The wife thinks I'm nuts! (Pre-trip obsessions / rituals?)

[Buckimion]

We should be landing at LAX right about 2 weeks from now. I've been spending the day scrubbing the house from top to bottom since I have this obsession with leaving a completely clean house when we go on vacation. Wife can't figure out why I bother. (We also used to always have breakfast at a particular restraunt the morning before one of our vacations but we dropped that one awhile back.) Anyone else have any amusing rituals for that BIG trip?

 

[pjlla]

No specific rituals, but if my DH wanted to scrub the house for ANY REASON, I wouldn't complain. Tell your wife how lucky she is!................P

 

[diberry]

No specific rituals, but if my DH wanted to scrub the house for ANY REASON, I wouldn't complain. Tell your wife how lucky she is!................P

You can come and do mine before our holiday too if you like!!!

 

[aprila]

I'm not exactly obsessed with it but I do like to come home to a clean house after a vacation so I do clean it totally before we leave

 

[GIOny]

I use to be that way about cleaning the house before we go but I've noticed it doesn't seem to matter as much anymore, but I do hate coming home to a messy house, especially after being in a hotel room that is cleaned everyday. I also like to clean out my refrigerator, I don't want any science projects when I get home!!

 

[lwilliam]

I also LOVE cleaning the house before we leave for vacation, but
last year, when we went to Disneyworld, we left the 18 yr. old (boy) at
home (he was working) - I'm not going to tell you what we HAD to
do when we came home - he has been threatened, never again....
this year we are taking him along to DL and The Magic....hopefully
the house will remain spotless for two weeks while we are gone!

 

[crazymomof 4]

I just wish I could make my Husband love DL like you obviously do!

 

[RonnieJo66]

My family and I also have rituals before going on a vacation! Believe me, you're not nuts...but then again I KNOW I am!

We always watch a Disney movie before each trip, we have a jar that we collect loose change in all year long....we empty and count it and we always eat at the same restaurant on our way to LAX. There are others as well, but you get the point! You are not the only one who does such things. (by, the way...you are more than welcome to come and scrub down my home )

Happy Vacationing

Hugs,

RonnieJo

 

[EeyoreJMH]

Before we go on a trip we do the house-cleaning thing, too. Nothing helps bring on post-vacation letdown like having to clean the house when you get home. We also tend to go to the same restaurant for dinner the night before we leave; the week prior to the trip we end up with some interesting dinners as we clean out the fridge. For the plane ride I print out trip reports from the boards here and www.mouseplanet.com. Helps me get all ready for the trip

 

[HaleyB]

Does running around like a crazy person trying to remember if I packed socks for everyone and going on last minute runs to the store for sunblock count as a ritual? I seem to do both before every trip

I like a clean house to come home to as well. So I guess that might be a ritual. And I stay up all night reading posts on the DIS oh wait, I do that all year long

 

[RKB]

I drive my family crazy as well by insisting that we leave with the house clean. I can't even stand the depressing thought of coming home to a messy house.

 

[sm4987]

I'm leaving in 3 weeks, wanna come by here and clean my house too!!!!

My thing is everything is packed almost 2 weeks before we leave on any trip. Hate to think about leaving anything. The kids bags are packed already!!!! I hate anything last minute

 

[Brendita]

As my DH stays @ home with the cats.
Not into Disney or flying or rides.
What can I say he's an old F***.
Also he is a bit of a slob.
So no matter how much I clean before we go.
It's a mess when we get back.
As long as the cats are alive when we get back that's what's important.

 

[Hockeychic]

I have some weird rituals also. Regardless of where the vacation is. AS soon as I have a date we are going a buy a book and do a count down....I can add in things I have to do and have to buy as I think about them, DH thinks I am nuts but I never forget anything. This time the book has been going since about the 300 day mark.....yikesssss.

I am also a house cleanner...how embarrased would I be if someone broke in and my house was messy. Just kidding, I agree bad enough I have to come home to suitcases of luggage never mind a messy house.

We look at our old video and photos from previous trips,

I like the idea of reading trip reports on the plane.....I gotta go right that in the book.

 

[acrucifer]

I also have to clean the entire house before we leave and it causes some tension with my wife. I do the countdown on the my computer and I have to rake all the leaves from my lawn. oh, I almost forget, when it gets down to the day before leaving, I have to stand on my head. (which isnt the easiest thing for a 6'5" 300 lb pound man to do- it reqiures work and planning).

 

[Buckimion]

I am also a house cleanner...how embarrased would I be if someone broke in and my house was messy.

Not meaning to sound too morbid, but my 'obsession' with the house cleaning is more along the lines if something were to happen, I don't want my family walking into our house and saying "Oh...My...God".

What my wife has had trouble with is that it is still 2 weeks to go...meaning I'll be starting all over in about 10 days. And we're also having her cousins house sit for us...which means a sink full of dirty dishes and carpet tracks even when we return. (My wife's side of the family is a living Jeff Foxworthy comedy routine.)

 

[diberry]

I can sympathise with that! I like to come back to a clean house and fresh sheets on the bed. If only the weeds and grass wouldn't grow while we're away!!!

 

[denyd]

My wife thought I was obsessing when I planned out honeymoon at WDW and had meal reservations, spa days and daily route plans to include the parades, fireworks & special shows, but once we got back, she said it was one of the best trips she'd ever had. (Maybe it was just the post wedding glow

I think the key was allowing for some down time. After a day at each park, we went to the Grand Floridian for massages and lunch before returning to Epcot for dinner and great seats for Illuminations.

 

[PamNC]

come scrub our house! We're going to WDW FL in 31 days.

Seriously, I kinda' do this...I'm the wife in the scenario though. I have this "thing" I do and quite simply, and embarrasingly so, I sort of PANIC the week before the trip. I start going over and over in my mind everything I have to do. Like, pack, clean the house, get the house sitter lined up, etc etc. simple things really. I do insist on a major house cleaning and why I don't know. Our house sitter, really a pet sitter because we have 2 dogs, 4 horses, 3 chickens, 4 inside cats and 4 outside cats, she sleeps at our place, and she darts in and out throughout the day to let the dogs out...but she doesn't litterally stay there all day. So, my DH wonders why I insist on making it sparkling clean. I don't know - I think I like for it to be clean upon my return. I really freak out right before our trips - I get totally annoyed with myself.

PamNC