Okay you have officially moved… what now? Where to begin? Unpacking in your new house can be a very overwhelming and daunting task. It is not uncommon for people to still have unpacked boxes piled in their garages 3-4 years after they moved. Need some guidance? Here is a list of guidelines that we think will help make you feel right at home:
- Essentials Box: What to unpack first in your new home? You should have packed an essentials box that had everything in it to get you through the first week at your new home! This way you won’t be unpacking some things and searching through all of your boxes in order to find what you need. This essentials box should include toiletries, medications, and several outfits so you are able to function day to day. Also if you have pets, make sure to have packed them enough food to get them through the first couple of days too.
- A Good Night’s Sleep: Everyone knows the benefits of sleep and how important it is to get a certain amount of sleep each night! That’s why we think the next thing to unpack is the bedding/linens. An easy way to do this is to go room by room and set up each bed early on so that at the end of the day when you are exhausted from all the unpacking/cleaning you can easily climb right into bed and get some much needed sleep.
- Kitchen: Unfortunately, you cannot have Chipotle every night for dinner – even though in a perfect world we wish you could! That’s why we think the next step to unpack is the kitchen. Start out with the necessities like silverware, plates and cups – stuff you’ll need right away. Then work your way up to unpacking your baking utensils, serving platters, and appliances like toasters, mixers, and of course your trusty coffee maker.
- Bathroom: Even though you might have put your toothbrush and hairbrush in your essentials bag, it might be nice to unpack your bathrooms next. Setting up your linens and putting your less essential toiletries where they belong will help eliminate clutter and you will be able to cross it off your list. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to take a break and paint your toenails anyways!
- Bedrooms: Yes, your beds may be set up but now it is time to finish off the bedrooms. Each individual person can have the responsibility of setting up their own bedroom how they would like it. This includes furniture like desks and dressers, closets, and décor of the room. Once the bedrooms are set up, it will help transition from being a new house to your home.
- Living area: There’s nothing like settling in on the couch in front of the television after a long day of work. However, we think that before you set the TV up that you should unpack the living room and/or dining area. These areas are less crucial, hence they’re towards the bottom of the list, but are still important in making your new house your home. The television can be distracting and you always think just one more episode and then it’s one in the morning and you’re not really sure where the time went. So unpack your decorations and set up your furniture first before you plug the TV in. Trust us, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on Netflix later!
- Extra Boxes: Now that it seems like all the rooms may be unpacked, that doesn’t mean all the boxes are empty. Remember when we said people still have unpacked boxes from their moves even though they moved 3-4 years before? We weren’t kidding. In order to keep your new house organized and tidy you should go through every single box and find a home for the contents. This way you can actually use your garage for your cars-crazy concept we know. It may be more work in the beginning but it will be so worth it when you don’t have any clutter or “junk piles” throughout your house.
- Relax: You deserve it! Packing and unpacking is hard work. With everything where it belongs and your house is clear of boxes and clutter you can kick back in your new living room and catch up on that Netflix show you’ve been dying to watch.
Check out our moving blog for more helpful tips! Planning a move and require professional services? Contact us online or call us at(503) 234-2226 today!