Congratulations! You’ve successfully moved into a new home, and you’re so close to the finish line, but there are still things that need to be done.
Now that the boxes are in, it’s time to get clean and organized. Moves are usually very overwhelming, and let’s be honest — messy. Scenes where freshly moved couples live among piles of boxes for days and even weeks typically don’t just stay on the movie screens, and anyone who’s ever moved is probably painfully familiar with it.
And hey, who can blame them — moving is a tremendous process that can quickly become very stressful if you’re not careful.
After you’ve rested for a day or two, start reorganizing and cleaning little by little every day.
By following these tips, you’ll get settled into your new home in no time and keep it feeling new forever.
Clean Your New Home
Deep cleaning your entire house before the move is essential, even if the house seems very clean at first. This way, you will get rid of any dirt or grime from previous owners, and give yourself a fresh start, too.
The best time to clean is before you move or before you unpack all of your boxes. Once everything is thoroughly cleaned, you can start organizing and arranging your furniture and other belongings.
Use the time you have before unpacking to clean the dirty carpet while your furniture is still on its way to your new home. Vacuum, mop the floors, sanitize the bathroom, and don’t forget to clean all the nooks and crannies like drawers, cabinets, and baseboards that will be hard to reach once you’re all moved in.
If you find it too overwhelming to do all of it in the midst of moving, consider hiring professional cleaners to help you out. It is a one-time expense, and it will help you immensely.
Once you start unpacking, try to stay as organized and tidy as possible.
Unpack Strategically
Remember, organizing starts before you move, and stress-free unpacking starts with smart packing and decluttering. It is estimated that one in four Americans have issues with collecting unnecessary stuff in their homes. I’d say it’s an optimistic estimation, as I’m sure everyone has at least one drawer or even a whole cupboard or closet full of unnecessary things.
Before you even start packing, get rid of everything you don’t need. You can stick to the rule of thumb and donate, gift, or sell everything you haven’t used for six months and that you don’t think you’ll use in another six months, either.
Once you move in, get the biggest things in place first, like rugs and furniture. Then, put together bedroom furniture and work your way down to smaller items.
Make sure to unpack the necessities first. Stuff like bedding, towels, kitchen supplies, bathroom essentials, and some wardrobe items should be packed separately, so you know exactly what you’re supposed to unpack first.
Unwrap and find a home for your items first before moving on to a new box. Unpacking a million boxes and leaving stuff lying all over the place will get overwhelming and very stressful.
A best practice is to unpack one room at a time and put the boxes in their designated space at the beginning.
Try to get organized and settled as quickly as possible so you don’t have it looming over your head and you can get to enjoying your new home more quickly.
If you can, take a whole weekend or a day off work to get it done. If you can’t get it done that fast, give yourself a schedule and timeline to get it done (example: “I will be fully unpacked in two weeks!”) and stick to that timeline. As long as you are still not moved in and unpacked, you will feel overwhelmed.
Don’t Let Clutter Pile-Up
As odd as it sounds, it can be useful to have a junk drawer or closet. But I don’t mean that junk drawer or cabinet full of rubbish and unnecessary stuff. Rather, a place for items that don’t have a home, but are necessary.
Ideally, you’d have a spot for everything, but things will inevitably pile up on your kitchen island, coffee table, and hallway cabinet. It takes only a couple of days for random stuff to clutter, so try to stay diligent. Keep in mind that five minutes a day will most likely spare you some headaches in the future when you need to declutter again.
The drawers and closets are probably set up differently than they were in your last home. Try to use most of the drawer dividers, silverware organizational tools, cubbies, and partitions to help you stay organized.
Consider mapping out all the drawers and cabinets and organize things by room, size, and how often you use them. Make things you use every day accessible. It will also make it easy for you to put it back in its place once you’ve finished using it.
After you’ve done all this, put together a cleaning schedule and stick to it! For example: clean every Sunday. Doing this will keep you feeling clean and organized for the long run.
Making a list of all the chores that need to be done and how often helps a lot as well. Usually, we aren’t even aware of all the places that need our attention and cleaning until we start doing it. There are plenty of lists that you can find online and download for free. You can stick them on your fridge or a hallway so you have a constant reminder.
After you’re all moved in and everything is cleaned and organized, make a bit of an effort to maintain it. When things pile up, you’re less likely to tackle them. It’s easy to clean and tidy up in small bits.
It’s easier to wash four plates and a couple of dishes than wait until the end of the week when you’ll dread even coming to the kitchen. Instead of passing by little messes around your house, pick them up as you go.
A new habit of keeping your home neat and clean will help you feel less stressed and more organized.
Settle Into Your New Home
There’s not a word to describe the feeling after you’ve moved, unpacked, and you’re finally enjoying your new home.
Moving is usually very overwhelming and potentially very stressful. Another way to make it easier is by hiring a moving company. Try making strategic choices when it comes to packing, declutter everything before the move, and follow your new cleaning schedule.
Remember what it took to declutter and clean everything when moving whenever you notice that you’re starting to slack off.
It should motivate you to keep your new home fresh and tidy, so you can focus your energy on preparing for that new job you took or roaming around the new city you’re in. Making a home out of a new city can take some time — here are a few things that can help you do it.
