10 things to do as soon as you get home from holidays
<p>You probably want to flop down on the couch and reminisce, but you should really do these 10 things as soon as you return from your holiday.</p>
<p><strong>1. Unpack</strong></p>
<p>It’s tempting to just throw that suitcase in the corner of your bedroom and avoid it for the next few days (or weeks…) but the best thing to do is tackle the unpacking as soon as possible. Get everything washed, put your souvenirs on display and store the bag out of the way. Nothing dulls a holiday glow like tripping over a half empty suitcase every day.</p>
<p><strong>2. Check your bank statements</strong></p>
<p>Overseas travel is a prime time for bank fraud or identity theft. Once you arrive home, check over all your bank and credit card statements to make sure there have been no unauthorised transactions. Keep an eye on your account for a few weeks after you return as fraudsters sometimes wait for a while to begin using your details.</p>
<p><strong>3. Deal with your mail</strong></p>
<p>If you’ve been away for a while you’ll probably have a backlog of emails to deal with, so tackle them as soon as you feel up to it. Also remember to turn of any out of office notifications or forwarding systems. The same applies to your physical mail – cancel your mail holding at the post office and go through any letters to make sure you haven’t missed anything important.</p>
<p><strong>4. Get your rewards</strong></p>
<p>Most airline or hotel loyalty programs will let you claim points after you’ve travelled. Go through all your bookings and receipts and make sure you haven’t missed out on anything that you’re entitled to.</p>
<p><strong>5. Go through your photos</strong></p>
<p>Digital cameras mean we’re no longer so selective with our snaps, so you can come home with literally thousands of images. It’s best to go through them while the experience is still fresh in your mind. Organise them into albums and print out a few of your favourites to display.</p>
<p><strong>6. Get in touch</strong></p>
<p>One of the best things about travel is meeting new people. If you’ve made some new friends and exchanged contact details, drop them a line as soon as you get home. Chances are if you leave it to long you won’t end up contacting them at all. Social media makes it very easy to say a quick hello.</p>
<p><strong>7. Make insurance claims</strong></p>
<p>If you’ve lost anything or experienced any significant delays, you might be able to make a claim on your travel insurance policy. There’s usually a time limit for lodging a claim that starts from when you return home. Get your paperwork together and make a claim before the deadline.</p>
<p><strong>8. Post your reviews</strong></p>
<p>Websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp rely on travellers posting reviews of their experiences. They help fellow travellers make a decision about their own trip. If you’ve had a great experience (or a bad one), post a quick review to share your expertise.</p>
<p><strong>9. Take care of yourself</strong></p>
<p>Sometimes you get back from a holiday feeling like you need another holiday. Make sure you take some time to recuperate from jet lag and let your body fully recover. Get lots of sleep, eat well, drink plenty of water and try a bit of gentle exercise.</p>
<p><strong>10. Start planning your next trip!</strong></p>
<p>The best cure for the post-holiday blues is planning your next adventure. Grab some brochures or go online and let your imagination run wild.</p>
<p>Do you do all of these when you get to the end of your trip? Do you have a trip on the cards? Let us know in the comments.</p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/why-you-should-never-throw-out-boarding-passes/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Why you must never throw out your boarding pass</span></em></strong></a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/the-benefits-of-taking-a-slow-holiday/"><em><strong>The benefits of taking a slow holiday</strong></em></a></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/7-trips-you-should-never-book-online/">7 trips you should never book online</a></strong></em></span></p>
