5 Ways to Continue That Vacation... Even After It's Over

Coming back from vacation is hard for everyone, especially if it was a particularly memorable trip or getaway. Here's how to keep that vacation and those feelings fresh in your mind.

Not all vacations are created equal. Sometimes it's nice to get away for a weekend (or even a week), but it's just a nice break from work and life. Other vacations are SO special and mean so much you want to continue living in that moment. Unfortunately, you can't. We all have to get back to our regular lives. But, if you had a trip like that, or have one coming up (that you know is going to be a big deal), here's a few ways you can keep reliving those vacation feelings:

1 - TAKE THE SOAPS AND LOTIONS

Bring your own body wash, shampoo, and all those toiletries when you go on vacation. Use the soaps and lotions they provide for you (at the hotel or resort), at least once, but then use your own products. Then make sure you take the resort's soaps/lotions home with you. Wait a week or two, then use the soaps you picked up at the resort. The smell and feeling will remind you of your amazing trip.

2 - DON'T WASH EVERYTHING

Alright, this may sound gross, but just hear me out. Don't wash the clothes you packed, but didn't get a chance to wear while on vacation. Or if you have a hoodie or wrap you wore, don't be in a rush to wash that when you get home. Your clothes will pick up smells from where you were staying, and can transport you back to that place when you wear them again. Obviously, if the resort didn't smell good, you don't want to do this, but in most cases, it's fine to bring those scents back with you.

3 - BUY FOOD AND WINE SOUVENIRS

You would assume you want to buy something you can keep forever, instead of something your going to eat or drink. But sometimes when you have a keepsake from that perfect vacation, it gets put on a shelf and after a while, gets forgotten about. There's nothing wrong with buying something like that, but you should also purchase a wine, or some sort of food you can enjoy later (but not too much later). Chocolates are a good one, especially if there's a special chocolate shop in the area. Then you can enjoy your treat a week or two after your vacation, and again, take yourself back to your amazing adventure.

4 - TAKE TONS OF PHOTOS

This is a no-brainer. Of course most people already take tons and tons of photos whether we're on vacation or not. Make sure you document the important moments, and then don't look at those photos for a while. Maybe create a new album on Facebook or in your phone to add all the pictures to. Pick out the best ones, put them in the album, and forget about them for a few months. Then, when you have a little time to yourself, go through all the photos again. The important part of this, is to make sure you DON'T look at the photos over and over again, right after the trip. They'll start to lose that "magic." But if you view them a month or so afterwards, you'll get that flood of memories.

5 - BUY T-SHIRTS OR OTHER CLOTHES FROM WHERE YOU STAY

Most of us do this anyway, but the nice thing about having a T-shirt, hoodie, even a dress from a place you visited is it's a great conversation starter. Someone may say, "hey, I love your dress," or "I love your shirt," and you can tell them about your vacation. Even if no one says anything, once you put on that article of clothing, you'll be reminded of your vacation, and you'll enjoy that feeling.