A suitcase can reveal an unexpectedly interesting feature of the human mind. Some people pack only the essentials: a few outfits, comfortable shoes and perhaps one extra shirt. Others prepare for almost every possibility they can imagine. They pack an outfit for an unexpected dinner, another in case the weather changes, extra shoes in case the first pair becomes uncomfortable and several additional clothes because, as they put it, “you never know.” While overpacking can have practical explanations, psychology suggests that the behavior can also reflect the way people mentally simulate the future . The brain routinely constructs possible scenarios before they happen, allowing people to prepare for what might go right or wrong.
For someone who strongly dislikes uncertainty, packing an extra outfit may therefore provide something more valuable than clothing: the feeling of being prepared for an unpredictable future .
