Unpacking, the Last Leg of the Journey
For most people unpacking is the last and hardest part of the moving process. The odds are good that you'll already be exhausted with your nerves worn to threads after enduring the stress and strain of moving involved in getting to your new home. Sure, you can take a little break and relax for a while when you first arrive at your destination. Just don't give in to the temptation to let the chore of unpacking wait until the next day. It's a big mistake because once you put it off, the next day becomes a couple days, which then become a week, leading to two weeks, then a month … you get the idea.
At least get started, even if you don't do very much. Seeing that you've begun the task will encourage you to continue with it the next day. And here are some tips to help you along the way as you tackle this final step in your journey:
How to Start Unpacking -- Day One
Instead of attempting to do all of the unpacking at once, break it down into several days. That way you won't wear yourself out any more than you already are, and you will have an opportunity to explore your new neighborhood if you're so inclined.
1. Put furniture in its permanent place. If you've been inside of your new home for any length of time you should have a general idea of the layout, so you can mentally plan out where you want to put the furniture. You can also further assess the rooms once you arrive prepared to stay. That way you can tell the movers exactly where you want them to place the furniture, and won't have to spend time and energy rearranging it later on.
2. Major appliances -- Hopefully the electricity has been turned on by this time and you can plug in all of your major appliances, especially the refrigerator and freezer so they will be ready to use when you have a chance to do some grocery shopping.
3. Beds -- Don't put it off another minute. Assemble all the beds in their appropriate bedrooms. Find the bedclothes and put these on as well. At the end of the day, you are going to be tired and your muscles aching, so you'll really appreciate being able to go straight to bed without having to put the bedclothes on first.
4. Put boxes in the appropriate rooms -- You can save yourself a lot of trouble and frustration if you simply place the boxes of items into the rooms where the contents belongs as you unpack them. That way you'll know exactly where your belongings are when you need them.
5. Locate Essentials -- Hopefully, you've stored all the items you will need to get through an average day -- paper towels, coffee cups, soap, etc. -- in one box and labeled it so that you can find it easily. If not, good luck, but you still have to find these items so get searching! And while you're at it, have your family members search for the personal items they will need such as pajamas, tooth brushes, etc.
By now you should be ready to settle down and relax for a little while before heading off to peaceful slumber. Congratulate yourself on having accomplished quite a bit and mentally prepare yourself for the tasks ahead. Sweet dreams!
