When We Return...

We seem to be on the road quite a bit, traveling to exhibit in trade shows and recruiting new employees or holding orientation for the new hires or hosting training classes for clients or opening new offices.  It is all exhausting!  I usually look like this...


Did you notice the resemblance between me (photo to the right) and Lucy here?  I just don't wear dangly earrings!

In addition to the crazy travel schedule, we are also getting things in line to close on a house and trying to schedule a time to move.  All of this will happen in between the weeks of travel, but I'm not quite sure how yet.  Oh, and let's not forget finding the time to write a blog post every day.  As you can see, I fail at this task most of the time when we are traveling.

I don't understand how musicians can stay on the road 300 days a year.  Hotels, motels, fast food, dirty "on the road" bathrooms, rest areas....the scenery becomes a blur and the only thing you want most in the world is to sleep in your own bed.

Our house is generally neat and tidy because we don't have kids living at home and the hubster knows better than to leave a mess for me to clean up. ;-)   Have I mentioned that I am the HR/Payroll Administrator for his company??!!  And handle all of the billing??!!  But, before we leave home, I always make sure things are in order for our return....no dishes in the sink, clean dishes in the dishwasher (I run it right before we leave), trash emptied, bathrooms clean, bed made, no loose mail on the kitchen counters, etc.  After being on the road for so many long hours, I want to come home to this...


 ....and this....



....and this...



....all clean, neat, tidy and peaceful.  We even leave the light on for when we get home!

I also make sure our home smells inviting when we walk through the door.  I love the Bath & Body Works wallflowers and have them all over the house.  We, and our guests, are always met with pleasant scents...welcoming scents that say "I'm glad you're here!"

What special things do you do to prepare for your return home when you know you are going to be traveling?










34 comments

  1. I'm the same way Benita. :)

    We left for Branson two weeks ago and I was cleaning like crazy before we left. My husband asked me why. I've always had a hang-up about leaving and coming home to clean. At my last house, my sweet next door neighbor and I had a pact that if one of us died...we'd sneak in and make sure everything was clean before crowds arrived. It's true!

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    1. It makes a huge difference knowing that when you get home, you can actually sit and relax without having to run around picking up and cleaning. LOL...I know exactly what you mean. If I die and someone doesn't get over quickly to make sure everything is in order, I would probably rise up long enough to clean...and show them how my hair needs to be fixed! ;-)

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  2. I'm with Stacy - I clean before leaving in case we die and someone has to come in the house! I love being surrounded by chaos. Probably a holdover from being a teacher for so long.

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    1. I guess we all have these phobias of dying and our house being in a mess. LOL...chaos from teaching?! That sounds reasonable...all those kids running in every direction! I don't know how you did it for so long!

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  3. I too love a clean home when I return from vacation. We are on the road now too, staying in a nice place, but I always can't wait to get back home before we even leave!

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    1. I’m becoming the same way…before we leave the house I’m talking about how I’m ready for the upcoming trip to be over!

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  4. Enjoy your busy time, coming up. As much as possible!!!!!!

    We haven't traveled in ages, but I want things neat, alllllll the time, anyway. ,-) Messiness is hard on my equilibrium.

    Everything in its place. Nothing piled or scattered or messy left around. Or else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -grinnnnn-

    Tessa

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    1. I've been called a "neat freak" a time or two in my life...but that's okay. I like everything put away all the time. Before we go to bed each night, I fluff the pillows on the sofa, put the coasters back in their place, load our glasses in the dishwasher and put everything back in order. Each morning when we get up, everything is where it's supposed to be. :-) It's a good thing!

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  5. Good Monday Morning Benita. I am the same way I always clean so when I come home from traveling I have a clean house to welcome us home. You are so busy but a good busy. I cannot wait for you to close and move into your new home.
    Kris

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    1. Good morning Kris! It really does make a difference and I think it makes the drive home easier knowing that all you have to do is unpack and relax. Thank you so much, I'm ready to close and get moved so that we can be ready for the holidays...LOL. I feel like they are breathing down the back of my neck! :-) Have a wonderful day!

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  6. I want to come home to YOUR house! It's lovely! One of our sons housesits for us when we're gone. We take 2 of the dogs with us when we travel but the other 2 and the cat are still here and my house smells like animal when I walk in. Must go to Bath and Body for those wallflowers!

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    1. Thank you so much, you are so sweet! Dewena, you are welcome anytime you would like to come over! Be warned, I might put you to work packing boxes! :-) You will love those wallflowers. I love the fall scents and Christmas scents the best so over the fall/winter months, I purchase enough to last the entire year. They are delicious!

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  7. I don't know how you do it, I am the ultimate homebody and traveling is not something I enjoy. It's nice to get a away for a bit, yes, but I love coming home. I keep it clean before we go, but the minute we walk in, the kids are going for food and there is dirty laundry everywhere...then I need a vacation all over again! ;-)

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    1. LOL....it was that way when I had kids at home. They took off in every direction and left me to clean up the mess. And all I wanted was to relax from vacation...LOL. As they got older, I made it a rule that before anything happened, they were to unpack their suitcase and put dirty clothes in the hamper, which is what we still do. I am a homebody also and while I used to like the idea of traveling, I'm burned out on it now. I'm ready to be at home for a while.

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  8. I am exactly like you, down to the wallflowers! I wouldn't come home from traveling if it meant returning to a messy/smelly house! :)

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    1. LOL....I would turn right around and leave if it were messy. After traveling, I need the calm of home.

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  9. I do just what you do...I, too, like it nice and smelling good when we come home.

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    1. BJ, it makes all the difference in the world! :-)

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  10. Your house is very lovely and inviting! I like to get mine cleaned too, because I know I'll be too tired when I get back from driving 3+ hours on the road, who wants to do housework! I use reed diffusers, and I love Bath and Body Works, need to check their Wallflowers. Safe travels, Benita!

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    1. Thank you so much Christine! I use some of the Pier 1 reed diffusers in our master bath and those smell equally as wonderful. They last such a long time. I try to get them on sale. The wallflowers scent every room so well and they last a long time also! Thank you again...have a wonderful day! Hugs!!

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  11. I do the same thing. Everything MUST be clean before I leave the house. My main reason is that if something should happen to me (God forbid) that they wouldn't walk into a messy house. My mother would be very ashamed LOL The other reason is the same as yours. I just want to come home to a clean house after being away, especially a nicely made bed... ahhhh..... ;)

    xo,
    rue

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    1. I think we all are the same way…clean house in case something happens to us, because you know someone will talk about it at the funeral….what a mess so and so’s house was…LOL. It’s the same with that clean underwear deal in case of an accident. But I really don’t know of anyone who wears dirty underwear…LOL. It is wonderful to come home to something nice and clean after being on the road for a while. Hugs!!

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  12. Oh except for my office, which I really need to take care of. It's scary! O.o

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    1. LOL...it's funny you should say that. Our office at home is always a wreck! I'm a total neat freak about the rest of the house, but I just have to give up on the office. The good thing is that it will no longer be in the house when we move...we have office space! YAY! Hugs!!

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  13. I agree- like to come home to neat too! My hubby knows better too!

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    1. I have a switch, just like my mother had. It keeps him in line! ;-)

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  14. Benita,
    Now that the children have grown up our house stays so clean! My husband and I both take extra care with a neat house and I do believe that he may be more of a stickler than I am! I always clean extra deep before a trip and love walking through the door to the fresh scent and everything in it's place.
    Hugs,
    Jemma

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    1. I love our kids, but keeping a clean house is so much easier once they no longer live in it. :-) When it is just the two of you, you divide and conquer with getting the housekeeping taken care of. My rule has always been to pick up as you go and when you use something, but it back instead of leaving it out. Those two little things make such a big difference! I also learned a few lessons from Emilie Barnes (a wonderful Christian author) when I was much younger how to tackle keeping a house clean and it has worked for all these years!

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  15. -Ever Grateful HubsterAugust 3, 2015 at 10:59 PM

    I can't speak enough about the importance of cleanliness and peacefulness when we get back to the house. It is a blessing to come home to... our home. When we were selling our last house people asked us who staged the house for us. Uh... that's how we live. Doesn't everyone? As a man who experiences this way of life thanks to Benita (and experienced a very different way of living in a previous life) I cannot brag about or thank her enough for such a welcoming home... whether we've been traveling together for weeks or I've been gone for an afternoon on business. Thank you, my love.

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  16. I am the same way! I like clean counters, clean floors, nice and neat pillows on the couch.
    Yes, I love a good smell too.
    Fun post.
    Carla

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    1. Thank you Carla. Coming back to a nicely cleaned and organized space makes being at home all the better! It makes my day so much easier! I think I may start taking a wallflower or two with me when we travel. While a hotel room won’t look like home, it may smell a little like it! :-)

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  17. Benita, I have to come home to a clean house as well. Also, the yard has to be freshly mowed and pots watered right before we leave. I too start the dishwasher the morning before we take off. We just got home from a three day get away with our kids and grands and on Weds. we are heading OR for another road trip. I love traveling, but after about a week I miss my home and gardens so much! There's no place like home! Your home is lovely! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. Thank you so much Jann! I agree, that while it is nice to travel, it is so great to get home. We are home about 1 week in June and 1 week during July. We’ve already been on the road the first entire week of August and we are definitely ready to be home for a while! Thank you for hosting! Have a great week!

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