Over 14 percent of Americans move each year. Whether they are relocating across the country or moving down the road, they all have two things in common: packing and unpacking. Most people know that there is an art to packing that makes life easier. What many people don’t know is that unpacking can be more difficult than packing. When you follow steps while unpacking, your life is made instantly easier.
1.Time Limit
No one wants to live out of boxes for the next several years of their life, but that is exactly what happens. You have good intentions, and you think that you’ll unpack quickly, but most people don’t. Give yourself a time limit and stick to it. A time limit keeps you motivated as you move. You may choose to set a goal of having an entire room set up each day before you go to bed. Maybe you’ll unpack for four hours in a row before you take a break and then work for another four hours. No matter how you decide to set it up, give yourself a time limit to get through those boxes.
2.Make a Plan
Before you start emptying boxes, make a plan and write it down. Stick your list on the refrigerator, and check items off as you go. A good idea is to unpack the bathroom and set it up before you tackle any other room in the house. Assemble and make beds, and then move onto the kitchen. You can live without your television for a couple of days; save common areas for last.
3.Flatten Boxes
You would literally die if you threw away the necklace that your grandmother gave you for graduation. Everyone has items that are special to them; make sure that they don’t get inadvertently pitched. As soon as you are done unpacking a box, remove any packing materials, flatten them and flatten the box. When you do this, you are certain that nothing has slipped out during the move and hidden itself in a corner or a wadded up piece of paper.
4.Declutter as You Go
No matter how well you purged when you packed, you’ll find that you brought along things that you really don’t need. Leave one moving box set up for any items that you plan to donate or throw away. As you unpack, run each item through your mind quickly. Do you need it? Will you use it? If the answer is no, put it in the box. You can go through the box later and decide what you will donate and what you will sell. This is a great idea to use to reduce the clutter in your new home before it even sets in.
5.Kids and Pets
Moving as adults is one thing, moving by yourself is even easier. But what if you have kids and pets? If your kids are old enough, put them in charge of unpacking their rooms. If they are too young, pack a single box of entertainment. Pack tablets, drawing paper, crayons, books, anything that you can use to keep the kids of out your hair. Alternatively, pack an entertainment backpack for each child to dig through when you get to your new house. Pet items should be put out immediately. Your furry companions are going to be hungry and thirsty, and they don’t care how busy you are. Remembering to do these things will allow you to get down to business as soon as you open the door to your new home.
Don’t think that packing is the most stressful part of your move; unpacking is often worse. Unfortunately, people spend time looking for packing tips and completely ignore the end process. When you make a plan, give yourself a time limit, and continue to declutter as you go, unpacking is far less aggravating than it could be.
Robin Knight blogs for real estate companies that have homes for sale in San Francisco and surrounding areas.
