So you've managed to pack up your household and relocate everything to your new place. Success! Enjoy that sigh of relief after the moving truck pulls up the driveway. But you aren't out of the woods yet. There's just that one last step: unpacking. For so many families the time it takes to unpack post-move seems like an eternity. Well, not if you hire professional unpacking services of course! According to a recent survey conducted in the USA, it takes Americans a shocking 180 days on average to unpack after relocating. One family had a huge book collection and it took them 6 years to unpack everything after settling in their new home. Talk about procrastination. Here is what we have learned from such tales.
What you should do before the move in order to reduce the time it takes to unpack post-move
- Label your boxes. It’s much easier to unpack when you know what’s in the box before you start implementing our unpacking system.
- Keep like items together. When you’re just trying to get the move out of your way, laziness can be tempting. Don’t throw things in boxes without paying any mind. Getting unpacked is far less tiring when you don’t have to rummage through boxes.
- Throw out unnecessary items. The less you have to unpack, the better. Don’t waste time and money hauling items you don’t use or you had forgotten you owned. Declutter your home instead, especially if you are moving into a smaller apartment. Free up your time and space for the things that really matter.
- Keep the essentials near you. Pack a bag with the items you know you’ll need right after you move in: chargers, toothbrush and toothpaste, medications, important documents, pyjamas... Don’t shuffle nervously through boxes searching for these things when you are tired after a long day of moving obligations.
Things you can do during the move in order to reduce the time it takes to unpack post-move
If you meticulously label boxes than use those labels! Don’t just throw all the boxes together in one messy pile in the hallway. Yes, we understand that it’s much quicker to simply put a box anywhere and rush back to the truck for the next one. Especially if this was a last minute move. However, this will just slow down the unpacking process since you’ll just have to move every single one of those boxes all over again. Instead of spending a significant amount of time carefully avoiding that mountain of boxes, take the time to carry each box to the corresponding room on moving day. If you’re hiring movers, they will gladly do the same.What you should do after the move to help reduce the time it takes to unpack post-move
- Fight the urge to procrastinate. We know that this is easier said than done. But in our own experience, we have found that people either unpack within the first week after moving in, or they live between the boxes for months. Tackle the task right away, it’s the quickest way to reduce the time it takes to unpack post-move.
- Recycle (or store) boxes as soon as you empty them. Unpacking is overwhelming, but if you have visual signs of progress like systematically removing boxes after you unpack them, this can keep morale up. You will also have so much more space to get around.