What to Unpack First in Your New Home

What to Unpack First in Your New Home

Finally, the day has arrived for you to move into your dream home! 

You've spent countless hours packing all your worldly possessions into boxes, crates and now a moving van, the end is in sight! 

Or is it? 

Once all your belongings have been offloaded at your new home, the daunting task of unpacking everything still lies ahead. 

You might be asking yourself "Where do I even begin?"...

Here are a few tips to help you on your way:

Let's start at the very beginning....

Make sure to set the scene before getting stuck into the nitty-gritty task of unpacking boxes.

Renovate

There is no better time to renovate than before taking occupation of your new home! 

Any structural changes to the building should be completed before you move in. This is also a good time to repaint and replace carpets and/or tiles. 

Finally, don't forget to check for lightbulbs that may require changing.

Do a thorough clean

You may want to ensure that your new home is sparkly clean ahead of moving day. 

Mopping floors, cleaning windows and wiping shelves is much easier when the place is empty. 

If spring cleaning is not for you or you're unable to access the property a few days in advance of the move, consider hiring a professional cleaning service to do the job for you. 

Position furniture & large appliances

It's useful to have thought through where you would like your big furniture pieces and major appliances to be positioned before starting to unpack the smaller items. 

Not only will the rooms start to take shape once these larger items have been placed, but careful planning will also ensure that there is no need to move heavy furniture around unnecessarily.

Organize your boxes

Once your mountain of boxes has arrived, set about placing each one in the room in which it belongs. 

This is where the arduous task of properly packing and labelling your boxes ahead of time pays off.

What next?

It's time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty! 

It's unlikely that all your unpacking will be completed in one day, which makes it important to ensure that your essentials are unpacked first. 

Kitchen

Start off by connecting your fridge, microwave, kettle and any other countertop appliances you frequently use. 

Thereafter, unpack essential crockery, such as plates, mugs, and glasses followed by knives, forks, spoons and finally pots and pans. 

This will ensure that you are able to prepare and enjoy a basic meal together as a family.

Bedroom

The most important item in the bedroom is undoubtedly the bed. 

Fit fresh sheets, fluff your pillows and unpack a blanket so that everything is ready for you to crash. 

Unless privacy is important to you, curtains can wait for another day. 

Bathroom

Nothing like a fresh shower or long hot soak in the bath to pave the way for a good night's rest. 

Unpack your essential toiletries such as your toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and any other personal care items you use daily. 

Put out toilet paper, hang bath towels and unpack essential medication. 

Toys

Keeping young kids and/or pets occupied while you set about unpacking is crucial. 

Make sure to unpack some of their favourite toys and books to keep them entertained for as long as possible. 

You could even consider giving young children a few empty boxes and watch their imaginations run wild!  

And now?

You should now be able to live relatively comfortably whilst taking your time to unpack all your other goodies. 

Set about by completing one room at a time, making sure to dispose of packaging and boxes as you go along. 

The biggest risk at this point is procrastination. 

To keep the ball in motion, try setting yourself goals to stay focused and don't forget to enjoy the journey!