The sense of touch is powerful. It’s common for individuals to feel as if they have to touch important belongings to believe they are still in their bag or pocket. Have you ever felt to make sure your phone or wallet is in your pocket even though you know it is still there?
Your everyday carry items are affected by the power of touch. In this new digital age, it is easy to get distracted. Individuals often double-check to make sure their keys are still with them throughout the day. After you leave the house, it is common to feel for your wallet periodically to provide assurance that it is still with you. There are several reasons why you need to touch your everyday carry essentials to believe they are in your bag.
THE POWER OF TOUCH
The importance of touch has a significant impact on the human mind. Neuroscience and psychological research have confirmed that the human brain and the sensory of touch has an important role in this topic. The sense of touch is the first sense that develops in an infant [1].
According to Ophelia Deroy, a director of the Institute of Philosophy and a researcher for the Centre of the Study of the Senses at the University of London, seeing is less psychologically reassuring than touching something in order to believe it is still there. If an object cannot be touched, it often causes a person to feel anxious [2].
René Descartes wrote in The World, “Of all our senses, touch is the one considered least deceptive and the most secure” [3]. By physically reassuring yourself, it is more comforting than just looking at the object. According to Ophelia Deroy, “…we feel more active and in charge when we explore something by touch than through vision” [4]. An individual will feel more secure by touching an object because it is an active assurance that it is actually present. The physical collection of evidence creates a larger impact on the human mind rather than just seeing the object.
PACKING WITH PEACE OF MIND
It turns out that our extended body sense has high plasticity. So we’re able to quickly feel and almost assimilate into the objects that we physically come in contact with. [5] So the next time you pack your bag for a work day or road trip, consider these tips on how to pack better and avoid worrying about forgetting something.
1. Put all your keys on one ring
Putting all your keys on one key ring and securing them inside your bag or on a lanyard can put your mind at ease. With this method, your keys will be safely fastened in your bag. This will prevent movement and it will diminish the uncertainty that your keys have been misplaced.
2. Give each item its own dedicated spot
When putting your wallet inside a bag, find a specific compartment for it that has a zipper enclosure. This can create a feeling of reassurance that your valuable items will stay secure in your purse or backpack. Some bags even have hidden pockets for your important items.
3. Use pouches to stay organize
When using a backpack or tote bag, store your valuables inside a pouch or wristlet. There will be space to fit your money, cards, phone, and keys. All of these items will be in one spot, and it will be easy to retrieve the wristlet from your bag in a hurry.
Some backpacks, such as the bags from ISM, have specific pockets for your valuable items such as your phone and laptop. The ISM’s laptop compartment is water-resistant to prevent any damage to your technological belongings. The outside zipper pouch is a perfect place to store your keys when in a hurry. There is no need to worry about them falling out of your pocket or out of an unsecured bag.
Touch is an impactful sense. Even though a person knows their belongings are still in their bag — even if they see them — touching the objects can create ease of mind. Touch is considered to be the most reassuring sense.
Throughout the day, you may find yourself checking your pockets to make sure that your everyday carry items are still where you left them. It is easy to misplace your keys or phone — something so small yet incredibly important. Carrying a backpack and distinguishing certain pockets for specific items can dispel your concerns the next time you think about your valuables.
