Before You Put That Duffel Bag on the Bed

Summer is full of adventures. Kids come home from camp. College students return from dorms. Families pile out of the car after vacations, tournaments, reunions, and long weekends away.

Everyone is excited to be home.

The first instinct is often to carry suitcases upstairs, toss backpacks onto the couch, and drop sleeping bags onto the nearest bed. But before everything comes back into your living space, it's worth taking a few simple steps to protect the clean, comfortable environment you've worked hard to create.

The reality is that travel exposes us to a lot of shared spaces. Hotels, camp cabins, dorm rooms, airplanes, buses, locker rooms, and vacation rentals all bring us into contact with surfaces, fabrics, and environments used by hundreds or even thousands of other people.

Most of the time, that's no cause for alarm. But dust, allergens, odors, insects, mites, and other unwanted hitchhikers can sometimes find their way into luggage, bedding, clothing, and personal belongings.

That's why many experienced travelers follow a simple rule:

Don't bring travel items directly into your clean living spaces.

Instead, consider creating a temporary "arrival zone" in a mudroom, laundry room, garage, or entryway. Suitcases, duffel bags, sleeping bags, backpacks, and laundry can stay there until they've been inspected, cleaned, or washed.

When kids return from camp, wash clothing, bedding, and stuffed animals that traveled with them. When college students move home, consider laundering dorm-room linens before they make their way back onto bedroom beds. After family vacations, unpack clothing directly into the washer rather than onto furniture or mattresses.

A few extra minutes can help keep your home feeling like the safe, clean sanctuary it's meant to be.

Summer memories deserve a place in your home.

The things that traveled with them may not.