So, I’ve packed like a simi-pro, & completed last September my big move home.
I now find myself still waist deep in a labyrinth of boxes and furniture. The job of unpacking has seem daunting, but I have put it off too long and it’s a job that must be done.
Where to Begin
When viewing the moving disorder, the normal urge is to put everything in its proper place as quickly as possible. However, nerves can be spared and good relations maintained if you keep two important points in mind:
You don’t have to unpack everything in one day or even one month.
Unpacking after moving can be a nightmare, so I am trying to make the process feel like the end of an enjoyable adventure now.
To start out, I considered the basic needs and most essential needs (food, rest and bathing) and then unpack accordingly. Additionally, the focus was on one room at a time to stay on course. Unpacking the Kitchen Once the kitchen was unpacked and set up enough to function, it can become a port where everyone could congregate and take a break from the jumble in the other rooms. I found I resisted the urge to unpack everything in the kitchen right away. Instead, I start with the essentials and left the less frequently used gear in boxes until I decide what would go where. Unpacking the Bathroom Next, tackle was the bathroom. Since I have only one bath per floor, I considered unpacking the main floor bathroom that was to be used as a communal bathroom. Otherwise, I waited to unpack the basement bath. The plumbing worked — Toilet paper was the essential thing then sorting through the toiletries and putting them in place. Unpacking the Living Room Once the kitchen and the bathroom were operational, the rest of the unpacking proceeded without urgency. My initial focus was to the main living room, not the basement family room which would become boxes Grand Central.
I had wanted to wait to begin unpacking or moving furniture, so I could take a moment to sketch in my mind the room and draw out how I want to place my furniture. Problem is that new & old furniture plus it was a hers & his stuff that now had to share the 2688 sq ft. home. It’s seemed much easier to erase and resketch in my head a rectangle that represents the couch than it would be to lift and move furniture around the room. Unpacking the Bedroom If I didn’t get to the bedrooms on the first nights, I wasn’t upset. Big problem now is I didn't set my bed up but instead used his bed because it was easier to drag the mattresses and pillows of his bed. They were already carried in together in the room. Now months later I miss my bed. My bed got buried in the basement with the boxes that never got carried up to the main floor. In the beginning I was happy to have a camp-out in any bed.
The adventure is over!
It has been a nightmare now months later with the burden of assembling the beds and moving heavy furniture. Unpacking after you move has been like another in a long series of huge moving-day tasks and it has been overwhelming to take my time. Everything seemed to point towards getting just what we needed to keep fun in our life. I guess I should use my situation as a great opportunity to evaluate my belongings to see whether more items can be donated to charity.
My goal is: "If I ever find my family room & basement bath void of boxes, I hopefully can invite guests to enjoy my humble abode."
Wish me Luck!
Still treading water in Paradise...
Nana
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