One week from today my husband and I are leaving for our annual trip to Long Beach Island on the jersey Shore.  Coming back from vacation can be traumatic...but I put a few safeguards into place to help with the re-entry process:

• put clean sheets on your home bed before you go away - that way you come home to a fresh bed
• if you go somewhere that has a washer and dryer (like the beach house we rent) do some laundry before you come back.  That will cut down on how much you need to do when you get home.
• clean the house before you go.  Who wants to come back to a messy house?  Do some cleaning, put away clutter, put the clean dishes away, and you will come back to a clean, fresh house.  Another option is to have your home professionally cleaned while you are away - it's like a spa treatment for the house!
• have whoever is picking up mail and newspapers put it all neatly into a basket - you don't want to come home to a dining room table overflowing with paperwork.
• plan for a nice relaxing and easy dinner with a nice wine to help make the transition to real life a little easier.

Seven days and counting...and we will be at the beach!