6 Unpacking Strategies to Help You Move In Faster

Planning makes moves more smooth and orderly. But packing up your household doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a plan for setting it up again. Because no one wants to spend their first days in a new home living out of boxes, here are six unpacking strategies to get you quickly settled in.

Plan Ahead

When you’re packing, don’t just focus on the task at hand. Consider how you’re going to get everything unpacked when you arrive at your new house. You don’t want to spend extra effort carrying boxes from one end to the other. Clothes and bedding need to be in the bedroom. Pots and pans need to be in the kitchen. Toothpaste and toilet paper need to wind up in the bathroom.

Label each box and write down its contents. That way movers know where it belongs and you know what's inside. Inventorying your boxes means you won’t waste time digging through them to find the item you want. It tells you which boxes need to be unpacked first and which can be saved for later. You can even cut down on paperwork by listing the contents of each box on the outside.

Load the Van One Room at a Time

With so much going on, moves can be chaotic. But loading your van one room at a time helps keep things under control once you've arrived at your new home. Rather than splitting your attention between the entire house, it lets you supervise each stage of the unloading process. One of the best packing and unpacking strategies is to load your least used rooms first (attic, basement, garage, etc.) and your most used rooms last, so your most important items are the first ones off the truck.

Plan Each Room Before Unpacking

Decide where you want everything to go before you start taking it out of boxes. Otherwise you might be forced to set the room up twice. Items might have to be swapped around. Or one piece of furniture might have to be moved in order to accommodate another. A few moments of planning ensures you use the space right and saves a lot of effort later on.

Start with the Big Items

Anything big is going to be hard to move. Before unpacking your small items, push boxes off to the side and maneuver your furniture into place. You’ll want as much open space as possible. Then take a step back and consider the arrangement. Be sure you’re happy with it before starting on the smaller items.

Unpack the Rooms You’ll Need First

When plotting out your unpacking strategies, always begin with the rooms you use most often. Setting them up makes your home livable, so even if you don’t get everything unpacked on the first day, you’ll still be able to relax at the end of the night.

• Bathroom. Because bathrooms are essential for hygiene, they’re the best place to start. Soap, shampoo, towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, bath mat ‒ get them put away so you’ll be able to freshen up once you’re done.
• Bedroom. Establishing a comfortable sleep routine is important for your health and general wellbeing. To make things easier, keep your bedding together in the same box. That way, even if you decide to save the closets for later, at least your bed will be ready.
• Kitchen. You’ll probably be too tired to cook your first night, but you can’t eat take out forever. Get your utensils and cooking gear unpacked so you can start preparing your own food as soon as possible.
• Dining Room. Food’s no good without a place to eat. It also gives you the chance to share a family meal, so once the kitchen’s done, make the dining room the next priority.
• Living Room. Saving this for later helps keep everyone on task. Once the entertainment center’s been set up, people naturally want to take a break, so make sure everything else is finished before switching on the TV.
• Home Office. If your job's remote, make sure your internet is operational and your files and office supplies are laid out the night before getting back to work.

Break down Boxes as You Go
Throwing out cardboard boxes seems like a minor detail you should save for later. However, empty boxes aren’t only unsightly; they’re a tripping hazard. Once they’ve been emptied, they should be broken down and tossed out straightaway. It’ll keep you safe and help your new house feel more like home.

Optimize Your Packing & Unpacking Strategies
Because how you move affects how easily you settle in, it’s important to have the right team behind you. North American has over 500 agents operating across the country. We have the resources and experience to create personalized moving plans for each of our customers, ensuring their belongings get to their new home exactly the way they want. Contact us today for a free quote!