Your Tenancy Agreement is signed and sealed and you’re finally ready to move into your room rental in your co-living accommodation. If just the thought of unpacking fills you with dread, fret not. The trick is to do it systematically. Tackling one thing at a time will help you get organised quicker. Here are some tips on how to make unpacking an easier process after moving in.
1. Label your items
For smooth unpacking, it’s a good idea to pack similar items together. Therefore, books should go in one box. Clothes in one luggage. And so on. Be sure to label your boxes too. This makes it easier to track your belongings and you’ll know which boxes to open up first.
2. Wipe down storage areas
Once you’ve moved into your room rental, but before you unpack, use a clean, wet cloth to wipe down all the areas where you’ll be storing your clothes and belongings or where you’ll be placing your items. This will remove the dust from the drawers and interior of your cupboard, cabinets, shelves and your table.
3. Start with the essentials
The first items you’ll need to unpack are those which you’ll typically use everyday. Ideally, you would have packed these in a separate bag like a backpack. These items would be your toiletries, hygiene essentials, medication and other nightstand essentials you can’t do without.
4. Next, move on to your clothes
You can then take out your clothes can start putting them neatly into your cupboard. Sort them by item. Hang up clothes that need to be hanged – dresses, shirts, pants. Place folded clothes like your T-shirts into drawers, along with your towels, underwear, socks and other intimates.
5. Unpack your home office items
Unpack all the items you need for your home office. This could include your laptop, printer, chargers, headsets, important documents, stationery and other office supplies. Organise them neatly on your desk.
6. Then take out your kitchen items
Next you can unpack items that belong in the kitchen. This could include your cups, pots or pans, or Tupperware. Make sure you have labeled them with your name so your flatmates know that these items belong to you.
7. Leave less important tems for last
The last items to unpack are decorative items, books, collectibles and other knick knacks which you don’t need immediately. You’d have to figure out where to place them if storage space is limited in your room. That’s why you should unpack those last. It’s fine if you don’t have time to unpack them on your move-in day. You can always do so on the next available weekend when you have time.
