Pre-trip Rituals

Usually before a trip, I have some stuff that I really need to do before I feel totally at ease going on a holiday. Most of the rituals has to do with cleaning. I would get the windows all cleaned, the floors vacuumed and mopped. All the laundry done, I will check the fridge and use up things that are close to expiration. Things that need to be recycled, I will get them to the recycling bins. Toilets will be washed, the placed dusted, the place tidied. Basically, I need to house to be clean before I leave. Why? Because I want to come back to a clean house. Or I would be constantly be thinking about the unswept floor or the few pieces of clothes left in the laundry basket or the errand that I didn't run. I will also make sure that all the bills are paid and I will check and double check that everything is in order. Sometimes I even finish up books that I am reading so I can start on a new one when I am on holiday. Yes, I read on holidays, having a book is like having a security blanket.

I am be pretty anal-retentive. I wonder how my husband stand me sometimes.

Oh, and post trip, there are some stuff that I do immediately after coming back. I will unpack and put away most things, if not all. I will put the clothes in the washing machine, then if it was a trip longer than a 4 days, I will change the bedsheets. No way in hell am I going to sleep on sheets that are left to collect dust for about a week! EEEEEWWWWWWWWWW! Usually, before short trips, I will change the sheets before I leave. Regardless whatever time it is, I will definitely change my sheets. I may not unpack if it is way too late, I may not put the clothes in the washer if I am way too tired, but the sheets, change I must! Then I will rest after that. Or maybe not. If the husband is not around to nag at me, I may sneak in a sweep.

The husband will be out taking the car for a drive and buy food. That is his post-trip ritual. Funny how I am too tired to go for a car ride, but never too tired to change sheets.