Just Moved In? 4 Ways to Make Unpacking As Painless As Possible
Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, the experience seems to be equally stressful. As difficult as packing and dealing with utility companies are, though, one of the biggest challenges is living for weeks while surrounded by boxes.
When you’re standing in the center of your house, surrounded by boxes, it can feel extremely overwhelming. By following these tips you can remove some of the pain from the experience and start enjoying your home more quickly.
Unpack the Essentials
Once the moving van is gone and you’re ready to tackle the task of unpacking, the first thing you’ll need to do is get your essentials unpacked. You’ll need somewhere to sleep, so set up your bed and unpack your bedding. Once you’ve ensured you’ll have a place to sleep that first night, think of what you’ll need for the next day or two. Bath towels and toiletries, kitchen basics like cups and plates, and crucial items like medications should be unpacked the first day.
Schedule Unpacking Time
You can approach unpacking more than one way, depending on your own personal preferences. If you’ve taken time off of work, you may want to work day and night to get everything in place so you can return to work, worry free, the following week. However, some people prefer to schedule time each day to work on unpacking things and getting them set up. This way you can enjoy your new home while also feeling like you’re making progress.
Host an Unpacking Party
You’d be surprised how alluring the promise of beer and pizza is to those in your social circle. Even if your friends are more the “cheese and wine” type, you can invite them over for a fun unpacking party. Before the party, set boxes up where you’ll want the items to be unpacked to make it as easy as possible to tell your friends where to put things. Avoid asking friends and family to move heavy furniture or lift heavy boxes. Instead turn over tasks like unpacking books onto bookshelves or lining your kitchen shelves.
Remove Boxes
The worst part of those early weeks in a new house is the boxes. To help reduce the clutter, break down each box as you empty it and move it to a designated location, such as a garage or attic. When you’re ready to recycle those boxes, you’ll be able to pull them all out as a group. As you empty each box and remove it, you’ll be better able to see how much unpacking remains. You’ll also be able to easily navigate throughout your house without tripping over boxes.
Moving into a new home can be extremely exciting. It’s important to find a way to enjoy the experience without letting stress take away from that. If that means setting your unpacking aside for a few days to enjoy a glass of lemonade on your new front porch, give yourself permission to do just that. There’s no “right way” to handle a move, just various methods that work better for some people than others.
