering odours while you’re away.

Refresh your bedding

One of my favourite things to do for myself before leaving home for a while is to strip the bed and add fresh bedsheets to sink into when I’m back after a long day of travel.

After removing the previous sheets, you could take a moment to vacuum the bed — really. Dust, skin, sweat, and more can accumulate on bedding so vacuuming the mattress twice a year is recommended. Pop on the upholstery attachment to protect the fabric and give it a quick once-over.

Again, a sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda directly onto the mattress will address any remaining odours lingering in the fabric. Shake out your duvet and pillows before making the bed with fresh sheets and putting the previous set of bedding in your washing basket.

One part of the task I’d wait to do until you’re back home is washing the sheets, unless you have time before you go to wash and dry them. Otherwise, you run the risk of having your wet sheets sitting in the machine indefinitely. When you have the time to ensure a speedy drying post-wash, add a cup of vinegar to the sheets in the washing machine and wash as normal for a deeper clean.