Unpacking

Get settled into your new home with an organized plan for unpacking your household goods. Decide which items you will need immediately and unpack your things accordingly. Plan to leverage your moving storage to keep your non-essentials. And keep in mind that you don’t have to unpack everything in one day — or even in one week — so plan and unpack at your own pace.

The Inventory List
Be sure to have a copy of your Home Inventory Worksheet or the one that the movers may provide as part of your moving and packing prep.

Utility Check
Make sure the electricity has been switched on. Place and plug in all major appliances, in particular the fridge and freezer, so they’ll be ready to use when you need them.

The Vacuum
Make it the last thing you pack into the truck, because it’s the first thing you’ll use at your new place.

The Essentials Box
This should be one of the first boxes off the truck or something you moved with you in your car. It should contain everything you need for the first couple of nights. You might also want to have some of these items with you personally, just in case your movers don’t arrive until later:

Placing Boxes
When unloading, refer to your inventory list and place all the boxes into the appropriate rooms. This will save you from having to move boxes again or frantically searching room by room for stuff. If you are using a moving company, you can direct activity from the entry door with a well prepared inventory list and properly labeled boxes. Also, tape room names to the doorways of each room in your new home that match the naming system you used on the boxes. This will provide the movers additional help with placing your stuff in the correct room.

Unpack the Kitchen
If you have time, line the cabinets and pantry shelves first. If you don’t have time, unpack only what you need, including pots and pans, and plan to line shelves before stocking them with the rest. Get the major appliances hooked up and any small appliances that will make your life a little easier, like the coffee pot and toaster.

Bed and Bathroom
Put the beds together and unpack the linens for each bedroom. The last thing you want to be doing at the end of an exhausting moving day is searching for linens in order to get a well-deserved good night’s rest. Then unpack the bathroom. Again, focus on unpacking the things that are important, such as medication (which should be in your essentials box), the shower curtain and towels.

The Garage
Since most garage items aren’t essential immediately, take some time to organize the space before you start to unpack. Get the tools you need to keep the space functional, such as extra shelving, storage boxes and special bins. Utilize your self-storage space to keep your garage clear for vehicles, not full of excess boxes.

The Patio
These items can be unpacked and set up at your own leisure. If moving in the summer, plan to keep your other winter related items in storage, and vice versa.