Cleaning house before going on holiday

[drinkingwineoutofamug]

Who else cleans the house before going away? We are off camping for a week and I've given the house a good tidy, changed beds etc
Partner thinks I'm bonkers but I really don't want to come home to a full washing basket, carpets/floors that need hoovering and dust I can write my name in.
Adult son staying at home due to work , so partner thinks it's definitely a waste of time.
The only job I've given partner is to play Jenga fitting all the.camping stuff in the car

I’m not obsessed with cleaning, but I am the same. The house has to be spotless prior to going away. I would hate to come back to any kind of untidiness or mess. I have also left adult DC at home while I’m away and I find that if it’s all neat and tidy, they will keep it that way.

Yep. I do the same. I need another holiday by the time I'm ready to go away!!

I’m the same. Love to come home to a vacuumed, clean house with no overflowing laundry baskets.

Doesn't everyone? Occasionally I've run out of time and not achieved it....then you just have to let it go and not spoil the holiday.

His bedroom maybe another matter .

Don't think there's anything wrong with a quick hoover and polish. I've put things away, wiped the kitchen sides down all whilst waiting for partner to stop swearing and just pack the bloody car!

Cleaning the house before a holiday is not up for debate.

Your son is less inclined to attempt to keep it clean and tidy if it wasn’t to begin with.

Sure.

Be very clear to your son you expect him to keep it / return it to that state

Doesn't everyone?

Not me, no. I struggle as it is to organise everything for going away. There is not a chance I have time for cleaning and changing beds too.

It's soooooo nice to come home to a clean home!!!!! It's like a little treat at the end of the holiday, clean bathrooms, kitchen, freshly made beds. All you have to do it unpack and do laundry. Bliss!

It's tidy, the bins and fridge emptied but dust still accumulates whilst the house is empty so no we don't vacuum and dust prior to going away anymore.

I always clean, get the washing basket cleared and change bedding before going on holiday. There's nothing worse after a long day of airports and flights to arrive home with a case full of washing to a dusty house and the beds needing changed. Especially after a holiday abroad where there been changing your bedding about every 3 days.
It's a push getting it all done before but, as our house is empty , it stays dust free while we're away. Great to jump into a freshly changed by ed on your return. For me, when I get back I just want to deal with the holiday laundry. If I had to launch into full on cleaning and bed changing as well it would take away from that lovely rested, refreshed feeling you hopefully get after a complete change of scene.

I always clean the house before we go on holiday. It's nice to come back to a clean house.

Always, I hate coming home to think there’s jobs to do, much nicer to come home to a clean & tidy house.

I always do a mini spring clean before going away I have just returned from my first holiday in 3 years and have spent the last couple of days relaxing in my clean home and slowly getting through my holiday washing.Who wants to come home to a tip.

It makes perfect sense to leave things as clean and tidy as reasonably possible before you go away, so that when you get home you can relax before tackling the holiday laundry and dealing with the camping stuff.

This is what I used to do/would still do now: kitchen surfaces cleared and wiped, washing up done and put away (or dishwasher loaded and run), bedding changed as close as possible to going away and bed(s) made, floors vacuumed/mopped, bathroom(s) wiped and tidied, living room and shared spaces straightened up. If you’ve got kids, DEFINITELY uniforms/sports stuff etc. ready, plus clothes you’ll need for work (especially if getting home on a Sunday). Bins emptied and fridge cleared of things that won’t survive until you get home. Basically, not getting into deep cleaning anything, just enough that you don’t feel you’re walking into a mess that takes anything away from the lovely holiday you’ve (hopefully) just enjoyed!

In your case @drinkingwineoutofamug, a clear expectation for DS to ‘leave as found’ (with a short list to help, if he’s not good at remembering).

I used to get quite anxious before going away, and in the past would start trying to deep clean/declutter/oven clean/window clean etc. before I/we were due to go - madness!

You are not bonkers (personally I wouldn’t bother with the dusting though).

I definitely do. I like coming back to a clean and tidy house.

I do the same. My husband calls it "cleaning for the burglars" !

Yes, always.
you don’t know what delays or problems you might encounter on the way home. ( sorry to be a pessimist).at least if you walk into a clean and tidy house it says ‘welcome back’.

I always leave the house before holiday as I want to come back to it. My cleaner comes during the time we’re away so while I don’t steam floors or polish etc, all washing is done and put away, bins emptied, downstairs hard floors are swept of crumbs etc.

I’m not an overly clean person but I deep clean our house before every holiday ! All laundry completed, floors hoovered and mopped. Carpets cleaned sometimes too. I even deep clean drawers and cupboards 😂! I have no idea why !

My mum always used to say "what you leave is what you find". I'm not a domestic goddess but I do like to come home to clean beds, clean floor and surfaces empty or at least run dishwasher and an empty laundry basket even if last wash still hanging on the drier

Yes I like to leave a clean house, my daughter thinks I’m bonkers!

Ideally yes.

But then I'm the same with any event in life.

You can bet if you don't make sure the house is clean you will have some unexpected event to deal with.

Example - you lose your luggage on holiday? (need clean clothes when you get back)
Someone falls ill - (you don't need the extra worry of doing housework AS WELL as looking after them).

But then, I was in the brownies. (motton be prepared)..!

I always want to, I think it's something ingrained in me as my mother used to do it. But as mum/carer to a young person with complex additional needs it rarely happens as I just run out if time.

I've never cleaned the house before going on holiday.

It's usually fairly clean away, but never have we cleaned it because we are going away. Wouldn't cross my mind.