The last day of vacation feels like you’re just waiting to go home

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who feels this way? I want to change it this year and I need your advice.

I swear I wake up on the last day and feel like I’m in a sort of purgatory, just waiting until it’s time to pack to go home. The day feels disorganized somehow, like we have to follow a dining schedule because we can’t go to bed too late because we have to get up early to head to the airport. Also, I spend entirely too much time trying to fit the exact same crap we brought with us and not a single thing more into the exact same suitcases we packed with, but none of it fits. Maybe it’s this part of the day that I dread in anticipation? Is there a way to streamline this? I wish I could just live the day like the days that came before it and not allow it to somehow feel like a waste. Advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who feels this way? I want to change it this year and I need your advice.

I swear I wake up on the last day and feel like I’m in a sort of purgatory, just waiting until it’s time to pack to go home. The day feels disorganized somehow, like we have to follow a dining schedule because we can’t go to bed too late because we have to get up early to head to the airport. Also, I spend entirely too much time trying to fit the exact same crap we brought with us and not a single thing more into the exact same suitcases we packed with, but none of it fits. Maybe it’s this part of the day that I dread in anticipation? Is there a way to streamline this? I wish I could just live the day like the days that came before it and not allow it to somehow feel like a waste. Advice?

Book afternoon flights. I do this when possible, my favorite departure times are around 3-4pm, depending on flight time. This gives us plenty of time to leisurely wake up, pack, enjoy brunch and mimosas, swim if wanted (and shower), do a final walk/look/drive through the property/area. Then head to the airport shortly after noon (depending on distance), and get ready for the flight. I find this far less stressful than early morning flights with kids.

[Anonymous]

Say I’m leaving Saturday. Thursday night I will pack everything except for Friday/Saturday things and hide the suitcase. It shuts down my nervous energy.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's always possible to pick your flight times - as often as u travel I e seldom been able to leave a destination later afternoon when international. I also think it's hard since you're needing to check out typically by noon most places max.

I typically plan a free day as our last day while on vacation - I then can look forward to that day for indulging in whatever I most e joyed or wanted a second helping of I also see it as the last R&R day before reality strikes upon returning home so I really revel in being lazy. I pack mostly the night before so don't have to worry too much that night before flight.

If you're that looking forward to going home though OP maybe you aren't having enough fun on your holidays?!

[Anonymous]

I always try to pack light for a vacation (carry on only) and even then leave extra room for spillover on the journey home. Our kids are still in ES so they share a suitcase, and DH and I each have one. I pack an empty small packable duffle on the way there so that our packing up to come home feels easier -- we have a whole extra bag to work with! fill it with laundry and the whole thing goes straight in the wash once home.

[Anonymous]

I always try to leave early otherwise I feel like I spend all day waiting to leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who feels this way? I want to change it this year and I need your advice.

I swear I wake up on the last day and feel like I’m in a sort of purgatory, just waiting until it’s time to pack to go home. The day feels disorganized somehow, like we have to follow a dining schedule because we can’t go to bed too late because we have to get up early to head to the airport. Also, I spend entirely too much time trying to fit the exact same crap we brought with us and not a single thing more into the exact same suitcases we packed with, but none of it fits. Maybe it’s this part of the day that I dread in anticipation? Is there a way to streamline this? I wish I could just live the day like the days that came before it and not allow it to somehow feel like a waste. Advice?

Book afternoon flights. I do this when possible, my favorite departure times are around 3-4pm, depending on flight time. This gives us plenty of time to leisurely wake up, pack, enjoy brunch and mimosas, swim if wanted (and shower), do a final walk/look/drive through the property/area. Then head to the airport shortly after noon (depending on distance), and get ready for the flight. I find this far less stressful than early morning flights with kids.

We took the red eye home from Hawaii. Basically had a full extra day of vacation. We packed about 6pm then headed to the airport. We paid for an extra night so we could enjoy a full day.

[Anonymous]

Book afternoon flights.

Throw an extra duffle in your suitcase when you pack for the trip so it's easier to pack to come home (we usually fill that duffle with dirty clothes so it's already packed on the last day and we can easily fit the rest of our things in the rest of our luggage).

Plan a relaxing activity for the last morning of the trip. If at a hotel or resort with a pool, we request a late checkout and spend a few hours at the pool. Other relaxing activities are a leisurely brunch at the hotel or a nearby restaurant, or a visit to an easy tourist site (nothing that requires timed entry or is likely to be crowded -- maybe a lesser trafficked museum or a pretty overlook that is away from the main attractions).

Avoid overindulging on the trip. Don't stuff yourself at meals, stick to one or two drinks in the evening. This will help you pace yourself and ensure you still feel good on that last day.

And along the same lines, don't overplay other vacation days. Make sure everyone but especially kids get enough sleep and aren't overstimulated. The goal should be to hit a level of relaxation where everyone just feels nice but isn't stressed or over-tired. We usually do one or two planned activities a day, tops, and are willing to cancel a planned activity if people aren't up to it. Overdoing it just stresses people out. Do less, enjoy it more.

[Anonymous]

I was in Greece once and we were out for a lovely late night dinner when we realized that our flight out was at 1:00 AM not 1:00 PM (dumb American brain - realizing nearly too late that if it was a 1:00 PM flight it would have said 13.00 on the flight itinerary!). We had a helluva last day and night! Ran back to the hotel packed and got to the airport. Not sure how you can trick your brain OP but I’m living proof that you can savor every last drop of vacation if you really want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who feels this way? I want to change it this year and I need your advice.

I swear I wake up on the last day and feel like I’m in a sort of purgatory, just waiting until it’s time to pack to go home. The day feels disorganized somehow, like we have to follow a dining schedule because we can’t go to bed too late because we have to get up early to head to the airport. Also, I spend entirely too much time trying to fit the exact same crap we brought with us and not a single thing more into the exact same suitcases we packed with, but none of it fits. Maybe it’s this part of the day that I dread in anticipation? Is there a way to streamline this? I wish I could just live the day like the days that came before it and not allow it to somehow feel like a waste. Advice?

Book afternoon flights. I do this when possible, my favorite departure times are around 3-4pm, depending on flight time. This gives us plenty of time to leisurely wake up, pack, enjoy brunch and mimosas, swim if wanted (and shower), do a final walk/look/drive through the property/area. Then head to the airport shortly after noon (depending on distance), and get ready for the flight. I find this far less stressful than early morning flights with kids.

Meh. The later the flight, the more likely a delay.

[Anonymous]

Same. It’s like a Sunday - I have the day off but Monday is looming.

I took a trip recently and the last full day plans just didn’t work out as planned due to weather and some other factors. So we didn’t get to an activity I was looking forward to, the dinner we decided on wasn’t great…we made the most of the day but it was a bummer when I was dreading going back to real life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who feels this way? I want to change it this year and I need your advice.

I swear I wake up on the last day and feel like I’m in a sort of purgatory, just waiting until it’s time to pack to go home. The day feels disorganized somehow, like we have to follow a dining schedule because we can’t go to bed too late because we have to get up early to head to the airport. Also, I spend entirely too much time trying to fit the exact same crap we brought with us and not a single thing more into the exact same suitcases we packed with, but none of it fits. Maybe it’s this part of the day that I dread in anticipation? Is there a way to streamline this? I wish I could just live the day like the days that came before it and not allow it to somehow feel like a waste. Advice?

Book afternoon flights. I do this when possible, my favorite departure times are around 3-4pm, depending on flight time. This gives us plenty of time to leisurely wake up, pack, enjoy brunch and mimosas, swim if wanted (and shower), do a final walk/look/drive through the property/area. Then head to the airport shortly after noon (depending on distance), and get ready for the flight. I find this far less stressful than early morning flights with kids.

Meh. The later the flight, the more likely a delay.

I don't like later flights either. DH does and it's really annoying because he wants to squeeze in another half day of beach/pool/activity time with our bags in the rental car/hotel storage or whatever and then we end up rushing to the airport sweaty, hot and hungry. To him this is a "value" because he got "extra" vacation time but to me it's just stressful.

[Anonymous]

If you are going to a high-end resort outside the mainland US with a lot of American guests, totally understood. The body count on last day of stays is shockingly high.

[Anonymous]

I am this way and have started booking return flights as early as I can. That way we wake up and go and are home to get re-acclimated at a decent time. Otherwise I'm sort of restless and out of sorts just waiting....

[Anonymous]

I try not to book morning flights, obviously some times it's unavoidable. I start packing up stuff a day or two early so it's not a rush the day before or of. We also don't feel like we have to go to bed early in preparation for our departure.

We are actually sitting in the airport now. We were basically packed yesterday aside from what we wore yesterday, pajamas, and our bathing suits from this morning. Our carry ons were 50% ready to go. So we got up, played in the pool for an hour. Played on the beach for an hour. Then the kids spent an hour at the kids club while DH and I finished getting stuff together.

We are also pretty go with the flow type people. Neither DH nor I get stressed about stuff surrounding vacations.