Simple RVing: 9 Ways We Simplified Our Arrival Home from Our Family RV Trips

You’ve explored national parks, visited long-lost friends, and made memories traveling with your family. Then it’s time to return home...

It’s hard to return home from any trip, and it can be even harder to return home from a long family RV trip. But with a little advance planning, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

Here are 9 ways you can simplify your arrival home from your family RV trips:

1. Plan a recovery day – It might be tempting to squeeze one more day onto your trip but think about the benefits of having a day at home to adjust before diving back into your usual routine. Savor that vacation slowness a bit longer with this extra day.
2. Notify friends, family, and neighbors – You might have kept in touch with your friends and family as you traveled but it’s always helpful to let them know when you’ve made it back home (especially any neighbors who were watching your home).
3. Sort laundry as you unpack – Resist the urge to forget about your suitcase/backpack when you walk in the door. Have everyone dump them out immediately near the laundry room. Sorting will go quick and your bags/backpacks will be empty and ready for the next adventure.
4. Eat your pre-planned dinner – Remember the step you took back in the planning phase? It’s going to pay off big time when you arrive home after a day of traveling and already have dinner on hand. Throw it on the stove or in the oven and enjoy a “real” meal without having to run to the grocery store or order fast food.
5. Pick up your mail – Head to the Post Office (or over to the neighbor who was getting it for you) and collect everything you missed. Be sure to go through it as soon as possible to avoid missing any bills or time-sensitive items. Don’t let that clutter pile up!
6. Journal – Finish up any final journaling while the details are still fresh in your memory. Reflect on how the trip impacted you and your family. Write about what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d do differently next time.
7. Sleep – Use this “cushion” day to rest and catch up on any sleep you’ve missed. Traveling takes a lot out of you and having this extra day to let your body recover is time well spent. You’ll go back to your routine in a much healthier, refreshing way.
8. Be grateful – Close your eyes and focus on all that this experience gave you. Think about how you impacted others during this trip. Savor the memories and appreciate the blessing of having gone on this trip. Breathe it all in and smile.

These tips have helped us settle back in after our family RV trips. I hope they help you do the same. Bon Voyage!