14 Things People With Organized Homes Always Tidy Up Before Leaving For Vacation

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There are some crucial mistakes to avoid when leaving your home for a vacation, like forgetting to set the alarm or make arrangements for your pets. However, one of the worst things you can actually do is forget to leave the house tidy for when you get back. Organized people tend to always tidy up these areas of their home before jetting off. This cuts down on both post-holiday overwhelm and the amount of chores they have to do when they return from a trip. 

Treat this like a checklist of things you should give a once-over before you head out. Some pre-vacation chores, like taking out the trash so it doesn't stink up the entire house or switching off the lights, are common sense. But you might not have thought to get all the trash cans from every room or pick up all the usual household clutter from your old purse, your nightstand, and yes, even the overcrowded table in your entryway. Here's what you need to know about tidying your home to enjoy a relaxing post-vacation return.

People with organized homes never leave for a trip without giving their fridge a quick clean-out. Even ingredients that seem fine now, like fresh berries and herbs, as well as deli meat, or leftovers from your pre-departure meal, can completely turn during a weeklong vacation. Clearing out anything that's on its last days protects you from opening the door to a face full of rotten odors and an even grosser clean out when you get back.

To streamline the process, treat this as a simple pre-travel ritual rather than a fridge deep clean. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Start by checking all perishables and pulling anything that won't survive the length of your trip. If you feel unsure, just toss it to be safe or give it to a neighbor if you feel uneasy about wasting food. It also helps to reduce your grocery shopping in the week leading up to your departure, so you have less food to go through overall. You can also wipe down spills or sticky spots while the shelves are less full. This takes seconds but keeps odors from developing. If you tend to forget this step in the rush of packing, set a reminder for the night before you leave.

It may feel counterintuitive to wash bedding right before you leave for vacation, but returning to a fresh, clean bed is one of the simplest luxuries after a long day of travel. Instead of climbing into dirty sheets that have sat unused and slightly stale while you were gone, you'll get that crisp, hotel feeling the moment you get home. It's a gentle way to ease back into your routine and make the transition from "vacation mode" to "real life" feel a lot smoother and more restful.

Strip your bed the morning before you leave so the sheets can wash and dry while you're packing or running errands. If you're tight on time for laundry, keep an extra set of clean sheets folded in your linen closet so you can swap them out quickly without waiting for the wash cycle. And, if you want that extra-fresh feel, spritz your pillows with a lightly scented linen spray, like Muse Apothecary Linen Ritual, right before walking out the door.

Travel already guarantees a suitcase full of dirty clothes, so coming home to an overflowing hamper from before you went away only makes the chore feel twice as daunting. Clearing out your clothes hamper ahead of time means you can tackle the trip laundry in one clean sweep (and have plenty of clean underwear waiting for you when you get back, just in case). It also keeps your bedroom fresh while you're away, as you don't have stinky laundry just sitting around.

To make this step easier, start a "pre-trip laundry day" two days before you leave. Wash and dry everything in the hamper, so you're not scrambling the night before. If you want to pack some of these dirty items for your trip, wash those first so they're ready when you need them. Fold and put everything away so drawers and closets are tidy. Organized people rarely leave clean laundry sitting in baskets. A trick to make folding piles of clothes less overwhelming is to sort them by item before you fold. That way, you deal with all the pants, shirts, socks, etc. at once instead of switching between different items. It makes putting everything away easier, too.

Never leave for vacation without taking out the garbage. And not just the kitchen bin: remember to empty the bathroom, office, bedroom, and nursery cans, too. Even if a bag seems only half-full, most things can turn sour after several days in a closed-up house. Food scraps, used tissues, coffee grounds, and bathroom waste will stink when you get back. Plus, they can also attract pests like bugs and rodents — it's not worth the risk.

To make this an easy part of your pre-trip routine, do a quick walkthrough of the house carrying one large trash bag. Dump each bin as you go so you don't forget any rooms. If you don't use trash bags in each smaller bin, be sure to wipe out sticky or crumb-filled cans with a disinfecting wipe so they stay fresh while you're gone. However, using bags is always a good idea. For example, something like the Hefty Small Trash Bags with Fabuloso Watermelon Scent is a great way to prevent the trash can itself from getting gross, while adding a nice smell to the space. If you are going to miss trash collection day, coordinate with a neighbor to take your bins out to the curb, so your outside containers aren't overflowing either while you're away. 

A sink full of dirty dishes can turn into a smelly, crusty mess after several days of sitting untouched. Emptying the sink and running and emptying the dishwasher ensures you return to a clean, fresh kitchen instead of confronting old grime after a long trip. The night before departure, run the dishwasher completely, even if it's not quite full. 

You might be tempted to wait and run a full load when you get back, but leaving dirty dishes inside for too long will only make them harder to clean later — and the dishwasher will smell to high heaven if you leave it dirty with the door shut for any length of time. If you have items that need hand-washing in the morning, take care of them right before you go. You should also wipe down the counters and give the sink a quick rinse so that no stray food particles get left behind.

The entryway table is one of those spots that seems to attract clutter without anyone noticing: mail, keys, sunglasses, receipts, hair ties, and whatever else gets dropped on the way in the house. But if you leave it like this, when you walk back in after days away, the very first thing you'll see is a messy pile of random items you forgot existed. While you can say goodbye to entryway clutter with a sleek hidden storage DIY cabinet, a quick reset before you leave will be even easier in a pinch — since right before vacation isn't the time for a big project.

Gather up anything that doesn't belong: the mail to sort later, items that need to be put in drawers, receipts you can toss, and clear the surface completely. Give the table a quick dust or wipe-down — it takes less than a minute but makes the whole area feel polished. If the entryway is a clutter magnet, add a catchall tray or small basket so things land in one spot instead of spreading out. Items like an OAKOA Concrete Bowl or a WEWEOW Mail Organizer Wall Mount let you sort things as you put them down, preventing clutter in the first place.

Coming home to dingy entry mats or gritty floors is an instant mood dampener, especially when you're tired from travel and just want to relax. A few minutes of vacuuming the areas you walk through most keeps everything feeling fresh for when you get back.

To make this task quick and painless, focus only on the zones that actually show wear. You don't need to drag the vacuum into every bedroom or get into corners; a simple pass-through is enough. If you have pets, use a handheld vacuum or floor attachment to grab fur tumbleweeds before they become embedded. For hard floors, a microfiber mop or dusting pad can pick up anything the broom misses. Some people even run a robot vacuum, like the roborock Q7 L5 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, to make the task even easier while they finish packing. Either way, giving your floors a light refresh means you'll return to a home that looks just as clean as you left it.

The living room is the room you're most likely to see first when you walk back in, and nothing takes the shine off a post-vacation glow like slumped throw blankets, pillows all over the floor, or magazines and mail strewn across the coffee table. So, organized people will always give this space a once-over before they head out.

Take five minutes to fold blankets neatly and drape them across the sofa, or place them in the storage basket. Fluff the pillows so the room looks pulled together. This is a great time to use the pillow chop trend. Then, gather any loose items like the TV remote, extra chargers, books, etc., and put them back where they belong. A quick wipe of the coffee table or side tables can make the whole room appear freshly cleaned, even if you didn't touch anything else. If you're in a rush, set a five-minute timer and tackle only what's most visible from the entryway. Keeping a small basket nearby for random items, like the ABenkle Small Basket with Handles, can also help contain clutter longer term.

The bathroom counter is usually one of the first areas to fall apart in the rush of packing. Between pulling out travel-size bottles, digging through your skincare products, and deciding what to bring, the counter can quickly become cluttered with open lids and scattered makeup containers. Leaving it that way means your future self returns to a chaotic scene that makes unpacking feel even more unappealing.

Remember, you aren't deep cleaning the bathroom: you are just doing a five-minute organizing session. Put away anything you decided not to pack, close products that were left open, and return everyday items to drawers or baskets. Wipe down the counter to clear toothpaste specks or spilled powders. If you emptied certain items into travel containers, store them together so you know exactly where to find them next time you pack. To avoid this chore altogether, it's handy to keep a small "vacation kit" (like the Mrsdry 16-Pack Travel Set) under the sink with all your essentials in travel-size containers so you can just grab and go without the messy chaos.

It may not be the most glamorous task, but people with organized homes always give their toilets a quick scrub before leaving to go on vacation. A simple swish with a toilet brush and a bit of cleaner keeps bacteria from settling and prevents anything from discoloring the bowl while you're away. It's one of those small chores that makes a surprisingly big difference.

The good news is that this step takes less than a minute per bathroom. Do a fast pass with cleaner, give the seat and handle a wipe with a disinfecting cloth, and you're done. Some people also like to quickly wipe the exterior of the toilet and the surrounding floor area, since dust tends to settle more while you're gone. This light reset doesn't have to be perfect. It's just enough to ensure everything stays clean while you're away. You'll be grateful for it the moment you walk back in, especially if you've really been missing the peace of your home bathroom.

Nightstands have a way of becoming tiny ecosystems without anyone noticing. It's easy enough to find things like multiple almost-empty water bottles, half-eaten snacks, stray tissues, and lip balms without the lids strewn across them. That's why people with organized homes make a point of decluttering this spot before leaving for vacation.

This cleanup doesn't need to be involved. Start by tossing anything disposable: empty tissue boxes, wrappers, old receipts, or near-empty water bottles should go straight into the trash bag when you're doing the household garbage roundup. Put books, chargers, and electronics back where they belong so the space isn't visually noisy. Wipe down the tabletop to remove dust or rings from drinks; a quick pass is all it takes. If your nightstand consistently collects clutter, add a small tray to corral essentials, like the ComfyRoom Desk Organizer, or keep a tiny trash can nearby.

Scattered kids' toys, chew bones, and even leashes can also collect dust while you're gone, making cleanup harder later. Tidying them up before you go is an easy way to prevent tripping hazards when you first walk in the door with bags in hand, and it keeps the house from feeling chaotic after sitting untouched for days.

To tackle this quickly, do a fast sweep of the main living areas and hallways with one bin or basket in hand. Toss in anything that doesn't belong on the floor: stuffed animals, puzzle pieces, cat toys, squeakers, rope toys, or enrichment gear. Check under the couch and coffee table for strays, and shake out any small rugs where pieces may have rolled underneath. Then, return each thing to its usual storage spot. If you need help getting organized with this in the first place, a system like the Skywin TidyFriend Stackable Storage Bins is a good place to start.

If you're switching to a different purse or backpack for your trip, take that moment to empty the pockets of your everyday bag. It's the perfect time to clear out trash, old receipts, and other random items that accumulate without you noticing. It's also a good moment to take inventory, so you don't forget something important you meant to pack.

To do it quickly, open each zipper and pocket of your daily purse or backpack and then just dump everything onto a clean surface. Sort trash in one pile, items that need to go back in your everyday bag in another, and things that you should transfer to your travel bag — like lip balm, medications, earbuds, or your wallet — into a third. Toss trash immediately so it doesn't migrate back inside. To keep things better organized in the future, try adding smaller zipper bags to your larger tote, like one for toiletries, one for medication, etc. Plus, if you have a lot of bags, try the MORNITE Pull Out Closet Hanger, a budget-friendly handbag organizer that's perfect for small or cluttered closets.

If you leave damp, recently used towels hanging in the bathroom, they can develop musty smells and even mildew while you're away. And, after a long trip, the last thing you want is to step out of the shower into a towel that's stale or damp.

After your pre-trip shower, gather all used towels from the bathroom, so bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths, and toss them straight into the washing machine. Try to leave enough time to pop them in the dryer, too. It's fine if they sit in the dryer for a while, but they will go off in the washer. Replace them with a freshly laundered set so everything feels crisp when you return. If you're short on time, at least hang the used towels to dry fully so they don't sit damp for days. While you're in the bathroom, double-check that bath mats aren't wet and flip them to air out if needed. This tiny reset prevents odors and gives you a hotel-fresh feeling the moment you get home.