Moving into a new house or apartment can conjurejust about every emotion a human can experience. You are excited about your new place, relieved that the chore of packing is behind you and exhausted from the weeks of wrapping, boxing, taping and carrying your family’s possessions. You’re almost finished.
Here are Some Tips to Help You Unpacking All Those Belongings
1. Dust and Vacuum the New House
Your new house is dusty. You might not notice the dust right away, but you will when you start unpacking your clothing and other possessions and setting them on the counters and built-in shelves. Before you start opening boxes, take time to vacuum the floors and rugs, and wipe down the counters and shelves. If time and budget allow, hire a cleaning service to handle this chore before you arrive.
Speaking of dust, keep a roll of paper towels and spray cleaner handy in each room, and wipe down the hard-surfaced furniture pieces as they are unloaded from the moving truck. This is an especially good idea if moving day occurs during rainy or snowy weather.
2. Organize the Bathrooms
The bathroom will be used by everyone at some point throughout the day, so make setting it up a priority. If you purchase a new shower curtain, towels, bathroom tissue and soap in advance of the move, and then keep those new items in the trunk of your car, you won’t even need to wait for the moving crew to unload the box of bathroom supplies from your previous residence.
3. Make Sure the Beds Are Ready
After you take a nice, relaxing shower in your new bathroom, you’re going to be ready to hit the sack, so placethe bedrooms next in priority. Assemble the bed frames and dress the beds with linens, blankets, pillows and pillowcases. You can worry about unpacking the rest of the bedroom furniture and décor later, as long as the bedsare ready for sleeping.
4. Set Up the Kitchen
Begin by unpacking the large items that you use every day and that take up the most storage and counter space, such as the coffee maker, toaster ovenand other small appliances. Next, unpack the dishes, glassware and silverware. If you’re an avid chef or baker, keep the knife block and stand mixer on the counter; otherwise, those large items can be stored away in the pantryand brought out only when you need them. This helps keep the kitchen counter clutter to a minimum.
5. Declutter As You Unpack
Speaking of clutter, you probably did a good job of decluttering your possessions as you packed up your previous home. While you’re still in that mindset, start a box for additional unwanted items as you unpack. This is an especially good idea if your new place is smaller than your previous residence.
6. Break Down the Moving Cartons
When going through the motions to unpack, you might feel compelled to almost finish one box, push it aside and begin unloading a different carton. Instead of creating a jumble of half-empty cardboard cartons in your living room, break down each box as it is emptied and store it flat in your garage. Then, visit your online neighborhood newsgroup to see if anyone can use your cartons for relocation. If not, take the flattened cardboard to your local recycler. Moving to a new home can be the beginning of a wonderful new chapter. Following these unpacking tips can keep the experience happy and drama-free for everyone in the family. See the accompanying resource for more information.
This infographic was created by Moving of America, apartment moving services
