Improperly arranged unpacking can create unnecessary clutter. To avoid extra costs and start living comfortably in your new home as early as possible, plan everything carefully.
Unpack With a System
The task won’t seem difficult if you have two plans in hand: a list of the first things to do and projects of placement of furniture and appliances for each room. You can also indicate the location of things of a non-floor type. For example, where towels will lie or where to put the microwave.
When making a list of the first things to do, consider basic physiological needs and activity for the next 24 hours. After moving into a new apartment, a person wants to eat, take a shower, go to bed quietly, and get ready for work or school the next day without too much hassle. The items necessary for this are unpacked first.
Other tips will help:
- Items should be unpacked into signed packages (boxes, vacuum bags, or sacks). The label tells you the category (dishes, books, linens, etc.), room (where to put it), and the owner (relevant for large families where kids don’t like to share their stuff or use other people’s stuff).
- To save time on reading the inscriptions, use a color classification: a different shade of marker for each room.
- Double markings (on the side and the top of the package) will allow you to find what you need in any way you place the boxes (in a row or a column).
- Furniture, appliances, and large items are unloaded first. They aren’t haphazardly brought in, but by room. Floor-standing appliances are placed immediately, considering outlet location.
- The set of essentials is placed in a prominent place with good access. In order not to lose sight of the important box, don’t surround it with items. An area that isn’t overloaded with items catches the eye on its own.
- Toiletries, dishes, medicine, household chemicals, and money will be needed even before the last item is brought into the apartment. If the family is small, some essentials can be replaced with disposables, like a travel hygiene kit, plastic utensils, and plates. But remember that anything disposable is an additional source of trash.
- The floor will be dirty, so unpacking things in the new apartment begins with handing slippers to the housemates. You will also need a bucket, a rag, and possibly laundry detergent.
Life continues after the move, so the next day after it, you need to be ready to go to work or school. Your clothes should be prepared in advance: select your outfit and place it in a vacuum bag. Due to it, the need for an iron is dramatically reduced.
A large number of small items are needed for daily life. In order not to puzzle over how to arrange things like keys, documents, shoe brushes etc., buy a temporary hanging storage system.
Check the Safety of Your Belongings
To avoid confusion about the causes of possible malfunctions, before packing:
- inspect the furniture, note any chips, scratches, and dents;
- take pictures of the most expensive items;
- check the operability of household appliances.
The matter can be entrusted to the movers. These specialists will see to the safety of objects and compensate for them in the case of a breakage that can happen while they unpack your belongings.
Arrange Everything According to the Plan
A plan makes the process much easier. To create it, you will need a schematic diagram of the apartment, including the location of:
- door jambs;
- utilities;
- windows;
- balcony.
Consider the height of the ceilings, the protrusion of the windowsill, and the location of the switch and sockets. In a small hallway, the distance from the chandelier to the walls is important. By knowing it, you will understand whether the closet will fit and whether its doors won’t encroach on the light fixture.
A properly arranged unpacking process allows you not to worry about the safety of your belongings. A list of priorities and a plan for placing the furniture will make the process much easier.
