to think that actually, no "everyone" does NOT unpack on holiday!

[PyongyangKipperbang]

My sister and I have very different views on this!

She and I have gone away many times, always for a week.

She always spends a good hour or so unpacking, setting stuff out etc on arrival and then a couple of hours repacking before we leave. I just live out of my bag/case and dirty clothes folded into a plastic bag when I take them off to chuck back in the case at the end of the week. Repacking takes less than half an hour. The only item I unpack is my "going out" dress, of which I only take one.

She thinks I am abnormal as "everyone unpacks!" I think its probably more like a 50/50 split and when you only have a week, time is of the essence so I prefer to use the time to holiday (made up verb of the week) than fanny about putting my knickers and socks in a drawer!

YABU - I unpack!
YANBU - I live out of my case!

Oh hard agree that rifling through a jumbled case probably uses more time than it would if I just hung stuff up to begin with, but I guess because it’s spread out over the whole week it doesn’t feel like it. To be honest this is how I live at home much of the time as well, I hate putting laundry away so a lot of the time it’s just piled up ‘waiting’ to be put away and I end up taking clean things out of that pile without them ever seeing a hanger or drawer before they’re ready to be washed again (I also don’t separate any of my washing by colour! Everything just goes in the machine together.)

I don’t really worry about creases, I don’t iron so try and buy clothes that don’t crease easily but if things are a bit wrinkled it’s not something that would bother me. I guess I’m not really someone who places much value on appearance though, I can see why some people do care and certainly if they’ve bothered to iron something before the holiday why they would want to stop it getting creased on arrival.

I use a backpack and packing cubes so I can take cubes out of backpack and take what I want from there. However I often stay in hostels so where is unpack all the stuff to I have no idea

I have never unpacked. I genuinely thought it was only in films or tv that people unpacked and put things away in hotel rooms.

But then my parents never unpacked on holidays when we went away, so that is my norm.

This unpacking is a revelation me, The thought of people’s clothes especially midi and maxi dresses living in a case all week is giving me mild anxiety.

I voted YABU but you're not really as it's entirely your choice. Personally I do unpack if I am away for more than a night. I get that living out of a bag can be part of the joy of travel. But I like to feel settled and ordered. Doesn't take an hour though - 15 mins tops. Does she bring ornaments and trinkets from home?

Depends on length of stay and type of holiday for me. Couple of nights no. Week or more absolutely would unpack. Unless I was camping, everything stays in the bag then to save room.

I couldn't live like that and DH would probably have left me 35 years ago. He takes precision tidy to the next level. He adjusts his hangers to make sure they are equidistant.

I don’t unpack, I hate the thought of leaving anything behind so I always unpack as little as possible.

My mother was like that growing up in terms of precision. Often an empty cup was whisked away to be washed up before we’d even set it down and certainly I wasn’t allowed to put clothes away or do anything like load the dishwasher and use the washing machine because it wouldn’t be done in her exact way. She was very precise in terms of the hangers, everything facing the same way and spaced apart and clothes in specific orders etc. Maybe now there is a subconscious part of me that feels a sense of liberation (or of teenage rebellion!) from not following any rules around these things.

I do not upack, i take thinks out when i need it on day, then i lock up my luggage again. Unpacking everything feels too risky to chance it. I use travel insurance for my luggage and for my only health condition, which is my longterm physical health condition that is in good control.

I couldn't live like that and DH would probably have left me 35 years ago. He takes precision tidy to the next level. He adjusts his hangers to make sure they are equidistant.

I’m sorry your DH has mental health issues that affect everybody in the household.

He’s lucky you stay with him.

I used to be like this, then I had CBT and it really helped.

I unpack … takes hardly any time, put the suitcase away. How do you find anything rummaging around through the case all week?!?
Repacking takes no time … just chuck it all in.

@Newusername2026

do people actually bring ornaments from home on holiday??

I never unpack

However I do put under wear in a seperate bag within my suitcase or rucksack & another for swim items

I take a cotton drawsteing bag to put dirty laundry in

@TheyGrewUp

he sounds quite hard work…does he relax and let his hair down ever?

How much is she taking that it takes an hour to unpack? I’m an unpacker as like to be able to put the suitcases out the way but it takes 10-15 minutes max to do. Also find it easier each night being able to see easily what’s there to wear.

I don't unpack but it hurts my hands so it is easier just to live out of the suitcase

For a weekend I wouldn’t bother unpacking but for a week I do.

I use packing cubes though so it’s more case of hanging bits that might wrinkle and then putting relevant cubes in each persons room or designated wardrobe space. Makes life easier, I’ve previously tried living out of cases but with 3 kids it gets a bit chaotic and everything gets muddled.

I don’t necessarily unpack the second I get there though. Maybe before bed on first day.

Things like toiletries etc get unpacked as and when they are first used. So more of a “soft” unpacking you could say.

Kids unpack themselves because of the novelty of choosing which drawer to put things in (5 and 3).

Me and DH live out a bag because I already spent all that time packing it!

I guess we're a 50/50 household.