Alex is the founder of 9Kilo Moving, which he started to help people easily find and choose the right moving company to make their move as stress-free and seamless as possible. He has spent over 20 years working in the moving industry, so he knows every aspect of the business and uses his knowledge to write about the industry and give moving advice. More on about us page
The anticipation of living in your new home after a move and starting a new life can seem really exciting. Why shouldn’t you be excited? After all the pain and effort that you put in right from packing your items and moving them, you’d definitely want to settle in right away. But wait, what about the unpacking of your items after your move?
There’ll be tons of boxes and things that you’ll have to unpack after moving to your new place. Don’t know where to start? It’s a known fact that most people struggle with their unpacking even after a month or more after moving in. But living with your things scattered around in boxes isn’t good either. Here are some steps to help you unpack efficiently after moving:
CALCULATE MY MOVE
Before you start opening your boxes, you first need to make sure that you have your inventory list and floor plan in hand. First of all, you need to click pictures of the boxes and the contents inside them to record the state of your items. In case any items are damaged, you can note it on your inventory list and get compensation from your movers later. If you’ve labelled all your items, the unpacking process is going to be a lot easier for you.
The floor plan of your house will serve as a blueprint of your home. It will have the exact measurements of how much space is there in each room of your house. So, if you have a floor plan, it will be easier for you and your movers or friends to unpack the items and keep them in their designated places.
The first thing you need to unpack is your essentials bag that will help you survive the first initial days of your move. Do keep in mind that this bag should be kept away from the other boxes in your moving truck. In case you’ve forgotten to pack an essentials box, you’ll end up looking for them in all your other boxes, making a mess of stuff.
Here’s everything you’ll need in your essentials bag:
Move-in day can sometimes be even more stressful than your packing day. Once you unload all your boxes and take them inside your house, there’ll be tons of things to be organized. Naturally, people tend to procrastinate and dump all boxes in a single room to be sorted out some other day. What if we told you that there was a better way of sorting out your boxes?
The best thing you can do to organize your unpacking process is to keep your boxes in their designated rooms. If you’ve labelled your boxes while packing, this is going to be a lot easier for you. For instance, all your wardrobe boxes can be kept in your bedroom. Your appliance and dish pack boxes can be kept in the kitchen and boxes with your toiletries and personal care things in your bathroom. This will help you unpack the contents in the boxes and arrange them in their respective places. Ask your movers or friends to help you with the heavy lifting, we assure you that this will be an organized start for your unpacking process.
Most people would unpack the bedroom first, but we recommend that you unpack your bathroom first. The unpacking process can be time consuming at times. You’ll be having your movers or friends over to help you unpack and sort your things. What if someone wants to use the restroom and it’s not cleaned or arranged properly?
That’s why it’s advisable to unpack your bathroom first. To avoid wasting any time, you can only unpack some of the bathroom essentials. See to it that you have a spare towel, toothbrush, shower curtain, soap, hand wash, and cleaning kit in your bathroom. Once you’re done keeping all the essentials in your bathroom, you can unpack other rooms according to your priorities.
Now that you’re done with unpacking your bathroom, it’s time to pack your most personal space in your home, the bedroom. In case you have kids, keep in mind that you unpack their room first as that will help them settle in their new home. Then you can move on to unpacking your bedroom. The first thing you should unpack is the furniture to be placed in your room. Everyone would like a warm, cozy bed to sleep on after a tiring move. So make sure you make your bedding first and then move on to other things.
After you’re done making your bed, you can start with unpacking other essentials in your bedroom. You can start with arranging your wardrobe by hanging your clothes in order. If you don’t want to waste too much time unpacking your bedroom, you can just unpack a few clothes and essentials that you’ll be needing for the night. Once that’s done, you can go ahead and unpack other rooms in a similar manner.
One of the most difficult rooms to unpack and organize is the kitchen. With so many appliances, dishes, cabinets, and other kitchenware to be organized, it’s natural to want to procrastinate. But what’s going to happen when you need a hot cup of coffee or a quick meal while you’re exhausted?
The best way to unpack your kitchen is first to plan out how you want to arrange your belongings. Here’s when your floor plan will come in handy. You can take a look at the specific measurements on the plan and then decide which things will fit where. You can start by arranging all your dishes, glasses, pots and pans, etc. in the cabinets. Do keep in mind that when you are installing kitchen appliances, it’s best if you seek professional help. Once you organize your kitchen, one of the most difficult tasks on your to-do list is already ticked off.
Now it’s time to have some fun with your living room. When you unpack and set it up, you’ll get to embrace the creative side of you. So why not unleash the hidden designer in you and make your home even more beautiful?
You can start by unpacking your huge furniture like a couch, table, shelves, etc. in your living room. After that, you can hook up your TV and put up your art pieces on the walls. Again, your floor plan will be your guide and help you and your movers arrange and assemble your things at the right place. Just play your favorite music track and get creative in setting and decorating your living room.
Whether you have a study room or a small working area in your home, it’s important that you organize your things there. If you ask us, even setting up your working area can be adventurous. You can start by assembling your work desk. As it involves heavy lifting, you can seek help from your movers. Otherwise, a pizza will be a good bargain to lure your friends into helping you!
We advise you to take care of all the important things first and then move on to smaller items. So you can start by setting up your computer, printer, scanner and internet cable. After that, you can proceed to organize your documents and important files and arrange all your books on your desk. Don’t delay this task any further as it’ll help you settle in your new home and get started with your regular routine right away.
You can go ahead and unpack your storage room or garage once you’re done unpacking all the important rooms in your home. You can start by unpacking large boxes that contain your camping equipment, off-season clothes, sports supplies, etc. You can then unpack your smaller items like any small tools and materials that you may need for any kind of repair work.
Since you’re going to start a new life in your new home, why not get creative with interior designing? To turn your house into a home, you can add a personal touch by designing it yourself. It’s certainly not possible to design your new home right after moving in. But once you’re done unpacking all your belongings, you can start getting creative with the placement of your things.
Many people would prefer styling their new home just like their previous house. How about embracing a new change in your new home? You don’t have to do it right away, it can be done a month or more after you’ve settled in your new home. In case you feel tired or bored in the process, you can involve your friends and family members and make it a fun activity. After a successful move, when you design your home, it’s going to be all set and ready for your housewarming party with your neighbors and friends.
Conclusion
Getting tired and wanting to postpone your unpacking after moving in is absolutely natural. But again, how long would you keep procrastinating? Trust us, the earlier you get done with your unpacking, the easier it’s going to be for you to settle in your new home. Just take a deep breath, put on your favorite music and get started with it. If you’ve read our tips on efficiently unpacking after a move, you’re ready to take up the job in your own hands.
The best way to unpack fast after moving is to get started with your priorities. You can begin with unpacking your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and then the other areas of your house. To make it easier for you, an extra helping hand from your movers or friends will help you get done with this process quickly.
The survey conducted by Duct Brand Tape showed that it takes an average of 182 days for most Americans to unpack after moving. In the end, it’s all up to you, the earlier you start to unpack, you could get done with the unpacking within a couple of weeks.
Depending on your priorities, you should ideally begin with the large and heavy items to be moved in your house. If you’re unpacking your bedroom first, you’ll first need to assemble the furniture in your room. After that, you can move on to installing major appliances in your home followed by other smaller items that need to be unpacked.
Your unpacking process is going to be much easier and faster compared to your packing and moving process. If you’ve labelled all your boxes while packing and have a helping hand from your movers or friends, unpacking can be done faster than you expected.
If you want to unpack in one day, it won’t really be possible for you to organize all of your belongings. So, the best thing to do is unpack all essentials that will help you survive the initial days of your move. You can start by unpacking your bathroom followed by your bedroom and kitchen. Just make sure that you take out important items like your medicines, personal care items, bedding, coffee maker and toaster, etc. All you have to keep in mind is unpack what you’ll be needing the most at least for the first two days of your move.
See also: Cost of Hiring Full Service Movers | What to Leave for the Buyers at Closing
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