Sure, the process of moving is a pain – but the disorganization of unpacking can be even worse!
To achieve peace of mind and a beautiful home, we recommend some early organization both in staging boxes and unpacking your belongings. By following our five tips below, you’ll soon find yourself in a serene, organized, and clutter-free space.
Bring Out the Cleaning Essentials First
Organization begins with a clean slate, and cleaning is a great place to begin after any move! You should have prepared a bag or tote with easily accessible cleaning supplies when you were packing to move. Now’s the time to pull those supplies out and make sure everything is neat and tidy before you start unpacking the rest of your belongings.
Mop that floor, wipe out those cabinets, clean the showers and bathtubs, and vacuum all the carpeted closets. Do what you need to get rid of dust and grime and make your new home truly yours.
Decide on Cabinets & Closets
Once everything is clean and ready to welcome your stuff, it’s time to decide where that stuff goes! It’s especially important when you’re deciding on storage space. You should designate cabinets and closets for specific purposes before you start unpacking your first box. Not only will this help you stage your boxes as the movers carry everything into your new home, but you’ll also find yourself unpacking in an easy and organized manner.
Decide where cleaning supplies go, then your spices and dried goods. Designate a utensils drawer. Point out the linen closet. Determine where all your crafting supplies and sporting equipment are going to live. Decide on a place for everything and then start putting everything in its place.
Install Organizational Systems
Before you fill your closets is the best time to install organizational systems, of course. Have you ever gotten excited about shopping at the Container Store? Now you have a perfect excuse! Get all those boxes, bins, shoe racks, purse organizers, and other specialized shelving units you’ve been craving. (They have tons of stuff for kitchens and garages, too!)
Moving into a new home is the perfect time to put together that Instagram-worthy closet you’ve always wanted, so why not go for it?
Declutter as You Go
Ideally, decluttering happened before your move and doesn’t need to happen after it – but that’s not always the case. When you’re unpacking, be honest about what you have room for and what you don’t. If something doesn’t fit your space and you have no room in storage, it’s time to let it go.
The best part about decluttering when you’re unpacking is that it’s easy to set aside a designated box for this purpose. You can even have a few – one for the trash, one for donations, and maybe even one to sell. It’s always fun to make a few bucks off of possessions you don’t need anymore.
Keep Electronics Tidy
Our final tip in keeping everything organized when you’re unpacking can help eliminate future frustration: keep the wires for your electronics neat and tidy as you set everything up in your new home.
The modern home truly has a ridiculous number of wires everywhere – from TVs, entertainment systems like XBoxes and Playstations, surround sound systems, computers, and more. When you have the chance to set everything up fresh, take advantage and use zip ties or other cable organizers (like specialized boxes) to keep everything cleanly bundled together. It’s also a great time to lay floor cord covers down under carpeting or along the edges of a room when wires need to be run across a space.
Following these tips should help you toward an organized and tidy home! And if you need help in keeping your move before that organized and tidy as well, don’t hesitate to give Delicate Moving a call.