8 Tips For Unpacking After A Move
Posted on: 2 December 2015
Moving is considered one of the top most stressful life events by experts. One of the most potentially overwhelming aspects of any move is unpacking all those boxes and getting all your belongings in place in your new home. The feeling of a neatly unpacked home can't be beat, though. There's no reason for unpacking to be stressful. Just follow these tips and unpacking will be a breeze, allowing you to fully enjoy your new home as soon as possible:
Before the Move:
- Get The New House Cleaned and Prepped
Cleaning and painting your new home will be much more challenging if you wait until you move and have to work around all of your boxes and furniture. By tackling these things a day or so before the move, you will be giving yourself a fresh, clean, orderly new space for unpacking.
- Label Boxes Clearly
Labeling your boxes is probably the best way to make unpacking go smoothly and easily. A fast and easy way to do this is with color coding. First, buy large colored stickers in order to color code your boxes by room (yellow stickers go in the kitchen, red in the master bedroom, etc.)
Next, make a simple legend for the color coding as well as copies for your movers and family members. This way, you can ensure that every box gets placed directly into the room where it belongs, saving a lot of hassle and time.
- Pack a Necessities Box or Two
The night of your move, you will be too tired to go through countless boxes looking for the stuff you need right away. Instead, plan ahead and pack a box or two of first night and morning necessities. Your specific necessities may vary, but some ideas are toothbrushes, toothpaste and other toiletries, bed sheets and pillows, towels, easy snacks and meals, phone and laptop chargers, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies.
During Move:
- Communicate with Movers
Don't be afraid to be direct with your movers. They won't know where they should place furniture, etc., unless you tell them. Instead of just letting them guess where to put your couch, tell them the exact spot you have in mind.
If you want all the boxes in the kitchen to be stacked neatly out of the way against the farthest wall, tell them that. They will appreciate having clear directions and you will save yourself a lot of wasted time since you won't have to re-move a ton of belongings.
After Move:
- Prioritize Your Unpacking
Start with the necessities, then move on to the rooms you use the most. You may wish to save books, DVDs, and decorative items for the end since they are nice to have but will not affect your quality of life as much as kitchen items and clothes.
Many people find that after they unpack their box of necessities, it makes sense to then unpack the kitchen, followed by the bathroom, and then the bedrooms. This way, you know you can make meals, shower, get dressed, and go to bed comfortably, even if your home is still full of boxes.
- Baby Steps--One Room, One Box at a Time
If you find yourself procrastinating and avoiding unpacking, try to make the process less intimidating by breaking it down into baby steps. Tell yourself you're going to unpack one room only, and if that still feels like too much, limit yourself to one box in that room to begin with. Once you unpack that box of dishes, you will most likely feel motivated to move on to the next box, and then the next.
By following these tips and communicating with a professional moving company, such as Walsh Moving & Storage, unpacking will go smoothly and efficiently, allowing your move to end on a positive note.
Share