Returning from vacation to a clean house can make unpacking and settling back into your routine a lot more pleasant. As a reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Home Care & Cleaning Lab, I recommend giving your home a thorough cleaning before you depart whenever possible. But if you're rushing to pack the night before your trip, deep cleaning the whole house probably isn't in the cards. Add Good Housekeeping as a preferred source in your Google search results. These are the chores I never skip before leaving for vacation.