Regardless of whether it’s a short weekend trip, or a multi-week journey, I find unpacking upon arrival home does wonders for helping me settle back in.
Unpacking is a tangible, physical action that functions similarly to a full stop punctuation mark in prose: it’s a guide to the reader that a sentence or paragraph is coming to an end, and that a new sentence and journey must begin.
I always find the first few days difficult after I’ve said goodbye to family. Despite living apart for 10 years, it doesn’t get easier. But little actions like unpacking immediately can help put me in a good headspace to look forward to the week ahead.