Unpacking Tips
Why unpacking is just as important as packing. And what you should be doing before and after you move.
Unpacking is often an overlooked step in the moving progress. You’ll be bombarded by hundreds of packing tips, but people forget that unpacking is just as important.
By the stage you have found your new place, packed everything carefully and bundled the kids and two dogs into the car, unpacking should be a breeze, right? While unpacking can be an easier task, often it is stressful and causes a new kind of living as you spend the next few months living out of a box. So, to avoid another moving stress, follow our steps below so you can be organised for your next move.
What to do before you move:
Take photos of areas in your current house that you love.
This could be your bookshelves, desk area or tool shed. Taking photos will allow you to replicate the same arrangement in your new home, saving you time and frustration. Additionally, take photos of the back of your TV and any other electronic devices so you know exactly what is plugged in where.
Strategically pack your boxes and label them accordingly.
Try to pack items that only belong in the same room. By keeping rooms separate, boxes can be placed into their applicable areas and easily organised in their new location. Ensure the box is also labelled with the room. Some may choose to take it a step further and write a list of items packed into the box but ensure however you label your boxes that they are clear not just to you but the removalists helping you move.
Pack a essentials box.
This box will contain anything you require on your first night. Moving can be a long process, so have your necessities handy for when you need them. These may include a change of clothes, toiletries, electronic chargers and any utensils and food items. Make sure this box is well labelled and travels with you on moving day.
What to do when you have finished moving:
Clean your new house.
Often houses are sold and rented out with a basic clean. With the busyness of moving, it can be hard to find time to deep clean your home before moving day, but it is an important step. If you have time, hire some carpet steamers so you can deeply clean the carpet a few days before moving day, ensure you leave time for the carpet to dry. Pay particular attention to surfaces often touched such as door handles and light switches, which are often overlooked in the cleaning process. If time is tight, at least give your floors a vacuum before moving any furniture in.
Clean your furniture.
Moving provides the perfect time to clean those items we often forget about. Moving dirty furniture into a clean house doesn’t make sense so make sure you spend some time thoroughly cleaning your furniture. Items to pay particular attention to includes, the fridge, washing machine, dryer and dishwasher. Now would be an excellent time to also hire a professional cleaner for your coach or fabric bedhead.
Move boxes straight into their applicable rooms.
People would argue that it is easier to quickly move all the boxes and furniture into the one room and then sort out where they go. While this approach may help you unload quicker it will slow down your moving process. Instead, place each box in the room it belongs to so when it comes time to unpack you can see what goes where and you don’t have to spend time moving items from one room to the next. If you have people helping you move, it may be best to follow a colour-coded box system where each box is labelled with a colour that matches a colour on a door in your new place. All the helper needs to do is match the box with a marker on the door, making it easier for people not familiar with your house to correctly place your boxes.
Unpack rooms by importance.
Decide which rooms will most likely be used first and unpack those ones first. People tend to start with the bedroom as after a long day moving, you’ll likely be exhausted and wanting to crash early. Ensure that when you do unpack that you unpack the whole room before moving onto the next. This ensures boxes with non-essentials are unpacked quickly and not left around for months later.