Confused about what you should unpack first? Stress no further, this would be the ideal article for you. Once all the moving preparations have been made, all the strenuous moving tasks have been taken care of, and everything has gone more or less according to plan. Finally, to fully complete with your moving adventure, you need to unpack your belongings and make your new house feel like a home.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
We all want to get over unpacking as soon as possible, there are several important things you have to do before you actually start unpacking.
- Clean and prepare your new home.
It’s easier to wipe down shelves, clean windows, and mop floors before your belongings have been put in place. Make sure your home-to-be is spotless when your items arrive.
- Inspect and organize your belongings.
Check whether all the delivered boxes and household items against your inventory sheet to make sure nothing is damaged or missing. Then have each of your possessions taken to the room where it belongs. Always label the boxes, sorting out your items will be a piece of cake.
- Open your box of essentials.
There should be tools, toiletries, clothes, medicines, packed food, basic kitchenware, and other “lifesavers” in it that will allow you to refresh yourself, open the sealed boxes, reassemble your furniture, and so on.
- Set major furniture and appliances.
Position your large furniture pieces and bulky household appliances first. Then you can put any smaller items you unpack later directly in their rightful places. Plan your interior design well in advance so you don’t end up moving heavy pieces around several times.
TACKLE THE NECESSITIES
What matters most when unpacking your items after moving is to ensure that your essentials are immediately accessible. Prioritize your belongings, and unpack only the necessities first.
- Bedding
You will not be able to unpack the entire bedroom right away, but you will definitely have to set up the bed the day you move into your new home. Reassemble it (if necessary), lay down the sheets, unpack the pillows, and spread the blankets so you can get a good night’s rest.
Provided that you have a change of clothes and some comfortable indoor shoes (as well as curtains on the windows to ensure your privacy), the rest of your bedroom items can wait until you find the time and the energy to deal with them.
- Bathroom items
Your personal care items, toiletries, and medicines should top the list of the most important items to unpack after your move. Put out toilet paper and soap, find your toothbrush and toothpaste, hang the towels and the shower curtains, and unpack any other bathroom essentials you’re going to need in order to refresh yourself and wash away the weariness and stress of moving.
Also, fill in the medicine cabinet with the medications you have brought, and don’t forget to take your prescription drugs on time.
- Kitchen necessities
You may have brought some food with you, or you may rely on delivery for the first day or two after the relocation, but you’re going to need a fully operational kitchen as soon as possible in order to prepare healthy, homemade meals for yourself and your family. Kitchens tend to take a very long time to unpack and organize properly due to the large number of items that need to be sorted out and carefully arranged.
As soon as you’ve positioned the large appliances, such as the fridge and the stove, move on to your smaller kitchenware. Plates, silverware and glasses should be the first to find their places in cupboards and kitchen cabinets, closely followed by cooking utensils, pots and pans, and pantry items.
- Kids’ and pets’ items
If you have young children, ensure that you unpack some of their favorite toys, books, games, and blankets. Keeping your young ones happy and occupied will let you concentrate on your work and finish it faster. Of course, you should also take care of your pets’ needs immediately upon arrival. It’s a good idea to pack adequate pet food, water and food dishes.
TO FINISH UP
When you’ve unpacked the three top most essential rooms in your home (bedroom, bathroom and kitchen), everything else can wait a bit. There are no deadlines to meet, so you can set your own pace when unpacking and decorating your new place — just unpack in order of priority and without procrastination.
If you stay organized, set reasonable mini goals and complete them promptly, clean after every unpacking phase, and dispose of the packing materials in a safe and eco-friendly manner, your new surroundings will soon stop looking like a warehouse full of boxes and start feeling like home.
Don’t forget to have some fun in the process, listen to your favorite music, play “unpacking games” with your kids, and invite friends over to give you a helping hand. The exhausting unpacking endeavor may turn out to be much easier and faster than you expected.
