How To Survive The Unpacking Process
When a move is in your future, you're likely to spend a lot of time worrying about getting everything packed up and into the moving truck. But what about the unpacking process? Unpacking can be just as stressful and complex as packing, so it's important to do a little planning and follow these tips to ensure you survive the unpacking endeavors in your new location.
Plan ahead with an essentials box.
By packing a separate box with the items you'll need on the first day in your new place, you make unpacking a lot simpler. Include items like basic toiletries, dishes, a change of clothes, and necessary paperwork in this box. This way, you won't have to dig through ten boxes and make a mess to find what you need – and you can put off unpacking the rest for a day or two if you need some time to de-stress after the move.
Sort the boxes by room.
When you or your movers are carrying items into the house, sort them by room. Place the kitchen essentials in the kitchen, the living room essentials in the living room, and so forth. When you do get to actually unpacking, this will save you a lot of trips up and down the stairs or from one room to the next. Everything will already be basically where you need it.
Set up big furniture first.
Unpacking smaller items will just be messy if you don't have the furniture in place to store them properly. Before you dig into any boxes, make sure your larger furnishings – like dressers, entertainment centers, and kitchen tables – are set up. Then, as you dig things out of boxes, you can put them away immediately instead of stacking them on the floor where they look messy and overwhelming.
Set aside a little time every day.
If you plan on unpacking all at once, you'll become overwhelmed and tired within a few hours – and then progress will be slow. A better plan is to set aside just 2 or 3 hours of each day for unpacking. This is long enough to allow you to make progress, but short enough that you'll be able to focus and really hustle the entire time. If you find yourself getting tired and bored during the packing process, take a break and then come back at it full-force instead of slogging away and taking an hour to unpack one box because you're not motivated. Contact local moving companies for more tips on streamlining the process.
