After a trip, do you ever ‘forget’ to unpack? Or do you knowingly and actively procrastinate? I don’t mean for a few days. I’m talking weeks and weeks.
Better yet, have you ever opted to only partially unpack and simply ‘leave the bag until next time’?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, then it’s possible that you are among the 4.5 million people around the world who suffer from a serious ailment known as…
UPS (no–not the shipping company). Unpacking Procrastination Syndrome.
How do I know? Well, I’m one of the millions…
The good news? It’s not contagious. The bad news? The more you travel, the more likely this is to happen.
Look as this poor guy. He just traveled through Latin America for a few months. And now, he’s huddled under a blanket with his laptop. I’m sure he’s got a smartphone nearby for comfort, too.
And undoubtedly, he’s got a backpack, one that’s sat–unpacked–for weeks, in the corner of his room. I can feel his pain. How about you?
With 20 years of travel experience–and a long-term battle with UPS–I feel I’m qualified to help you understand this syndrome. Perhaps, with my help, you (and I) can overcome this occasionally debilitating disease and begin to unpack….within a few days of coming home.
Without further ado, here are the signs/symptoms and possible cures. Hope it helps you!
Symptom #1: Fear…of Opening the Closed Bag
This might seem silly, but it’s very real. When you see that zipped up backpack or suitcase, you don’t want to disturb it. Some suitcases and backpacks just look too perfect as they are—like beautifully wrapped gifts that should not be opened.
And if you’re suffering from advanced UPS, you might view the bag as a Jack in the Box or, worse yet, a Pandora’s box. Something about it screams, “Do not disturb.” And so, you don’t.
Solution/Cure: prayer or meditation
Take a deep breath, say a prayer (if you’re religious), meditate and/or surround yourself with a white light (if spiritual). And then, face your fear. Unzip it!!
Symptom #2: Temporary Amnesia (or Brain Melt)…Once the Bag Is Opened
Although you knew what and where everything was while traveling, the items suddenly seem foreign to you. What the heck is that, you wonder, holding up a neck pillow. And, while picking up your eye mask, you wonder if it’s a Halloween prop?
Within seconds of opening the bag (if you’ve made it this far), you have some sort of temporary amnesia–about the items.
Solution/Cure: Visualize yourself in a hotel room
Pretend your bedroom is a hotel room or hostel dorm (which it might look like if you never unpack.) Look at the items. Take a deep break. And like magic, it will all come back to you. You’ll know what you’re dealing with.
Symptom #3: Panic Attacks…at the Thought of ‘What/Where Next?’
Here, I’m not talking about panic at the thought of ‘where you’re going next’. That, of course, makes you feel good. What I’m talking about is panic about ‘where to put the darn things that are in the bag.’
Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to unravel the mystery of what’s what, but then your heart beats a bit faster and perhaps, if you’re not super organized in your living space, you hyperventilate just a tiny bit.
The reason? Your mind if full of questions. The main one is–Where the hell do these things go? They’re odd items, aren’t they? A thin, super-absorbent towel. A small bottle of iodine. Moleskin for a foot blister. Random band-aids. Anti-bacterial wipes.
Solution/Cure: Alternative medicine
Herbal tea–the relaxing kind–might help. If that doesn’t work, try acupuncture. (No, not in China. At home.) Then revisit the bag.
Symptom #4: Mini Toiletry Trauma
This one can be challenging for many UPS sufferers. The reason? The trauma you suffered when you put so much time/effort into purchasing and/or downsizing the damn toiletries into 3 oz. containers to meet the TSA requirements!
For many of us, it takes hours and hours–usually the night before the trip. (See my post on Packing Procrastination Syndrome to learn more.) To now have to figure out what to do with these mini-sized items is a pain in the neck!
Do you leave them as is? Do you pour them back into their larger containers? And if you bought them that way, do you use them on shorter trips? Or do you save them for next time, risking them drying out?
Solution/Cure: Shove them in a drawer
I usually just grab those ziplock bags of mini items and put them in a drawer somewhere. I hate looking at the clutter. Then, next time I travel, I go to that drawer and hope I find what I need.
Often I don’t or they’ve dried out. And the process starts all over again. Oh well.
Symptom #5: Depression…about Your Trip Being Over
Clinical research has shown that 75% of packing procrastinators suffer from a hint of low-grade depression after traveling. In 100% of those cases, there was evidence of denial about the trip being over.
I believe that many of us choose not to unpack right away (or ever) because it alleviates this pain. It helps us feel like we’re still on the road. We can then maintain the high we previously felt and prevent the depression.
Solution/Cure: Fantasizing about carrying the bag on your next trip
If you fall victim to this symptom, try visualization and a positive affirmation. ‘I will be traveling soon again.’ Look at that bag and imagine carrying it around on the next trip. You’ll suddenly feel lighter (although the bag might not).
******************
That concludes my exploration of the symptoms of this syndrome, as well as solutions and possible cures. Now, I’d like to share a very special UPS tip I have–one that I think works better than dealing with the individual symptoms one by one. In fact, I believe I have found the cure to all of this.
Surrender to the “I don’t want to unpack” urge.
That’s right. Just don’t do it. Don’t unpack the bag. Or just unpack some of it.
Sure, you should pull out the clothes and perishables. You don’t want any critters or sticky or stinky stuff inside the bag. Definitely wash the clothes and trash the snacks.
Aside from that, however, there’s no real reason to unpack.
And, if you’d really like to avoid experiencing the symptoms I’ve mentioned, just leave that backpack or suitcase in the corner of your bedroom or living room. Seeing it sitting there will excite you because you know you’ll be on the road again soon.
This, I believe, is the best solution of all.
☺
Your Thoughts/Experiences?
If you don’t suffer from UPS…
Have you always unpacked right after a trip? How many hours or days? Can you tell us–the UPS sufferers–what we can do to be more like you? Any special tips?
If you do suffer from UPS…
Please share your story. How long is the longest you’ve ever gone without unpacking? Have you ever simply not unpacked at all? Has this worked out for you? If not, please explain and share your tips. 
To anyone who’s written about their issues with unpacking, please feel free to share a link to your post.
Photo Credit: Special thanks to those photographers who made their work available for use through Creative Commons. By clicking on a photo, you’ll be taken to their Flickr page.