Moving into a new home can be stressful. As a matter of fact, doctors at University Hospitals list moving as one of the five most stressful events in a person’s life, along with the death of a loved one, divorce, having a major illness, and job loss. This stress is mainly due to the things one has to do prior to a move: the planning, the packing, and then the move itself.
When you get to your new home, you also have to think about decorating your new place to make it homey. And then of course, there’s unpacking, which can be daunting, given how time-consuming and energy-draining it is. However, unpacking does not have to be so overwhelming and stressful. Here are some things you can do to make unpacking easier.
Start Clean
New houses often look clean enough that it is quite tempting to just immediately unload all your things in it. However, no matter how clean your new place looks, you can never be too sure about all the dirt, germs, and bacteria that have been left behind by the previous owners or renters. You’ll want to do a deep clean before moving in, especially since it can be extra frustrating to come across a sticky floor or a mold-infested wall when you’re in the middle of unpacking.
To save time when deep cleaning, you might want to start when your new home is still empty. This gives you an opportunity to really check if every nook and cranny of your new home is free of dust and grime. You can also make a checklist of the areas in the house that you need to clean, and then use this as a guide when cleaning and disinfecting. This will not only help you speed up the cleaning process, but it will also ensure your thoroughness.
Have a Place for Everything
One of the most time consuming things when it comes to unpacking is deciding where things go and then manually taking them there. As such, to save time when unpacking, it is important to be as organized as possible. This means that organizing your things should begin way before leaving your own home. Map out all the rooms in your new home, and then pack your things based on which room they will go to.
Once you are sure that your new place is clean and you are ready to move your things in it, you might want to make sure that each box goes to the room where it will eventually be unpacked. For example, the luggage that contains your clothes should go into your bedroom. The box that contains your kitchen utensils, on the other hand, should be placed in the kitchen. Similarly, the container of your living room décor should be placed in your living room. Putting containers in their respective rooms allows for less clutter, and it will also lessen the effort that it would take to move stuff around when you’re unpacking.
Make Your Essentials Accessible
Unpacking your things when you finally move into your new home can take time. With your things still in a disarray, digging through boxes and luggage for the things you immediately need can be stressful. This is where your essentials bag or box comes in handy. Having a separate box or bag for your essentials ensures that you can still function for the first few days (or even weeks) after moving in. This also alleviates the pressure to immediately unpack everything on the first day of moving.
Essentials can be items that you use daily, such as your toiletries, the things you need for work or school, and the clothes that you most often use. It should also include some of your food, some utensils, and a first-aid kit, among other things. By having a separate bag for your essential items, you won’t feel pressured into unpacking everything at once. In turn, your unpacking experience significantly becomes less stressful.
Unpacking your things after moving into a new home does not have to be stressful; if you take some time to plan, it can be an enjoyable experience. After all, it signifies the start of something new. Once you’ve applied these suggestions, you can then take your time in unpacking and organizing your other things. Make sure that you like where you put each item in your new home, and carefully decide where your things go. These decisions can have long-term effects on how you perceive your new home, so take your time in making them.
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