How to unpack like a professional?

So, you’ve finally moved to a new place. It’s definitely exciting and fun, but it can be chaotic as well. After you went through the process of packing and transferring everything, now it’s time to unpack. While you may think it’s easier than packing, it can easily turn into a complete mess.  In order to prepare you, we have compiled a few tips and trick on how to unpack like a professional. Relocating your household will go much smoother if you take these into account!

First of all, pack with a purpose

Before we get to unpacking, we have to tell you a few things about packing. Even though it may seem pretty straightforward, you can make a lot of mistakes while packing. Make sure you pack room by room and label every single box.

Labelled boxes to unpack like a professional.

Label your boxes to make your unpacking process easier.

This way, when you move into your new home, you can easily find what you need. Also, it would be smart to pack by priority. Think about the things you will need straightaway, and have them easy to find and unpack. These can be:

  • Bedding
  • Kitchen utensils, plates, pots and pans
  • Towels
  • Clothes for the first couple of days

It’s a good idea to pack a bag with the essentials you know you’ll need quick access to, such as toiletries, chargers, medication, important documents, etc.  This will help you avoid those little panic attacks when you think you’ve forgotten or lost something important!

Label your moving boxes properly

It’s much easier to unpack like a professional when you know where everything is. Of course, you could always just write down “Bedroom” or “Kitchen” on your boxes, but it’s more useful if you know exactly what’s in them. By doing this, you won’t need to go through each and every box to find that one item you need!

Before you unpack like a professional, clean your home

This should go without saying, but cleaning your empty home allows you to get a fresh start in your new home. Not every house or an apartment will be cleaned beforehand. Sometimes, you have to take the matter into your own hands.

A drawing of a mop and a bucket.

First, clean your new home so you start unpacking like a professional!

While you’re cleaning, think about how the place will look once you unpack your boxes. Will it be cluttered, where will things be stored? These questions will help you start off on the right foot, and ease your unpacking process.

Place your moving boxes where they belong

Depending on your choice of movers, some will carry the boxes for you and some won’t. If you’re in the NYC area, try and find full-service NYC movers to help you out. Moving is never a one-person job! If you put the effort into labeling your boxes, don’t throw them all into one pile in the hallway while unloading the moving truck. All that careful preparation will be wasted. Instead, try to place boxes in the rooms where they belong. Otherwise, you will have to move them again, and you will be buried under a mountain of heavy cardboard boxes!

If you want to unpack like a professional, do the essential rooms first

The first rooms which should be unpacked are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Test the faucets to make sure they are working. Once these are done, you no longer have to worry about ordering take-out or forgetting your towel when showering. Additionally, after you have prepared your children for the move, include them in this unpacking adventure as well – they should know where to find their cups and plates when it’s breakfast time!

The bedrooms should come next, but don’t worry too much about unpacking your whole wardrobe. Put the beddings on, and take out the clothes for the appropriate season, but don’t rush with the extras – that can come later.

Unpack during the first couple of days

Procrastination is your worst enemy when it comes to unpacking. While some say that you should take your time and unpack slowly, we think otherwise. There are even NYC unpacking professionals who can help you in this stage of moving. Not only will they help you pack, but they will assist you in settling in your new home!

Movers putting lamps into a box.

There are moving services which can help you unpack.

Sure, organizing and sorting things out can take a while, but take everything out first. After you do so, it will be much easier to put things in place. Another tip we have for you is to recycle or store your cardboard moving boxes once they’re empty. It may seem like a hassle because it’s one more thing you have to do before you open the next box. However, it will clear up space and just the action of breaking boxes down will make the whole process so much more satisfying.

Organize first, decorate second

It would be a shame to hang a painting only to realize later that you need that wall for shelves or a dresser. Then you have to take it down, and you’re left with a hole in the wall which you need to fill – one more job which could have been avoided. Think about the functionality of your new home before you decorate it. Making a house a home is a long process, but it will be worth it. Of course, the internet is full of tips for decorating your home which is so hard to resist. On the other hand, it also has plenty of advice on home organization and storage that could be helpful. For sure, there is no right way to organize and decorate your home, and it will take a while. Just make sure you’re going step by step and enjoying every part of the way.

Learn to unpack like a professional and enjoy your relocation

There are ways to make your unpacking process as easy as possible, and we showed you how to do it! Take these tips into account and actually enjoy your moving day, as much as you’ll enjoy living in your new home. Ask your family, friends or movers for help, and unpack like a pro!