Moving involves so many steps that it’s hard to tell where the process starts and where it ends. Unpacking is usually the last stage, and by the time you get there, most of us are running on very little sleep and a lot of takeout.
It’s tempting to open whatever box is closest, but a little order makes the whole thing easier, especially with kids in the house. Whether you’re moving across town, across the country, or even overseas for a job, here’s an approach that helps you get settled without feeling overwhelmed.
Start With Your Essentials Boxes
Before you start getting pictures out and hanging them on the wall, unpack your essentials boxes. These include things like toiletries, basic kitchen items such as a toaster and coffee maker, and your chargers and electronic devices.
You’ll need most of these from your very first night and morning in your new home, so prioritize keeping them handy before you move on to anything else.
Give Each Room a Quick Clean First
It’s much easier to clean an empty cabinet than one already full of plates. Before you fill kitchen cabinets, bathroom drawers and closets, give them a quick wipe down. Even if the previous owners left the place tidy, it only takes a few minutes.
Get Your Bed(s) Made
You might not have the energy to assemble your bed frame for a few days, and you may end up sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Still, prioritizing making your bed can have a big practical and psychological impact.
Not only will it get your sheets, pillows and comforters out of their bags and boxes, and give you storage space under the bed, but it will also help you feel like you’ve properly arrived. It makes it easier to feel cozy and comfortable in your new home.
Unpack the Kids’ Rooms Early
If you’re moving with children, set up their bedrooms as early as you can. Familiar bedding or a favorite stuffed animal can make a strange new house feel like home much faster, and a well-rested child makes the rest of the unpacking easier for everyone. Older kids can even help unpack their own rooms.
Put Up Shelves and Dressers
Before you unpack everything else, put together any shelves, dressers and other storage furniture you want in your new place.
Getting clothes and books out of boxes only to pile them on the floor is a recipe for an overwhelmingly messy new home, so make sure you have somewhere to put everything first.
Work Room by Room
Unpacking a few boxes in every room at once can leave the whole house feeling chaotic. Instead, finish one room before you move on to the next. Start with the kitchen and bathroom, since you use them every day, then the bedrooms, then the living areas. Leave spaces like the garage, attic or spare room until last.
Declutter as You Go
Unpacking is a good chance to sort out what you actually use. If you come across items you haven’t touched in years, put them straight into a donate or recycle pile instead of finding a place for them.
Keep a Few Tools Within Reach
A box cutter, scissors, a screwdriver, trash bags and a tape measure will save you from hunting through boxes every time you need one. Keep them together in one spot.
As you empty each box, break it down and stack it flat. Empty boxes pile up fast, so check your local recycling schedule, or offer them to a neighbor or friend who’s about to move.
Make Sure You Pack Properly (for Next Time)
If you’re reading this ahead of a move, the single biggest thing you can do to make unpacking easier is to pack properly in the first place.
That goes double for a long-distance or international move, when your boxes may be in transit for a while. If your family is relocating to the UK, for example, it’s worth comparing local moving companies such as Bright Movers to see which one fits your needs. No matter who’s doing the heavy lifting, one of the simplest but most significant things you can do is label every box with a short note on its contents and the room it should go in.
That way, you won’t have to open 13 boxes and pull out all their contents before you finally find the one you actually needed.
Take It One Step at a Time
You don’t have to unpack the whole house in one weekend. Get the essentials out, make the beds, and give yourself a day to settle in before tackling the rest.
You don’t want to leave things in boxes for weeks, but taking it one room at a time makes the job much more manageable. Before long, the boxes will be gone and the new house will start to feel like home.
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