Just moved house and surrounded by chaos? Here is the best way to unpack after moving to help you settle into your new home.
Moving house is super exciting but can also be really overwhelming when you're surrounded by boxes in your new home.
Unpacking after moving is going to take some time so don't expect it to be done in a couple days! How quickly you manage to unpack will depend on how big the house is, how busy you are and how many people are around to help you.
Here are the best tips on how to unpack after moving. We'll cover:
Before you start unpacking
Making your schedule
The basics of cleaning
Unpacking the kitchen
The bathroom(s)
The bedroom(s)
Sitting room
The rest of the house
Before you start unpacking
Get a notebook ready
Get a separate notebook to list any issues that arise or 'list of jobs to do'. You may find that when you unpack after moving, you notice various things which need fixing or certain items/furniture that you'd like to buy.
Take some photographs or a video if there are any issues, so you'll have documentation in case you need to rely on these for a dispute.
If there is anything wrong with the property, let your solicitor and the estate agent know as soon as possible. For example, if certain appliances were supposed to be left and have not been or if there is any damage etc.
Check safety first
This should be done on moving in day but if you haven't had a chance to do this yet, make sure your home is child and animal safe (if you have any pets). Some key things to check are:
- Electrical sockets covered
- No hanging blind cords
- Make sure doors will not slam on little fingers
- No holes or nails sticking out of the floors or walls
- Check windows have child safety locks
- No trip hazards
- Set up stair gates
- Put all cleaning fluids and medicines out of reach of children in wall cupboards
- Make sure kids can’t unlock the front door
- If the property has an alarm, make sure you know how to use it. The previous owner/estate agent may be able to help you with this, or the alarm company if you have already set up an account with them
Check utilities are working
On moving in day, take pictures of the meter reading (gas, electric and water) to give to your new utility companies. Before you unpack after moving, you should also check:
- All the lights are working – light bulbs, switches, fuses, sockets etc
- Check the water is on. If not, it might be turned off at the stop valve which could be located under the kitchen sink or even outside the property. It is important to know this as soon as you move in, so make sure you ask the previous owner beforehand where this is !
- Locate the electrical fuse box(es) and gas turn off point
- Check the boiler is working and is on a suitable timer
- Check the toilets are flushing correctly and that there are no issues with the drains. Run the water to see if it's draining from the sinks quickly
Make sure you have a bathroom ready
Clean the bathroom quickly first. Pour bleach down the toilet and let it stay in the toilet bowl for a while before flushing. Clean around the bowl, seat etc. with cleaning fluid and then with disinfectant. Remember, do not mix the two products together ! Dry the seat after cleaning it and then go over again with disinfectant.
Make sure at least one bathroom has toilet roll, soap and a towel.
Get the beds made
Sleeping is a priority, so make sure your sleeping areas are sorted. Put on clean bed sheets so everyone has somewhere to sleep.
Making your schedule
Make a schedule at the beginning of which rooms you're going to unpack each day, so you have something to keep you on track rather than waking up each day with no plan.
Remember to prioritise ! Put the rooms that you will use the most on your schedule first. Any rooms that you're not going to use straight away, you can put at the bottom of your list.
Usually it's best to prioritise the following rooms:
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Any office space you need for WfH
Hopefully, you'll be in a situation where all the relevant boxes and furniture have been placed in the correct rooms and all the boxes are labelled, so you have an idea of what's in each box. Now you can get to it...
Know the basics of cleaning when you unpack after moving
Before you start putting items away, make sure that each room is clean. Here are some basic cleaning supplies and principles you should follow:
Cleaning supplies
Cleaning principles
- Start at the top of the room and work downwards
- Use a feather duster to clean cobwebs and dust ceilings and corners. Pay particular attention to alarm movement detectors which should be free from dust, cobwebs and spiders
- Shake heavy curtains/blinds if they are very dusty. They may need to be taken down and cleaned but this is something that can be done in the future – it is not the priority
- Clean window sills, any paint work, and around the doors etc.
- Wipe round skirting boards with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt and wipe dry with a towel.
- Clean any surface, cupboards, drawers etc but do these after the ceiling area.
- Once all the boxes have been removed and the floor is clear, then brush, hoover and mop the floor area
- Now you're ready to start putting things away
Top tip: Flat pack the boxes as you go as this will immediately reduce the clutter and save space. You also usually have to flat pack the boxes for the removal company to come back and collect them or for recycling purposes.
Unpacking the Kitchen
Unpacking the kitchen is usually the toughest job and the most time consuming!
Fridge/freezer
You may need to clean inside the fridge/freezer. Don't let food deteriorate or perish if it needs to be kept in a fridge or freezer, so put these away as soon as you can.
Cupboards/drawers
Start by cleaning down the work surfaces and one of two cupboards/drawers. Once you have done this, unpack a few items first to get going.
Unpack the kettle, toaster, cutlery, cups/mugs/plates and put away in cupboards /drawers.
Think about your daily routine and what you do in the kitchen each morning, so you can decide where is best to put your items.
Place the kettle near the sink for water and near cupboards so that you can retrieve cups/mugs and place teaspoons in a drawer nearby. Have one cupboard to hold the tea, coffee, sugar biscuits.
Try and organise things so you avoid having to go from one end of the kitchen to the other for different ingredients/utensils just to make a tea or coffee. Place the toaster near where you have a bread bin or keep bread etc.
Hob/Oven
The hob and oven may also need to be cleaned, but it's best to get cleaning products specifically for these appliances as it will make the job easier, or you can use a professional cleaning company.
However, cleaning the oven can be very time consuming, so if it is not a priority for you then leave it and move on to unpacking more boxes, as you'll see progress much quicker. You don't want to spend an hour cleaning the oven and still be surrounded by boxes !
Once you have cleaned the kitchen as best you can, open the boxes in order and start arranging things.
Take breaks/protect your back!
Take a break every 30 minutes or so, as it's very exhausting standing and bending down to take items from boxes.
Top Tip: Elevate boxes by putting them on a chair so that you are not having to bend down each time you take something from the box.
Unpacking the Bathroom(s)
Limescale is usually one of the biggest problems in a bathroom along with mould. There are special products to tackle these issues. However, when you unpack after moving, it is best to clean the bathroom as best you can using a suitable cleaner and disinfectant.
Remember, whichever products you use, read the instructions, keep away from children and do not mix cleaning products together !
Have some sink unblock solution ready for the sink/bath/shower drains as this can be really dirty and filled with hair. This usually requires pouring a solution down the drain and leaving it for some time to work.
Once your bathroom is clean, you have the nice task of placing clean, fresh towels, bath mats and all your toiletries where you'd like them to go. Again think about your routine in the bathroom and what you will need.
Open the windows to ventilate the bathroom, otherwise mould can develop if there is poor air circulation and it's very damp. If there is an extractor fan in this room it may need to be cleaned thoroughly. However, this can wait until a later date.
Unpacking the Bedroom(s)
Clean out the wardrobes with soapy water and dry thoroughly before placing any clothes in there.
Put items away in the wardrobes on hangers. Invest in some moth repellent products to keep clothes protected or put woollen jumpers away in plastic bags for protection.
You can buy lots of different products for organising items in your wardrobe and maximising the space as best as you can. Scented drawer liners are also great to keep everything smelling nice.
If you are pushed for time you can always quickly just unpack the clothes and put them in the wardrobe without organising. Organising can be done at a later stage, as it can be time consuming and it's best to unpack as much as possible first.
Hoover or mop the floor and put down any rugs that you have once you have cleared all the boxes in the room.
Kid’s bedroom
The priority is to get the bed/cot made up and have some access to clothes and space to move around.
Children will want their toys, so reassure them that their favourite items are around them. It's also worth encouraging them to get involved in the process of putting their items away.
Unpacking the sitting room
Usually the television, internet and cable or Satellite TV will be the priority in this room.
Hopefully, you will have agreed with your service provider before the move to arrange for these services to be available.
Photograph the back of the TV and electrics before you move and then you will know where all the cables go, so it should be a straight forward process to get the TV up and running.
The large pieces of furniture (sofas, chairs, tables etc) should already be in this room. However, they may need assembling if the removals men have not done this.
Usually the sitting area is quite straight forward to arrange as there are not so many boxes to unpack for this room.
Unpacking the rest of the house
Work your way through room by room following your schedule. After cleaning each area as best you can (see above), you may have some furniture to arrange or electronics to connect etc.
The priority for the first day or so it to have somewhere to eat, sleep and wash, so the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom are the priority. If you cannot get these three areas done in one day, then try to get a little bit done in each room to make it functional.
You will gradually feel more settled and see the progress as the days and weeks go by. It can sometimes take up to a month to start feeling settled in your new home so remember to pace yourself and be patient 🙂
And that's all !
This post was all about how to choose the best way to unpack after moving.
If you found this helpful, you can view our upcoming content on our coming soon page to see what's next !
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