The Best Steps to Take When You’re Unpacking

Moving into your new home is full of emotions. You get the excitement of a fresh start, but the drudgery of packing up your old place. Below in this article, we will cover The Best Steps to Take When You’re Unpacking.

The Best Steps to Take When You're Unpacking
The Best Steps to Take When You’re Unpacking

Starting over again gives you the chance to decorate with a style that fits your personality. It goes hand-in-hand with the stress of unpacking all the boxes and living in chaos for a little while, though.

No matter how much you’re anticipating the thrill of creating a space that’s uniquely yours, you still have to get through the unpacking process. For most new tenants and homeowners, this is the worst part. It doesn’t have to be for you!

Whether you’ve thrown everything into boxes randomly, or you are the typical Type A organizer, unpacking can be a cinch. Follow these steps to get your home ready to be lived in fast!

1. Clean First

There is never going to be a time in your home again when you’ll have the perfect chance to deep clean so easily, until you move out.

Before you put the first boxes in your new place, bring in the cleaning supplies. Hopefully, the last people who lived there left it in decent shape for you, but you should always sanitize.

Scrub down the showers, sinks, and toilets. Swap out the air filters and clean the floors. Make sure all the appliances are in good working order, especially the little things like the ice maker and garbage disposal.

Some apartment complexes have amenities like outdoor maintenance and smart-home technology built-in. If you move in and notice any problems with these features, call your landlord to have it taken care of quickly.

2. Come Up With a Plan

The best plans always begin with a list, of course. If you started getting organized when you began packing the boxes, you’re going to feel the benefits now! 

But if you didn’t, it’s okay. It will take you a little longer to unpack, but the time you spend from start to finish ends up being about the same.

Make a list of which items you want to unpack first. It’s tempting to go randomly room by room as you need something, but that method usually leads to a big, messy headache.

Start with the essentials in each room, such as:

  • The bathroom necessities, like toilet paper, a shower curtain, and your must-have toiletries
  • Kitchen utensils, dishes, and cookware
  • Your bed and linens, and a curtain or blinds if your windows are bare

Once you have these main parts taken care of, the rest is less urgent. Keep going with your list of the next essentials until you are ready to tackle the rest of the boxes.

3. Get Your Furniture in Place

It’s hard to move around elephants in a room. If you are trying to unpack boxes while large pieces of furniture are randomly sitting around, you’re going to have some problems.

As you unload your boxes, try to keep them in one common place in each room. That way, when you bring in the furniture, it will be easier to assemble what needs to be put back together. You’ll also be able to move the finished item where you want it without shoving boxes out of the way.

Get all your major furniture in place before you unpack the non-essentials. This is the key to making sure all your storage space is at your fingertips when you pull out things like clothes and linens or decor to display.

Some of those larger furniture items are also perfect for hiding boxes until you can get to them. Slide a few non-urgent boxes under your desk or bed while you focus on the rest of your house.

A side benefit to putting off unpacking those boxes is that you learn what you truly need and what is excess clutter. By the time you’re ready to open up those tucked away items, you might decide to get rid of the contents instead!

Conclusion

It’s a common human behavioral trait to want to have everything done now. But something as major as moving and setting up your new home is better to be approached methodically rather than immediately.

In three simple, but strategic, steps, you will have your house unpacked and ready to be lived in with minimal stress and fuss. Get ready to spend less time unpacking and more time exploring the amenities and neighborhood!