Most people consider packing to be one of the most challenging parts of moving.
However, once you have moved in, it’s essential to have a managed and orderly process for unpacking.
If you don’t, you could be in for a headache and a sore back as you have to deal with moving boxes back and forth. Plus, not being able to find those daily-use necessities can quickly throw your entire move into chaos.
Do you have a plan for the unpacking process? At Smooth Move, we are dedicated to helping you have a pleasant and efficient moving experience.
We have years of experience and know the pitfalls that can ruin a successful move. Today, we’re sharing our 5 smart unpacking tips after moving to help you get settled faster on move-in day.
Tip #1: Start With A System
There are a couple of different ways to approach your unpacking, but the best way is to follow an organized system. You could mark off boxes according to the usage of the items within them. In this system, each box is given a letter or number corresponding to the frequency of its usage.
For instance, toiletries, coffee pots, and kitchen utensils will be wanted immediately, while holiday decorations can often sit unpacked for a more extended period of time.
Conversely, you could also organize your packing by room. You can then classify each room by order of importance. In this system, you would unpack everything for that room at once instead of just unpacking the things you need in a haphazard way.
One of the best ways to help set up this system is to utilize an inventory list. This list can help you organize your unpacking strategy and can also be used to confirm that nothing is missing as you proceed to unpack your belongings.
Tip #2: Distribute The Boxes
A move-in day can be pretty hectic. Looking up at the towering pile of boxes that have just been carried in can be daunting and overwhelming. Instead of wondering where to start and trying to open each box one by one, we recommend moving the boxes into their appropriate rooms first.
If you don’t, you’ll end up wearing out your back, going back and forth as you try to remember where you were planning to put everything. This is an inefficient and painful approach.
If your boxes were labeled, this should be very easy and straightforward. If not, simply open each and take a quick check to know where each box belongs.
This will help you to break the task up into more manageable goals and will help to keep your unpacking process more smooth and more efficient.
Additionally, if you are opting for a room-based system, having the boxes in each room will only make that process faster and easier.
Tip #3: Do A Deep Clean First
Once you have decided upon an unpacking system and distributed the boxes, it’s time to do a deep clean of your home. You will likely never have a better opportunity to do so once you’ve completely unpacked. With nothing in the way, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, and scrubbing will be easier than it ever will be after you have everything moved in.
Although cleaning is often handled by the realtor before the new buyer or renter arrives, this cleaning is usually not as deep as it could be. As with the other tips, you have options with this. You could clean each room immediately before unpacking that room, or you could do a deep cleaning of the entire house and then start the unpacking process.
Either way, doing a complete clean will ensure that your home is ready for the unpacking process. In terms of cleaning supplies, it’s best to leave these easily accessible so that you can get to them quickly and easily.
Tip #4: Unbox By Order of Importance
The best way to ensure that your move is smooth is to unbox your items by order of importance.
Assuming you have adopted a labeling system, this would mean starting with the daily-use toiletries, including things like toothbrushes, toilet paper, towels, medications, and anything else you use every day.
Following those items, you would then move from room to room, unpacking each box and focusing on the most frequently used items first. If you did not label your boxes, you could also choose to unbox by room.
Many recommend that you unpack the kitchen items first. That way, you can also ensure that all the appliances are connected and operating correctly.
When the next meal time comes around, you’ll be glad that you focused on unpacking your serving utensils and kitchen items first.
After that, you can focus on the bedrooms and then the bathrooms. These are two other frequently-used spaces that can quickly make your new home feel more like home once the unpacking for them is complete.
You can then follow this process room-by-room and conclude with the utility spaces, such as unfinished basements and garages.
Tip #5: Set A Schedule
As much as we may wish it wasn’t so, the simple truth is that most of us won’t be able to complete the entire unpacking process in a single day.
That’s why it is wise to set a schedule to plan your time for when and how you are going to get unpacked. By making a schedule and sticking to it, you can help keep everything on track and will be able to celebrate each time you hit your deadlines.
This can be a great way to stay motivated. Generally, you can plan for around ten minutes per box of large items and thirty minutes per box of smaller items.
Charleston is a growing community. Moving here should be an exciting and positive experience. By following these tips, you can have a more successful move.
However, we have only scratched the surface of the many factors to be considered both before and after a move to a new home.
Why not leave the hassle of planning and executing your move to the professionals? At Smooth Move, we have everything you need.