Just imagine it—you’ve spent the day moving the contents of your home from your old place to the new. You’ve overseen movers, maybe wrangled a kid or two, and completed the final cleaning tasks at your former home.
But just as you’re stretching out on your freshly unwrapped sofa, your look to your left and see box city set up in your kitchen. You glance to your right and note the tower of cardboard that nearly reaches the ceiling.
And you groan realising, as much as you’ve done today, there is so much unpacking left to do.
Where do you start? Is there a way to tackle the task efficiently?
The short answer is…yes! It is possible to get the majority of your unpacking checked off your to-do list quickly…provided you know a few secret tips. And, as one of Sydney’s most trusted removal companies, we thought we’d share 6 of our favorite tips for pulling off a quick and efficient unpacking.
Let’s dive in!
1. Revise Your Expectations
Is it possible to get your home completely unpacked and set up in 24 hours? Yes. Will it leave you feeling burned out, exhausted, and miserable? Also yes.
Let go of the idea that you must have every room unpacked immediately. Revise your expectations but do implement a system. Unpacking random boxes in various rooms will only increase your stress levels and leave you feeling unaccomplished.
2. Start With Your Essential Boxes
Ideally, you have a few boxes labeled high priority that should be the first items unpacked. These are the boxes containing things you’ll need immediately.
In the kitchen, it might be a box containing a bag of coffee and your coffee pot (always a number one priority for us) and enough dishes, cups, and silverware for the family to use for the first night in the home. It might also include a few non-perishable snack items.
The bathroom box should have enough towels for each family member, toilet tissue, and personal items like soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
Bedroom boxes should have bedding, pillows, a pair of pajamas, and stuffed animals for children who will benefit from seeing a familiar stuffed face.
These are the boxes to unpack the day you move in that will help you get through the first night in your new home and ready for further unpacking the next day.
3. Begin With the Kitchen
In most homes, the kitchen is the main hub for activity. It’s where everyone gathers in the mornings and at the end of the day. After-school homework often happens around the kitchen table. So, it only makes sense to make the unpacking of the kitchen a top priority.
Unpack any boxes containing appliances you may need. If your fridge and oven have yet to be plugged in, now is the time to do so. Unpack other boxes according to how often you use the items inside—you’ll need your pots and fans before you’ll need cake-baking accessories, so unpack accordingly.
4. On to the Bedrooms
Bedrooms are second only to the kitchen in terms of priority, and getting your bedroom unpacked can suddenly make your new house feel like home.
If you have children, prioritize their bedrooms over your own or any guest rooms. Give your child some ownership of how their room is arranged. Let them choose where their bookshelf will live and how their toys will be stored in their closet.
Move on to the master bedroom next and, once again, unpack according to necessity. If you just completed a summer move, there’s no need to unpack winter sweaters and coats. Start with the items you need then move on from there.
Guest rooms can be saved for last and are perfect for hiding any unpacked boxes should company stop by to see your new place before you’re fully unpacked.
5. Bathrooms
We always recommend starting with the bathroom that is most often used by company. You’ll be surprised how many friends will stop by for a surprise visit and impromptu tour, so make sure your front powder room is company-ready.
Make sure each bathroom is stocked with tissue, hand towels, body towels, soap, and shampoo.
6. Leave Utility Areas for Last
If you have a garage, basement, or outdoor storage shed, consider these areas lowest on the priority list. But do yourself a favor and unpack boxes in these locations eventually. You’ll need the space these areas provide, so set aside time each week to tackle unpacking. Even if it’s only an hour or a limit of 2-3 boxes, you’ll slowly chip away at the pile and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Don’t let the task of unpacking overwhelm you. With a good system and a little patience, you’ll have your new home fully unpacked in no time.
