Summer Travel Ready: The Top Pre-Vacation Prep Routines
Do you find yourself doing pre-vacation prep? I know I do. Before I head out, I make sure the house is spotless, the dishes are done, and the laundry is…
Do you find yourself doing pre-vacation prep? I know I do. Before I head out, I make sure the house is spotless, the dishes are done, and the laundry is all sorted. And, of course, I can't resist buying new travel clothes, as if those strangers in far-off lands will notice the difference. It turns out, I'm not alone in these habits. A new survey commissioned by Mr. Clean and conducted by Talker Research highlights some of the top pre-vacation routines of 2,000 U.S. travelers ahead of summer travel.
What are the most important pre-vacation prep routines?
The survey revealed that more than 75% of respondents claimed they prefer to clean their homes prior to heading out. The average respondent starts pre-vacation prep over two weeks in advance. Before traveling, people tend to focus their cleaning on laundry (77%), dishes (66%), the bathroom (58%), and sweeping and mopping (56%).
Regarding motivation, the study found that 66% are so excited about their upcoming travel that it motivates them to clean before they leave. An upcoming trip can be a great motivator for people to knock out their cleaning tasks but it can also be a stressor for summer travelers. Fifty-one percent stated they “dread” the thought of having to clean when they come home from vacation.
Personally, I clean my travel luggage after every trip before packing it away. But the survey found that in addition to cleaning their homes before a trip, travelers also take the time to clean their most-used travel items like luggage (40%). On average, respondents brought their luggage on a total of seven trips and as many as 26% of respondents had cleaned their luggage in the past week alone.
Getting these items in shape is important too. Many have felt “embarrassed” on vacation because some items they brought look old or worn out, including their clothes (20%), shoes (19%), and luggage (18%).
To avoid this, as many as 55% of travelers reported it was a “high priority” to check the state of these items well before they embark on their trip. Though respondents make sure to clean their luggage (40%) and travel bags (39%) before their trip, results found even more travelers will clean them when they return home.
They specifically pay close attention to their luggage (47%) and other travel accessories (21%) so they’re prepared well ahead of time for future travel.
And while 79% said it’s important that their luggage is clean when traveling, 27% claimed it was the “most difficult item” for them to clean.
Take a look at more insights about pre-vacation prep routines here.
