A guide to post-move unpacking

After hours spent on the road and carrying boxes, you find yourself standing in your new Toronto apartment. And as it is, you are looking at countless boxes and furniture, all just piled up. By now you might feel exhausted or excited. And we are here to tell you that the hardest part is done – the last step left is unpacking. So in case you’re lost in where to start, here is a short tutorial to get you through the process.

Tips and tricks on how to plan out and conduct your unpacking

Hopefully, you followed our previous advice and the pile of boxes in front of you is neatly packed and marked. And as long as this is the case, unpacking will be a piece of cake. But even if you forgot, no need to worry. It might take a bit longer but you’ll get there. So how about we get started one step at a time.

First question – how long will it take?

The reason we ask this first is that it is most likely your main concern. After all, you just moved to this great new city and are looking to go out and explore it as soon as possible. This is why you need to determine the best method to go about unpacking. You need to consider two important factors – the amount of stuff there is to unpack and whether there is anyone to help you. Once you establish this, you’ll be able to settle on one of the following:

• Professional help – in case your new home is an empty house and you have a whole lot of furniture, appliances and other things, you might consider simply paying the moving company you hired extra and having them unload and set up most of the things for you. However, this is a step which depends on the budget you have set aside for the move.
• Assistance by friends/family – this would be the case when you are moving with someone – be that family, significant other or simply a friend or two. And if that’s the deal, everyone needs to put in the work. However, you need to take charge and organize the unpacking process so that everything functions smoothly. As long as that is done, the entire process will be complete in no time.
• Self-unpacking – in cases where you’ve moved alone, this would probably be the best choice. It is highly unlikely that you have that much of stuff, and you would have all the time in the world to unpack at your own pace and convenience.

As long as you take time to consider and plan everything out, either of these will work for you. After all, the goal here is to make it easier for you, so onward to the next threshold.

Second question – where do I start with my unpacking?

All those boxes in front of you might look like a whole lot of work, but trust us, when you get down to it, it’ll be a breeze. First step you need to take is to separate the boxes in accordance with the designated rooms. This way you’ll have space to move around the place even if you don’t unpack everything on the same day. Remember that you are unpacking and decorating at the same time, so consider the fun to be had there. Once all the boxes have been allocated and organized, time to unpack the necessities:

1. Cleaning supplies. No matter how new the apartment, you still need to go through the cleaning process before all else. And consider that unpacking will also make a mess; you should definitely have the cleaning equipment at hand.
2. Day-to-day essentials. Whether you decide to unpack in a day or a week, the primary commodities to secure should be sleeping arrangements and personal hygiene.

The kitchen takes precedent

Unpacking involves spending a lot of energy. As such, it is important to have a way to re-charge, and other than sleeping, you will need food. And this is why the kitchen comes first when unpacking.
To begin with, unpack and connect all the large appliances (oven, fridge, freezer, dish-washer etc.). Next step is organizing and filling out all the cupboards and shelves so that you know where everything is and goes. Bear in mind that smaller appliances which you do not use on a daily basis can wait. All you need is to make sure that you can have that morning coffee and make that most important meal of the day.

Washing up in an unpacked bathroom comes next

People usually underestimate the bathroom when it comes to unpacking. Given that it is mostly set up, most people think little on the things needed for it. However, there are still things to consider here. Personal hygiene drawers and medicine cabinet are a must, not to mention that the bathroom should be cleaned thoroughly since you’ll need that long relaxing bath after a day of unpacking.

Setting up the bedroom for that well-earned rest

As previously mentioned, one of the first things to unpack would be the necessities for sleeping. A mattress, pillow and blanket and you’re all set. However, after taking care of the kitchen and bathroom, time to get that big soft bed all set up. And while you’re doing that, you can also go about filling out all those closets with the boxes of wardrobe that are just sitting there and waiting.

Putting together the living room as the crowning jewel

This will probably be the most relaxing and fun step, given that the living room needs the most decorating and a minimal amount of simply unpacking. So grab a cold one out of the fridge, take a look around the room and visualize how the final product should look. Then you can go into slowly realizing the image you had in your mind. Furniture and appliances first, decorative items and memorabilia come after.
This should about cover 80% of your unpacking process. Once these key areas have been set up, everything else can be done slowly and without stress. So you can kick back, relax and start planning a house-warming party!