How to Unpack After Moving House – Hints & Tips from Smartmove North East
Moving house is stressful enough and then when you finally have the keys you then have the daunting task of unpacking. We have put together some hints and tips of how to unpack after moving house which will enable you to enjoy your new home quickly and stress-free on your moving day and in the days and weeks after.
The key to a successful and stress-free move is planning and preparation and if you are organised with your packing then unpacking will be so much easier.
Hints & Tips for Packing when Moving House
Declutter so you only move the belongings that you actually want to have in your new home
Source some good quality boxes with lids that can be taped shut. A good removal company will be able to supply you with these
Pack boxes by room, packing the heavier items at the bottom and lighter items at the top. Spread the weight of heavier items between your boxes, use smaller items to fill the gaps and bedding and furnishings to wrap fragile items
Don’t overfill the boxes so they are bulging or too heavy to lift
Use a permanent marker pen to clearly label your boxes
Label your boxes by room with an overview of what’s in them so when you get to your new home you can easily find what you need and can prioritise which boxes you unpack first
Number your bedrooms and bathrooms (upstairs/downstairs) and, or, put your family’s names on the boxes so your removal team know which bedroom to put each box when they unload
Wrap any fragile items in bubble wrap, again good removal companies will be able to provide this for you
Seal your boxes securely with good quality tape and always do it on the top and bottom of every box
Tape remote controls to the back of your TV’s
Pack a moving day survival box which you can go to as soon as you get your keys to your new home. Include things that will get you through the day and pack it into your car so you have it when you first get the keys to your new home. This might include toiletries you might need, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, pyjamas, towels, tea towels, phone chargers, bottles of water, snacks, things to keep the children occupied, mugs, the number of plates and knives and forks you need for your first day, kettle, tea and coffee and cleaning products that you will need when you first get into your new home
How to Unpack After Moving House
When your boxes have been unloaded by your removal company into the rooms you have labelled them to go in, take some time for a breather. Take your moving day survival box out from your car so you have everything you need to hand. Walk around your new home with your family to take in each room and get excited about the next stage in your life. Talk to the kids about their rooms and where they might want to put things, decide on the layout of your lounge and get some fresh air and walk around your new garden.
The next stage is the most important one, boil your kettle, make yourself a hot drink and sit and think about what you need in the next 24 hours so you can prioritise your unpacking.
Hopefully, the person you have brought from has left it in a good and clean state or if you are renting a property it has been thoroughly cleaned before you get the keys. This isn’t always the case and you may be the sort of person that wants to clean it again anyway before you start to unpack. Start room by room and dust, wipe and hoover what you need to including inside your kitchen cupboards.
The first rooms you should start unpacking are your bathroom and kitchen as your lounge will have your sofa in and your bedrooms should have your beds in so you know you can relax when you’ve had enough and go to bed when you need to. If your beds have been dismantled and you haven’t paid your removal company to re-assemble them then this should take priority over anything else and this way you know you can get the kids to bed when you need to and collapse in your bed when you’ve had enough.
Take time to walk around your kitchen and look at your cupboards so you can plan where you want your kitchen items to go so it is workable for you and then you can start to unpack.
Do the same with your bathroom and toilet as they are probably the quickest to unpack.
When you have unpacked your kitchen and bathroom then its always a good idea to start on your children’s rooms and this way they will start to settle in their new room and home and get used to their new surroundings. If they are older then they can help with this.
If you have used a good removal company then they are likely to have provided you with cardboard cupboards to transport your hanging clothes in so this means that they can sit in your bedrooms for the next few days until you have time to unpack them and you can still find the clothes you need when you need them.
Next, prioritise which room you are going to focus on and when, as unpacking room by room will ensure you feel you are accomplishing something and not living surrounded in boxes for weeks or months on end. Your packing preparation by room will really play an important part now and make your unpacking and settling in easy and stress-free, as well as making it a lot quicker.
Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself and feel you have to unpack everything in 24-hours. Take your time as you sometimes need to live in your new home for a couple of weeks before you start putting pictures up and ornaments out as it helps you decide where you actually want to place things.
Leave your garage and garden belongings until last as these are the least important when it comes to settling into your new home.
Good and reputable removal companies will offer a full packing, dismantling and re-assembling service if you want it and some will also offer a full unpacking service so always ask for a quote for this when you are deciding on which removal company you want to use. The full packing, dismantling and reassembling service is brilliant and will make the weeks and days leading up to your move as well as your move day less stressful, leaving you to carry on with you everyday lives as you need to. If you have ever used the full packing service you won’t ever pack yourself again if you have the budget for it, and it doesn’t cost as much as you think.
What should you do with your empty boxes when you have finished unpacking?
If your removal company supplied you with your boxes then fold them down as you unpack them and let them know when you are ready for them to be collected or take them back to them. A good removal company won’t expect for the boxes to be ready to go back to them for a few weeks but you should always agree this when you are booking them for your move.
If you have brought your packing boxes then advertise them for sale as there is always someone moving locally
Offer them for free on free local selling sites
Ask friends or neighbours if they want them
Offer them to your local charity’s
Your last option is to take them to your local recycling centre
If you still have full boxes left after 3-4 months of moving then the likelihood is you don’t need the contents so empty them and decide if you’re going to sell the items, offer them for free on free local selling sites, offer them to charities or take them to your local recycling centre.
About Smartmove North East
We are a local removal and self-storage company and have over 10-years experience of moving families and business in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the North East.
We offer a wide range of services, the highest quality services, vehicles and teams that will make your move hassle and stress-free.
Our experienced removal teams will quickly and efficiently pack, load and unload your belongings enabling you to enjoy your new home as soon as you get there.
Our experienced Business Move team have the know-how and experience to move your business quickly and efficiently with no impact on your operational running.
As one of the most reputable and larger removal company’s in the North East we have a range of services and vehicles to suit your moving needs and budget, guaranteeing you won’t be let down on the day which is a possibility if you use a smaller company or man with a van which doesn’t have a back-up team if someone is unwell or their van or lorry breaks down.
We have a full team of removal experts with the flexibility to move our resources where they need to be.
We have a huge fleet of vehicles and removal teams to ensure your move goes well and we pride ourselves on providing the very best removal service in Newcastle and the North East.
Our customer reviews and testimonials show the high level of customer service we deliver each and every time.
We offer a free site survey to every customer to assess your belongings so we can match our service to your needs and budget and give you a no-obligation competitive quote.
Our free visits enable our trained surveyors to discuss your requirements and provide you with an in-depth breakdown of the services that we can provide.
If you follow our hints and tips for, How to Unpack After Moving House then you will be unpacked and settled in no time, it will be stress-free and you will be able to quickly enjoy your new home.
Martyn works for Smartmove Northeast as a marketing specialist. He takes great pride in creating quality content for people looking for a removal company in Newcastle.
Martyn works for Smartmove Northeast as a marketing specialist. He takes great pride in creating quality content for people looking for a removal company in Newcastle.
