This is my least favorite scenario: I come home from a tiring trip, immediately jump under my all-round shower and go out to do my skincare, fashionbathroom style, only to find that all of my beloved products are packed away in a toiletry bag. The hassle that results from this – digging through my suitcase to find my special Korean eye cream, my tired eyes crying out for moisture – is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
I’ve learned over time that there’s only one way to avoid this problem, and that’s to unpack as soon as I get home. I’ve seen the viral TikTok and I know what you’re going to say: Only psychopaths show this behavior. It’s probably true that those who unpack immediately are the same people who: a) have their elementary school worksheets neatly filed away in a folder instead of stuffing them loosely in their backpack, b) wash their dishes while cooking, and c) can’t fathom the thought of working with multiple tabs open on their computer. I am all of those people. And you know what? I am intimately familiar with this thing called inner peace.
I understand that the last thing you want to do after returning from a trip is organize your things. But hear me out: If you indulge your adventurous spirit for just an hour (I recommend setting a timer and turning it into a challenge), you can save yourself a week of tedious unpacking. The way I see it, you’re coming back with that dreaded airplane smell, so you might as well get your sweat on while you still stink. The fruit of your labor? A sound night’s sleep, knowing that when you wake up the next day, all your things are in the right place, both literally and – I’m sure – spiritually.
Choosing the alternative means admitting defeat. Your suitcase sits there for days, taking up precious space on the floor, an annoying reminder of the trip that is over. Your favorite clothes remain inaccessible and sink into the dirt. And the worst thing is that as you go back and forth between your suitcase and your closet, you find yourself in an in-between state – no longer in vacation mode, but not quite back home yet either.
Face your fears. Don’t settle for feelings of dissatisfaction. Let go of the burden of your dirty laundry bag. And once you’ve overcome the thrill of a quick unpack, we can talk about the next step on the Marie Kondo ladder: thoroughly cleaning your home before you leave.
