Returning Home

I always have a hard time returning home after a wonderful time away. I have been known to stew in a post-vacay funk for days, especially when it means leaving my beloved parents, who I am currently missing terribly. The return home can be brutal, so over the years I've developed a few tactics for softening reality's harsh arrival. Some of these tips require a bit of forethought and a little extra work, but the payoff is considerable.

1) Go on a cleaning spree before you leave. Toss out flowers (nothing worse than coming home to the sour stink of dead flower water), take out ALL trash before you leave, wash every single dish, and add fresh sheets to your bed. Coming home to a messy house can make even the most restorative time away seem like a distant memory.

2) Once home, unpack your bags straightaway. Do it. Force yourself. We have a teeny tiny house, so an unpacked suitcase takes up a lot of space and will eventually be tripped on, where stubbed toes then violent cursing will ensue. It used to take me a week to unpack, a week of digging through my suitcase to find my last pair of clean underwear, but now I know there is nothing better than waking up back in my own cozy bed, knowing everything is exactly where it should be.

3) Add fresh air, flowers and food. I like to open doors and windows, light delicious smelling candles, and let in sunshine and a breeze to a house that feels stale from absence. Then, I fill the rooms with bright flowers and cook something good on my first day back. Tonight we made this (photo below), which I highly recommend. Nesting with a cheery bouquet and a home cooked meal helps me feel cozy and comforted as we settle back into regular life and our humble abode.