How to Unpack Your Home After Your Move

By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

We've all heard about the best approaches to pack up a house, but what about the opposite? As with anything in life, unpacking from a move to El Paso does have some best practices. You can streamline your unpacking piece of the moving process with a little organization upfront.

Part of a smooth unpacking process involves preparation for it as you are packing. A few tasks to remember as you pack include the following:

• Label boxes. This is super simple advice, but you'll never be happier about listening to this advice as when you're running around your new home looking for the box with the coffee mugs in it. Is it labeled? Excellent!
• Pack an overnight bag. A small suitcase or rucksack can accommodate your toothbrush, a change of clothes, and anything else you are sure you will definitely need fairly soon in the new home.
• Give away items you don't use. The fewer items you move, the faster it will be to unpack. There are a few things that you won't want to get rid of, but if there are items that you do not use, consider donating them to someone who can use them.

Once the moving company has unloaded the boxes at your new abode, the order and organization you use during unpacking can also mitigate disarray. Here are some of our popular tips:

• Assemble your bed first. There are few things better after a tiring day of moving and unpacking than to crawl into a soft bed. If you put together your bed and put on sheets first, you will thank yourself later. This goes for each member of the house. If you hired professional movers, they will do this job for you.
• Start with the necessities. Items like coffee mugs, plates and cups and spoons and forks, and your computer equipment are some of the important areas you'll need as you commence life in your new residence. Before diving into the little details, contemplate what you need to have in place today and tomorrow. Begin there.
• Box your boxes. Frequently, rooms become piled with empty boxes and packing materials during the unpacking process. You can't keep track of what you have left if it's obstructed with discarded packing supplies. Keep one box all in one piece and fill it with other empty cartons that you've broken down. That way, you can see how much you still have to unpack. Your box of boxes can be disposed of or, preferably, recycled.
• Group your shopping trips. No matter how well you've planned, you will inevitably need to go to the store to buy a new trash can, curtain rods, light bulbs, or other new things. Rather than making a trip every time you need something, create a running list of required supplies so that you can purchase everything in one trip. You'll save time and money, not to mention lessen your hassle.
• Do not settle on furniture set up too hurriedly. Too many people get locked into room layouts the day they move into a new home. Give yourself some elbow room—not everything must be unchangeable immediately. Old couch that you loved at your old home may look out of place in your new abode. That's okay. Allow yourself some time to settle in and you will figure out whether you can make it work. This point also involves waiting to hang any art on the walls. It is your home! There is no need to rush.
• Decide Which Areas Are Most Important. The most common mistake that is made during the unpacking process is a refusal to handle the task step by step. Instead, we try to unpack the entire house at once. Once all of your belongings have arrived at the home, take the time to determine which areas are most critical. The rooms that you are going to be spending the most time in are the rooms that should be unpacked first.
• Set Feasible Goals. In most instances, you aren’t going to be able to tackle all of the unpacking in one sitting. Do not push yourself too hard on the first day or two. There is going to be lots to do and none of the tasks are going anywhere. Set attainable goals and stick to them. Choose the room that needs to be addressed first and finish it prior to moving onto the subsequent chore.
• Select a Reward for Achieving the Deadline. For those who are moving with an entire family, it might be challenging to wrangle everyone working together. Everyone is going to have their own agendas and the process of making sure that everyone is pulling in the same direction can be quite exhausting. Coming up with a reward for meeting a target is a good way around this conundrum. By picking a reward, you are doing your part to keep all members of the family working together. No one will want to go astray. Setting a deadline will also keep you from the annoyances of stepping over lots of things that haven’t been put away yet after you have already moved to El Paso and gotten somewhat settled.

Since 1974, A-1 Freeman Moving Group has worked with individuals and families to move their belongings safely and securely. Contact us now so that we can help you pack, move and unpack in El Paso.