No matter how many times you do it or how organised you try to be, the process of moving rarely ends up being as simple an exercise as you had originally expected. As discussed in this blog last week, I thought I would try to help those of you about to relocate homes by sharing some insights gained from friends of mine who have recently moved properties.
While last week the focus was on the packing up process, this week I thought we could look at how a move can be made simpler once you have arrived at your new address and are unpacking and resetting your life.
Clean prior to arriving and unpacking
Starting with a clean space should make your move-in easier in the long run. Once furniture is in place it becomes much harder to vacuum the floor and wipe-down surfaces such as window sills. While you will no doubt need to do more cleaning once your furniture has been moved in – clearing away dust and grime etc – having a fresh space to begin with is ideal.
Make it a priority to connect phones, electricity and the like
People may not realise that it can take time for some of the services in your new home, such as telephones, internet, electricity etc, to be reconnected; as my friends found out, it's not always simply a matter of phoning up and having an instantaneous activation. Try to plan your reconnections in advance to avoid inconvenient situations when you first move in.
Unpack stage by stage
While it can be tempting to unpack a box here and there as items are needed in various rooms of your new property, according to my friends, the most efficient and least time consuming way to unpack was to approach it room by room. The important and most necessary rooms should be unpacked first, such as the kitchen, main bedrooms and bathroom, with the less crucial rooms coming afterwards.
Clean as you go
The entire unpacking process can take some time and many people find that they are living amidst a sea of boxes and mess for a little while after a move. Clutter can often prove to be somewhat overwhelming, but if you can set some time aside to clean away mess (such as packing materials) as you go, the remaining boxes to be unpacked should feel less burdensome.
It is my hope that those of you about to move will benefit from the tips shared above, which have come from people who have recently experienced the drama that relocating can often entail. To me, the key message that stands out is that if you are prepared and work methodically, your unpacking process can potentially be much more smooth and efficient – allowing you to settle into and enjoy your new home sooner.