The 48 Hour Unpacking Rule

We've just arrived back from the US to our home in Spain with our six bags of luggage-yes, thank you, I know, too many.

Some people have the discipline and fortitude to unpack almost immediately after home from a trip. Those people are truly brave. Others, like ourselves, need to watch a movie and go out to eat at a restaurant before we even think of carrying our luggage upstairs. (Ugh, they're too heavy.)

But one thing I've noticed is that if we don't unpack our suitcases in 48 hours, they never get unpacked--at least until the next trip.

Once you have an open suitcase on the floor of your bedroom past 48 hours, your mind starts believing it belongs there.

"It's actually furniture," a voice in your mind says.

"Wait, no," another voice in your mind says. "That's a suitcase, I think. Pretty sure I'm supposed to take the clothes out and put them in a dresser."

"No, no, no, no," the first voice says. "That's actually a really valuable floor dresser that has a handy lid that opens and closes on top of it. It's really ingenious. I think it looks fabulous right there."

"You sure?" the other voice says. "I just have a suspicion that it's not supposed to be there."  

"Nope, that's where it lives."

"Okay."

Then months later you say to yourself:

"Shit, that's my suitcase on the floor. Well, at least it's here and there's already a few things packed. Need to finish packing before I leave tomorrow."

48 hours, that's the rule.