- Fully clean the house before we leave (including clean sheets on beds, fridge cleaned out, all trash in outside bins)
- Always take the earliest flight option home (I can never enjoy the last “half day” of vacation if we leave after noon - I’d rather just get going!)
- Unpack within an hour of being home
- Grocery shop first day home and make an easy, healthy dinner

Anonymous wrote:Finding room options where my kids don’t have to share a bed. Makes for less cranky kids, and then less cranky parents.

This. Even better if the 4 of us (two adults, two teens) can be in two rooms.

Finding room options where my kids don’t have to share a bed. Makes for less cranky kids, and then less cranky parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always bring my own slippers.

Same, slippers for inside the room

Also slippers for the plane.

What's wrong with the slippers the airline and hotels give you ?

they're usually big, but still easier that carrying around your own from plane to hotel back to plane

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

Who doesn't have unlimited data

International use costs extra on most plans. I pay $10 a day ATT. My SO pays $20/day Verizon because they have a scam going where they end up charging you double. T-Mobile is free but who has T-Mobile?

really? We have only been charged $10 per day.

Verizon is $10 per any day you use data internationally. pp seems to bring up this $20 at every opportunity. It's $10

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

Who doesn't have unlimited data

International use costs extra on most plans. I pay $10 a day ATT. My SO pays $20/day Verizon because they have a scam going where they end up charging you double. T-Mobile is free but who has T-Mobile?

really? We have only been charged $10 per day.

1. Agree if I can get accommodation with washer and dryer. It’s great to come home without huge piles of laundry. Similarly try to get laundry done before you leave on vacation so it isn’t waiting for you.

2. Build in downtime everyday. Even if we are someplace with lots to see and do we also need time for naps or to recharge. No need to get burned out and exhausted trying to get everything done.

3. Come home one day early so you have time to get settled back in before diving into life. We usually come home on Saturday so that we have Sunday at home.

4. Pre order groceries for pickup the day you come home. Chances are your refrigerator is empty and you’ve done tons of eating out. Being able to go pick up fresh fruit, milk for coffee, and stuff for an easy dinner is ideal. In our house I unpack suitcases while DH does grocery pick up.

Anonymous wrote:What little things do you make sure to include so that you enjoy your vacation more?

if it was when the kids were growing up, I made sure to set my expectations to zero or near zero. That helped the best.

In Venice, we booked the VIP airport service. The driver waited for us inside the secured area, escorted us through express lines at customs, out onto the dock and into a water taxi which took us to the private dock of our hotel where we were greeted with cold towels and champagne. One of the best arrivals we've had in Europe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

Who doesn't have unlimited data

International use costs extra on most plans. I pay $10 a day ATT. My SO pays $20/day Verizon because they have a scam going where they end up charging you double. T-Mobile is free but who has T-Mobile?

Verizon is $10 per everyday that you use data internationally.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always bring my own slippers.

Same, slippers for inside the room

Also slippers for the plane.

What's wrong with the slippers the airline and hotels give you ?

Anonymous wrote:I always bring my own slippers.

Same, slippers for inside the room

Also slippers for the plane.

If you populate your calendar with your prescheduled items, you don't need to spend as much time looking up how to get there. Apple Maps even has the public metro options built in so all easy.

I usually rent a place with a washer/dryer. I can pack half as much, save money on baggage fees and just do laundry mid-vacation. And wash most of the dirty clothes the night before we leave so it's less to do at home.

I bring my own pillowcase and top sheet if I have the space. I sleep so much better when it feels like my own bedding.