You can always make multiple trips. It's best to enter a house with as much flexibility as you can get, at least the initial entry.
I tell my wife to carry all the stuff in
while I open the door for her.I usually have to go back out.
A couple of things I do:
Leave ONE light on when you leave, make sure it's the same one every time. Make it a big big habit. When you pull up to your house you can instantly tell if someone is home. If extra lights are on or none are on at all, you know to proceed with caution.
We have a dachshund, if he isn't by the door when I walk in, something's wrong. That allows me to switch from coming home mode to defensive mode right away.