Overcoming the Unpacking Blues

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy Scott's Discount Movers

You finally finished moving into your new home, which is always a high point in most people’s lives.  While moving up in the world can provide a sense of elation, the next logical step always brings people back down to earth.  I’m talking about the unpacking blues, that moment of sheer panic when you are forced to face the prospect of days or even weeks to unbox and rearrange everything you packed. Instead of winding up lost and frustrated among a mountain of boxes the next time you move, take a few tips from a moving pro who has been there and done that thousands of times.

It Starts Before You Start

Yogi Berra coined the phrase, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”  If you want your move to be over in a hurry, you’ll need to plan the logistics before you begin packing that first box.  Planning your move entails creating a plan that takes into consideration the process of unpacking once you arrive in your new home.  Where most people make their first mistake is by simply labeling their boxes “kitchen” or “bedroom”.  What happens once the moving truck departs is that most people usually spend the first few hours trying to excavate the salt and pepper, only to wind up digging through every box in the kitchen.

Even worse is trying to find what you’re going to wear to work the next day, only to discover that you can’t remember which of the dozens of boxes labeled “bedroom” you buried your shoes in.  To avoid turning your new home into a landfill, you need to plan the day after your move first.

Image courtesy of Scott's Discount Movers

The best way to accomplish a move without driving yourself crazy is to begin by packing the things that are going to go in the back of the truck first and the things that are going to be needed the next day last.  That means you should start by packing up the attic and the garage first.  Anything that has been sitting on a shelf or in a box for months or years isn’t going to be needed your first few days in your new home.  The exception to the rule would be any tools you are going to need to disassemble and reassemble furniture, hang pictures, curtain rods and help get your new place up and running.  (These get packed last.)

Next comes the gardening implements and the patio gear.  Unless you are planning on using the barbecue to cook with on your first few days following a move, pretty much everything on the patio can be unpacked well after you move in.  The secret to executing a low stress move is to plan what needs to be unpacked last to first, not the other way around.

That means packing the dining room before the living room.  You can always eat in the kitchen for the first few days.  If you have both a living room and a den, choose the one you use the least and pack it next.  The same goes with a home office.  If you use it to make your living, it should be one of the last things you pack.  If you hardly ever use it, you should pack it away early and unpack it late.

Don’t Lose Any Sleep Over It

Image courtesy of Scott's Discount Movers

Bedrooms are another area you need to consider at this juncture. If you have a guest room, it should be packed first and unpacked last.  Of primary concern should be the master bedroom and the kids rooms.  Since these rooms contain essentials needed for the first few days after a move, such as beds and bedding, clothing and toiletries, the beds and furnishings should be packed first and the essentials, including the sheets, toiletries and any clothing you will need for the first few days following a move should be packed last in boxes marked “bedroom essentials”.  The remainder can be unpacked in the days following a move.  The best way to move the bedroom essentials is in your car.

Next comes the kitchen, which can be one of the most frustrating parts of the move, especially if you love to cook.  If your kitchen looks like a cooking store that contains every manner of appliance and gadget, you definitely need to plan carefully how best to pack it up.  Things like your electric mixer, bread maker and Cuisinart should be packed first.  Trust me when I say you won’t be in any hurry to fix a 5-course meal in your new home for a week or so at the earliest.  So, it’s safe to pack the least used gadgets and appliances first.

To make unpacking the kitchen a lot easier, pack the essentials last, including the coffee maker, toaster, spices, and cupboards.  Speaking of packing the cupboards, if you want your glassware and dishes to survive the move, wrap them it newspaper or bubble wrap first.  If you hear dishes or glasses clanking when you shake a box, this means they are likely to wind up chipped or broken during the move.  Make sure you use more specific labels other than “kitchen” on these boxes, or you will drive yourself crazy when it comes time to unpack the most complicated room in the house.

Image courtesy of Scott's Discount Movers

Believe it or not, the bathrooms is one of the most essential rooms in the house.  Therefore, it should be one of the last to be packed and the first to get unpacked.  It’s by understanding the logistics involved at the end of a move that you can best avoid the unpacking blues.  Having a plan to reverse engineer a move is far better than trashing your new home trying to excavate an essential item from under the slag.

Cleaning supplies, toilet paper, picture hangars, power drill, hand tools and other household essentials need to be labelled prominently and packed last since you will no doubt need these items as soon as the moving truck pulls out of your driveway.  Like your bedroom essentials, I recommend you taking these in your car as opposed to putting them in the truck.

If you are unsure of whether an item is going to be needed early following a move, think of what it would be like trying to do without it for a week.  If that doesn’t work consider one last little ditty from Yogi Berra, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers  has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.