Unpacking may seem a very strange benefit of traveling light, but it truly is the best! Not only unpacking on the road, but unpacking when you get home makes travel so easy and uncomplicated.
I used to hate getting home, dumping my suitcase on the floor at the base of our bed and then wait for it to miraculously unpack itself in the coming week - it never did.
Things came out of it when I needed them. But in general this great obstacle lay in wait to trip me up in the darkness, or to swallow gear in it's 10 different pockets - some only to be found again on the next trip! Sound familiar??
Unpacked in 5 minutes! Beat that!!!
Unpacking on the road.
Traveling light, I used to delight in taking everything out of my daybag to see all my options. I didn't want anything to miss out being worn or used.
I would place everything in one part of the room - near the wardrobe and hang my large quantity of clothes. Nothing got left behind because it was quite simply all in one place.
Unpacking after a holiday - the old days...
So yes, the old days of unpacking was not my favourite job.
Bad enough that there was just so much to sort out - but that constant reminder that you are no longer on holiday.
And then there was the washing. Not just piles but mountains of it! And we normally came home to wet New Zealand weather where we couldn't get stuff dry - so the mountain just seemed to get bigger.
I know which bag I'd prefer to unpack!!
Unpacking a light bag - joy!
Who on earth would describe unpacking after a holiday as joyous?! Um...me!
You're going to hate this...
But on my last night on holiday, I bundle up the gear that needs washing and I pack it at the top of my pack so it's accessible.
When I get home I take it out, pop it straight in my laundry basket. It's not even a quarter load, so it goes in with the normal laundry when the next load needs doing.
I then pick up my bag and walk around the house, depositing items where they normally live when they're not in my bag - shoes in the garage, toiletries in the bathroom, clothes that don't need washing - in the wardrobe.
It is literally a five-minute unpack!
Now if that is not enough to convince you to give packing light a go - then I just don't know what else to say!
Clockwise from top left - a quick unpack of the toiletry bag, the tiny laundry bundle, and the shoes all put away!
So...you want to now have this unpacking experience too?...
If this unpacking celebration has really ignited your interest, and has you thinking - "I want that experience" then check out my dedicated page on "Packing Light."
It will give you some great ideas on the how and why of packing light.
Happy reading!
Katherine
