The First 9 Things You Should Do When Unpacking
When moving house or flat, often people tend to focus on the pre-move prep. They focus on packing, booking the removal service and timing the move. What often gets neglected is the planning of the final unpack at the other end. You will only moving into your new house just the once. You will only need to unpack all those boxes, put up all those shelves and reconstruct all that furniture once. Why not make sure you get the right things done at the right time to make your move as smooth as possible? Make the most of opportunity to start afresh and unpack in an organised and calm environment. Here's a few ideas that might help make this process just a little easier.1 Find the List.If you've made a list of all items, from boxes to furniture, then bring it out. Ensure all is present and assign items and boxes to their rooms. Pile them in the centre of the room or against the wall close to the door so that you have easy access to the rest of the room as you lay it out.2 Have a good look at each room. Chances are, you'll have already planned how you want to position furniture in each of the rooms before you actually move in, but just a moment now. Look at the space of each room and think about where the light is coming from. Where's the window? The ceiling fixture? If you want more light, where are the power sockets? How is the flow of air in this room? How thin are the walls and what rooms are next door. Will there be sound leakage? Take a few moments to rethink and consider these aspects as you lay out the room. You may confirm your previous ideas or you may have new opinions.3 Bring out the box of essentials.When moving, you will have needed to pack a box or suitcase of essentials as the last thing into the moving van. This will have clothing, toiletries, toilet roll and other essentials to get you through the first few days as you unpack and settle.4 Unpack the Kitchen,It's a good idea to unpack the rooms in order of importance and necessity. Getting the kitchen unpacked will allow food and drink to take place, which will become essential when you've got a grumpy teenager and a hungry five year old who haven't eaten in 12 hours after a day of moving! Hook up all the utilities and unpack the cupboards and shelves.5 Unpack the bedroomsAt the minimum, get the beds up with mattresses, bed sheets and duvets. You'll be needing to sleep no matter what, so photo frames and rugs can perhaps wait until that's up and running!6 Unpack the bathroom.Once again, start with the essentials of soap, toothpaste, shower curtains and towels. Make a note of any new rails or hooks you might need to put up if you haven't already.7 Unpack any other rooms and make a list.Be this study, play room, garage or attic. Get out the larger items at this point, plug in lights and machines and check that all sockets are working. Make a list of anything that needs fixing or buying, like hooks, fuses, paint, nails or tools. After a quick trip to the DIY store you can begin fixing these little issues according to importance.8 Unpack the small objects.Now's the time to get the nitty gritty bits and bobs out and in place. Take your time, don't rush. Enjoy the experience of seeing your new world come to life around you. Allow family members to take charge of their own boxes and rooms.9 Enjoy your house!Give yourself and others time to enjoy and explore the space. Move things around and try setting things up in new and exciting ways. Take a step back, congratulate yourselves on your hard work and have a cup of tea!