Currently on my nightstand: fruit salad and english breakfast tea, and souvenirs from Paris- a Diptyque candle and eau de toilette from Merci

One of the most important aspects of returning from an extended vacation is slipping back into your real life without feeling like a visitor in someone else’s.  To make that fateful shift from holiday to home, there are a few simple steps I always take in that first week back in my own, now-slightly-foreign, element.

1.  Unpack.  You don’t have to do it immediately after stepping off the plane, train, car, boat, or bus like I do (there’s that OCD again!)…but unpacking within the first two days of returning home is a crucial part of adjusting to home life that cannot be overlooked.  Living out of a suitcase subconsciously gives the impression that the vacation has not yet ended, and as you can imagine this is extremely confusing in terms of inner motivation.

2.  Integrate new possessions into your daily life.  Whether they be material or mental, going away to someplace different always rewards us with souvenirs.  Find a home for everything.  Settle physical memories in places around your home that soak them into your pre-existing decor, so they don’t feel like a temporary art exhibit in your living room.  Apply knowledge acquired on your trip into your home life, and see how it applies to your daily activities.

3.  Give yourself a schedule.  Jumping back into the stresses of life at home after a vacation can be intimidating, but getting back into a scheduled routine can be an absolute life-saver.  Even if you are still healing from a back fracture and your only plans consist of physical therapy, acupuncture appointments and the beach, carving out time to do these things is an essential step in adjusting to home life.

And with that, it’s off to the beach with me!  What are your tricks for shaking the vacation vibes and getting back into the swing of things?