The art of successful unpacking

Are you moving? Congratulations! Moving is an important step in a person’s life, and can really be a breath of fresh air. It gives you a chance to start over, decorate your new home the way you always wanted, and have a much-needed change of scenery. And while moving into a new home is certainly something to look forward to, there’s one thing every person moving dreads – packing and unpacking. Preparing your things for transportation and then taking them out one by one at your new house is time-consuming and to put it straight – downright boring. However, packing and unpacking aren’t nearly as hard as they seem – you just need some proper planning, organization, and the right supplies. The good news is that packing things properly will also make your unpacking easier. Most people focus on successful packing, but few think about successful unpacking.

The key to successful unpacking lies in organization and good packing – you can’t unpack with ease if you’ve just crammed everything into boxes and called it a day! But don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to make sure you can unpack smoothly – and only one of them is hiring long-distance movers Brooklyn to pack you. But in case you decide to go for a DIY move, here’s what you should know about the art of successful unpacking.

Successful unpacking means knowing where the essentials are

So you’ve just moved into your new place and put the last moving box down. Imagine you suddenly need some minor yet necessary thing, like toilet paper. No one wants to realize they’re out of toilet paper when they need it, right? But thankfully, you did bring some along. But…where is it? Is it in the bathroom boxes? Is it elsewhere? You don’t know. And, in order to unpack successfully, you should. You should pack your essentials, your necessities, the things it would be incredibly inconvenient to be without, in a box labeled as such. That way, you can open one box and have everything you need immediately on arrival. That can be toilet paper, yes, but it can also be a comfy blanket, a change of clothes, or maybe coffee for the addicts among us.

What is an essentials box? How do you pack it?

What counts as an essential? Just imagine what would suddenly be really inconvenient to be without. What goes in a moving day essentials box and what to pack in your essentials bag for a long-distance relocation are questions you should think about before the moving day. The art of successful unpacking lies in the organization – do you know what you’re going to do immediately on arrival? You should. Plus, hopefully, you’ve decluttered before the move so your boxes have only the things you genuinely want – and here are some guidelines and items you may find helpful.

Add “emergency bag” to your to-do list

For a successful moving process, having your to-do list is essential – when you have all the tasks written down, you can easily plan, track your progress, and prioritize as you go. As the essential items are definitely a top priority, you should write down the essentials box as a part of your moving checklist.

Cleaning supplies

Once you arrive at your new home, it will likely be cleaned already by either the previous owner or taken care of by the property manager but you will still want to make sure it’s nice and tidy for you to move in and be 100% sure that each surface is properly cleaned. And since you’re going to clean your new place upon moving in, your essentials box should have some basic cleaning supplies. Of course, you can skip this step in case you plan on hiring professional cleaning services to take care of your home.

Toiletries

You’ll need toilet paper and hand soap for sure but you’ll also need to pack some other basic toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and anything else you use on daily basis.

Medications

Your essential box should also have some painkillers and basic medications, just in case. In case you’re using any prescribed medication, they should be the first to go into the essentials box.

Clothing

A fresh change of clothing and a towel for everyone in your family – to tide you over until you unpack everything else.

Coffee

If you’re like most people on the planet, you probably need some coffee to keep you going, especially after a long moving day. A coffee maker should go into your essentials bag and so should coffee. No one wants the java jitters mid unpacking.

Utensils

Besides having coffee, you’ll also need to have a bite to eat so you definitely need a set per person – that includes a cup, a fork, a knife, a spoon, and a plate. You sure don’t want to have the first meal at your new home eating with your hands. Also, the important question is − how will you feed yourself? You either need to know you’re ordering takeout – and budget for it – or have a quickly made food item with you. Like, for example, pasta. However, if you have a grocery store near your new place, just go in and raid it. Or you can look at websites like Uber Eats or just look up takeout near you.

Cutters

Once you move in and have a huge pile of boxes all over your new house, you’ll want to start unpacking as soon as possible. Make unpacking easier and pack some cutters, scissors, or scalpels – plan ahead how you’ll open the other boxes!

First aid kit

An emergency kit is a must. After all, you’re going to be using sharp things for unpacking and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Pet items

Got a pet? If you are, for example, moving with pets long-distance, you mustn’t forget about their needs. You need to put pet food and pet dishes in your essentials box too so that your furry friend would be well taken care of during relocation. You can even pack a separate bag with their favorite toys, snacks, some comfort items, etc.

 

Get the kitchen in working order

And yes, that means working – doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be functional, so you can use it while you unpack everything else. But, with that in mind… Successful unpacking is an art, and art depends on the artist. In that vein, this is merely a suggestion – if you feel better straightening out every last detail, by all means, do so! But be aware of why you’re and how you’re doing it. Getting the kitchen ready will help you because you will have a kitchen to cook in – and that can make all the difference when you relocate! You won’t have to constantly dial expensive takeout because you’ll have a place to cook in.

The bathroom comes second in successful unpacking

This seems like a no-brainer, really. You need the bathroom for a lot of things, and getting it functional is a priority. Imagine really needing a shower, or really needing to use the toilet, with no toilet paper or shower curtain or towels or soap?! That sounds like a nightmare. Once again, the art of successful unpacking is prioritizing – just hanging up the shower curtain and bringing in the hand soap, toilet paper, and towels is enough to tide you over. You don’t need to worry about getting it lined up perfectly or anything, just making it usable until you’re done unpacking. The things you’ll need to use while unpacking should be the top priority when you’re unpacking. This way, you’ll have a working house while you’re working on your house.

What about specialty things?

There are some special things that might be difficult to unpack – because they’re difficult to pack. Things like pool tables or art – things that demand seasoned professionals. Especially art – though, if you’re working on unpacking, art shouldn’t come before the kitchen or the bathroom. However, there’s a reason art lovers search for seasoned art handling companies in NYC – because successful unpacking is difficult when it comes to art! You don’t want to dig around trying to remove your sculpture from its specialty crate and snap a bit off, right? And God forbid you to drop your priceless oil painting! Some items are just way too precious for you to risk damaging them so some things are best left to professionals − and there are no professionals that can match Dorothy & Martha Movers NYC.

If you’re wondering how much it would cost you to have professional Brooklyn movers handle every single aspect of your move, go ahead and contact Dorothy And Martha Moving. We’ll be more than happy to create a customized plan and provide complimentary moving quotes Brooklyn for your upcoming move.