How to Effectively Unpack
It’s moving day and the time to transport all of your belongings from one location to another is now here! For the planners, you've prepared for this day by reading about packing tips and setting up a system to stay organized, but did you set up a similar system to unpack? Unpacking is often the last thing you think about when it comes to moving. Normally it becomes the activity that is most irritating and prolonged. The main objective of getting your furniture to your new place clouds the need to plan and execute an appropriate means of getting items into their proper place.
In order to plan effectively, you need a starting point. How are you going to figure out what rooms are the most vital to unpack first? How are you going to label the moving and storage boxes to keep you organized as you unpack? Finally, what items should you have with you when you begin unpacking? All of these questions are commonly asked by movers, but little time is taken to sit down and think about a strategic, time-effective approach. Let’s change that now.
The Unpacking List
- Kitchen. The kitchen should be the first room that you unpack. It is a common area of the house that is often utilized immediately and it probably is one of the most complicated rooms to unpack. The diversity and abundance of the different items you keep in your kitchen requires more attention to detail and location placement. In addition, unpacking this room first can be a strong, cost-effective approach because there is no longer a need to order take out!
- Bedroom Furniture. Assembling your box spring, mattress, and any other large bedroom furniture should be done when your energy levels are high. Setting up these components enables you to visualize where you want to put the remainder of your bedroom items and gives you an idea of the amount of space you have.
- Bedroom: Room by Room. If you are a part of a family who is moving, have each member of the family split up and unpack their own room. This technique will allow the main areas of your home to remain organized while keeping efficient with your time.
- Bathrooms. The bathrooms should have a theme (like "master bath" or "kids bath") and designated items that are pre-determined to be placed in the area. Normally, when moving from one place to another, your bathroom items remain consistent.
- Family Room. This is the room you can leave for last. Place big items like furniture in their proper locations first. Then set up your TV and entertainment center. If you have these things in place and you run out of time or energy, you can relax and enjoy time in your new home.
Now that you know which rooms to unpack first, you need to set up a plan of action. This plan should entail what boxes go to what room. To save time and resources, follow a box numbering system for unpacking. The number system is beneficial because it’s simple, easy and it determines what boxes get put into the portable moving container first and why.
Steps for a Numbered Unpacking System
- Assign a number to each room (Example: Kitchen = 1).
- After the box has been packed up, write the number on all sides of the box. This allows for you to see the number no matter how it is packed. Keep track of how many boxes you pack per room.
- When the packing portion of moving is completed and the loading portion begins, take the boxes with the largest number and put them in the self storage container first. The number identifies the order of unpacking. Therefore, the lower numbered boxes are unloaded and unpacked first.
Unloading the Self Storage Container
- Take each box and cluster them in the appropriate areas of your new home. Make sure all boxes are accounted for.
- Begin unpacking based upon the number system.
Check List for Unpacking
Now that you know the order of which rooms to unpack and how to stay organized while unpacking, you need to make sure you have the necessary items to complete the task of unpacking properly.
- Tool kit equipped with hammer, screwdrivers and nails
- Utility knife to open boxes (at least 2)
- Trash bags
- Box number guide
- Internet set up prior to move in (you will be glad you did!)
Remember, you have not officially moved until you have unpacked. Stay organized and make things as simple as possible. The last thing you need when moving into your new home is immediate clutter and mayhem!