Moving into your first apartment is never going to be stress-free. In fact, the move-in may be one of the most anxiety ridden things you have done in a while. You are leaving home, living on your own, and have no idea where to start. Moving days are always chaotic, but here are some ways in which you can keep things organized and reduce your stress.
1. Cleaning Supplies First
The first things you are going to want to unpack is your cleaning supplies. Obviously, your apartment should already be pretty clean, but there is going to be some dust somewhere that you will want to take care of. Before you start unpacking your things, it is best to disinfect all surfaces!
Counters, door knobs, appliances, and most other things could be covered with unknown germs or whatever else you could think of. Spending that extra 30 minutes to clean quickly is going to be worth it, trust me.
2. Have a system in mind
Normally, you are going to have friends or family members helping you move in. This is great! But without a system, you are going to get frustrated with everyone and there is going to be a lot of tension. This is your show, so have a plan and make sure everyone knows it. You need to dictate exactly what you would like people to do and where you would like them to put things.
Have your boxes labeled by room, and ask everyone to place the boxes neatly in the correct location. You can decide from there what you would like them to do.
Nicely make it clear from the beginning that you are grateful for everyone’s help, but ask them to listen to what you want, because YOU are the one who is living here.
3. Take Breaks
I understand that you want to get as much unpacking done as you can so that you can feel settled in your new place. However, if you don’t take breaks throughout the day to eat and relax, you are going to get burnt out early on, and the stress and tension will rise.
Also, your helpers deserve breaks. They aren’t your slaves, they are just trying to do you a favor. You should definitely provide everyone with cold water at all times, and you should probably also order some food for them to eat! Pizza and beer are sort of moving day traditions.
4. Accept that you aren’t going to finish in one day
Getting settled into a new place takes time. Days, weeks, months even. Stressing over finishing everything is not worth the energy. Focus on the most important things first (Bed, clothes, kitchen supplies, bathroom things) and leave the decorations and maybe even electronics for last. Also take into consideration which things you need multiple people to help with. If you need two people to build a piece of furniture, you should get that done on the first day when your helpers are already there! You can do the easy things on your own, later in the week.
5. Leave the pets somewhere else for the day
For those of you that have pets, one of the most important things I can say about move-
in day is to leave the pet behind. Get a sitter; leave them at a friend’s house; do whatever you need to do. You aren’t going to want them in your way, and you definitely don’t want to worry about them getting hurt or escaping while you unpack. If it is possible, pick them up when you are a bit more settled so that they have their own space and can explore their new home safely.
Getting organized while moving can really help the process go smoothly. When not organized, moving could take even longer. In order to survive the process, organization is key.