While you may be breathing a deep sigh of relief once you successfully make it to your new home with all your belongings intact, there's still unpacking to do. Though you've conquered the physical move, it can be difficult to muster up the energy to immediately start tackling that endless sea of brown cardboard boxes cluttering up your new place. Time to motivate yourself to unpack. The faster you start unpacking, the sooner you'll be finished.
Don't settle for living out of cardboard boxes for weeks after your move. Read on for tips and advice to keep your motivation up, so you can quickly overcome that last nagging task of your move -- unpacking.
1. Visualize the final result before you move
Don't give yourself an overwhelming task. If you are disorganized when you pack, you're making the end result harder to accomplish. But if you arrive at your new home with a plan of action and a loose idea of where everything will go, it will be much easier (and quicker) to attack all of those boxes.
You've probably visited your new home prior to moving in. Take measurements and photos of the empty rooms, so you can decide where everything goes beforehand. If your moving crew plans to unload everything, tell them exactly where to place all of your boxes. This way, you can unpack each box based on its corresponding room.
TIP: Consider playing some of your favorite music while you unpack. It can help keep your energy levels up during the process.
2. Unpack one room at a time
Do not multi-task. Start going through one room at a time, one box at a time. Don't think about the fact that you have 20 more boxes piled up next to you, or you may get overwhelmed and procrastinate. Try your best to maintain focus on what's actually in front of you, and of course, how great it will feel once everything is done.
3. Give yourself positive reinforcement while unpacking
If you've moved with your family, a great way to stay motivated is to give positive reinforcement. If a loved one has tackled an entire room full of boxes, pat them on the back and offer some verbal encouragement -- especially children. You'd be surprised just how far a simple "good job" can go.
Some other ideas for positive reinforcement:
- Fill sticky notes with inspirational quotes and stick them around the house.
- Reward yourself for progress. Every time a room is unpacked and organized, allow a small break. Play a game, go outdoors, have a snack or simply sit down and relax for 20 minutes.
- Recruit a friend or host an unpacking party. Friends can come in handy with the physical aspect of unpacking but can also keep you on track. Tell them what you plan on getting done and allow them to constructively criticize if you happen to fall short of those goals.
4. Avoid distractions while unpacking
The easiest way to hinder your unpacking progress is to let outside distractions get the best of you. A short 20-minute break can turn into hours of unfocused time.
Tips for avoiding distractions:
- Limit phone usage. We're a digital world, and not having access to your email or the internet may seem like an impossible task. If you rely on email for work, schedule a time in the evening to field important ones. Do not look at your social media accounts while unpacking!
- Do not turn on video games or television. Most of us can get lost in gaming or binge watching for hours when we only intended a short break. It's best to leave these out of sight and out of mind until the unpacking is over.
- Don't eat out. Putting off unpacking your kitchen is easy when you can just run down the street for takeout, but avoid this at all costs! Try to make the kitchen one of your first priorities. This way, you won't be spending too much money on dining out. Staying in your home for meals will also help keep you focused on the next room to cover.
- Invite people over for a housewarming party. Deadlines are a good way to stay on task and avoid temptation to defer your unpacking. The last thing you want your guests to see is your permanent residence looking like a temporary one. Give yourself a reasonable unpacking goal and invite your friends over to see your new place!
Still having trouble getting motivated? You can hire moving labor that will handle it for you. Get started here at Movers.com by filling out a fast and easy quote form to compare quotes on these services!