Why You Shouldn't Unpack Your Suitcase Right Away After a Trip

Returning from vacation can be a bummer for several reasons, from the realization that the fun is over to the seemingly insurmountable task of unpacking your suitcase. While it might be tempting to get the unpacking process over with as soon as you walk in the door, it turns out there might be some benefit to not unpacking for a few days. 

Virginia-based doctor Jasin Singh shared some science behind hotel stays and unpacking your bag in a recent video on social media. Hotel rooms can be notorious breeding grounds for bed bugs (among other things like bacteria), so if any critters made their way into your bag while you had it open in your accommodations, they came home with you and you didn't even know it. 

"Here’s why you shouldn’t unpack your suitcase right after coming home from a vacation," Singh said. "That’s because of bed bugs. Bed bug eggs typically hatch within six to 10 days, and the nymphs require a blood meal shortly after hatching to continue their development." 

"Now, if your suitcase remains closed and undisturbed for at least two weeks, any bed bug egg or nymph present will likely die due to starvation or desiccation," he continued. "So now you have a reason to be lazy, just like me and just let your suitcase hang there at the side. I mean, let’s be honest, what kind of psycho unpacks right away?"

The video comes after Singh gave a similar explanation as to why hotel guests should avoid storing their clothes in dressers. Bed bugs don't just live in bedding, so be mindful of any ways they could make their way into your belongings. And once you get back home, be sure to wash all of your clothes.