Before we go on holiday

In a few weeks we are jetting off on a pretty awesome holiday, and as our departure date approaches I am surrounded by lists and schedules.

When we go away I like the house to be left tidy. Mainly motivated I must by the the thought of an emergency while we are away - I don't want family and friends coming to the house and finding it a mess. So I'll spend the day before we go busy tidying, clearing surfaces, wiping down bathrooms and hoovering.

I make sure that we've eaten all the perishable food in the house. It's a good opportunity to sort out the fridge, which doesn't get cleaned as often as it should. There are always a few veggies lurking about that should have been disposed of long ago. It does mean that we usually end up with a takeaway the night before we go away because I've been a bit over zealous! I also water the plants, and in the summer I move them away from the sunny windowsill.

Of course there is the packing to do, and if I say so myself I'm quite good at packing. We are quite used to going away, even if it's just up to relatives for a night or two, so I've got a handle on the things that we'll need. I have a master packing list saved to the computer which has been built up over years and years and I amend it each time we go away (taking great pleasure in ticking off things like 'nappies' and 'baby monitor' as we came to no longer need them!)

Packing clothes is always a good opportunity to sort through the wardrobes. I'll take everything out and check that it all still fits and is in reasonable condition. There always seem to be something to discard! I'll also often stock up on pants and socks if it will save washing while we are away, they are always needed.

I'll make sure that the washing is as up to date as possible, especially if there is school uniform that needs to be washed and sorted. I know that when we come back I'll have several loads to do on the first day so it makes sense to be caught up!

We are lucky to have neighbours and family to keep a close eye on our house while we are away, and with our new smart home gadgets we can keep an eye on visitors too. I do try to avoid ordering anything online for a couple of weeks before we go away though, I don't want to annoy the neighbours with taking in too many parcels!

I think that having all these things to do before we go away helps me with the anxiety that I can sometimes have about a trip - by making sure that I do everything on my list I can feel in control and thus be assured that everything will be all right while we are away. 

Are you the same?