How to Unpack After Moving

Moving house can be an exciting time with so much to sort out and organise. However, once the chaos calms down and you’re settled in your new home, you’re then left with the monumental task of unpacking all your worldly possessions. This can be a daunting task for anyone and it can be difficult to know where to begin.

Here at Simon Long Removals, we’re a dab hand at unpacking and have helped numerous families across the Norfolk region to move over the years. With this in mind, we’ve written this comprehensive guide to everything you need to know, so that you can quickly make a house a home.

Take a breath

Looking at the mounds of boxes you need to unpack can be overwhelming, so grab a cuppa and take a deep breath. Make a realistic plan and remember to work at your own pace — not everything needs to be unpacked in one go.

Sort the boxes by room 

To make sure you’re not faced with a large pile of boxes, it’s a good idea to sort your boxes by room and place them in their designated area. This minimises mess, streamlines the unpacking process and means that you can focus on setting up one space at a time to help you feel less daunted. You can also make your life much easier at the packing stage by ensuring that all boxes are correctly labelled; this simplifies the process of sorting them by room.

Start with the essentials

When packing up your old home, you should always designate a box of essentials that contains everything you need to get by for a couple of nights. This can include important paperwork, medication, toiletries, phone chargers, a few changes of clothes and basic kitchen equipment. By unpacking this box first, you don’t have to worry about hunting through multiple boxes for essential items. This also reduces pressure as you can unpack at your own pace once the necessities have been dealt with.

Unpack room by room in a logical order

It’s important to work in a logical order and start with the rooms you’ll need the most. It’s a good idea to set up the kitchen first and unpack any major appliances — that way you have a space to cook and enjoy home-cooked meals. Moving can be exhausting, so make sure to get the bedrooms unpacked next so that you can simply roll into bed at the end of a tiring day. 

Once these essential rooms are sorted, you’re free to unpack all other shared spaces, prioritising the ones you’ll use the most. Make sure to get larger objects and furniture sorted first, and then you’re free to organise the smaller items at your leisure later on.

Dispose of packing materials as you go

Your unwanted boxes and packing materials can clutter your new space and make it feel messier than it actually is. By breaking down boxes and disposing of old packing materials as you go, you can keep the area neat and tidy whilst also freeing up valuable space.

Add personal touches

Whether it’s family photos, artwork or sentimental knick-knacks, it’s the personal touches which make a house a home. Although this may not feel like an essential task, taking the time to unpack these items can help this foreign environment to feel more homey and encourage comfort and familiarity.

Consult your removal company 

When you employ the services of a trusted removal company like Simon Long Removals, you can receive advice from a professional with years of experience. Our team will help you handle the logistics of moving day and is always on hand to offer guidance on the most effective ways to unpack.

Here at Simon Long Removals, we’ve been helping homeowners across Thetford, King’s Lynn, Cambridge, Norfolk and beyond for over 20 years. Our BAR-accredited experts are here to take the stress out of any moving day and help ensure you’re settled into your new home in no time — simply get in touch with us today.