How to unpack your kitchen (when getting organized in your new home)

You have moved, and all your furniture is in place. As you scan each room, you notice that there are what feels like a thousand boxes that need to be unpacked. While at first glance, it may feel overwhelming, don’t sweat it. You will be able to get through it and get settled in. To get started, the first room we suggest starting in, when getting organized in your new home is the kitchen. The reason is that, while you can do without those extra 4 rolls of toilet paper for now, you will need to eat. While eating out once or twice may be more convenient on moving day, the costs of eating out, or ordering in can quickly add up. By unpacking your kitchen when getting organized in your new home, you give yourself the ability to cook, and save a few dollars.

When getting organized in your new home, there are some things that could be important to take into account before actually unpacking.

When packing, make sure you label everything correctly

There are few things as frustrating as unpacking kitchen boxes that are labeled pots and pans, and finding earthenware, and serving trays and a pot or pan. To make it easier on yourself when getting organized in your new home, make sure you are correctly labeling what is going into each box.

Clean the kitchen before unpacking

While you may assume that the person who moved out before you moved in took the time to clean, that isn’t always the case. Perhaps they did clean, but then it took them a few months to sell the home. It doesn’t take long for any area to get dirty. Before putting plates and glasses and cutlery away, take some time to clean your cupboards out. You don’t want to pull out a plate covered in dust and dirt. Take the time to clean before you put things away.

Once you have been able to clean, here are some tips for unpacking your kitchen when getting organized in your new home.

Plan out your layout

When getting organized in your new home, before you start unpacking, take some time to plan where you want things to go. In most cases, the sink and the stove are the two most used areas. Make sure to plan accordingly. Keep items that you will use more often around those areas so that it will be easy for you to get them, when you’re cooking.

Have all your boxes ready

As you get ready to unpack all your boxes, and set your kitchen up, make sure that all your boxes are accessible, and ready to be unpacked. It can be frustrating to be ready to unpack, and have to go around looking for kitchen boxes. When getting organized in your new home, make sure that you have the boxes at your disposal. It will make the process easier!

Start unpacking

After cleaning the cupboards out, and planning where you want things placed, the next step is to start unpacking. Make sure that you have a large area to stage items that are unpacked. A kitchen table can be a great place to put things as you unpack your kitchen cartons. This will allow you to see what’s all in each carton, and put things away properly instead of going one item at a time.

Determine the use of each item

As you put things away, take note of how often you use the various items. For example, if you have a set of coffee mugs you use each day, put them at a reachable height, in an accessible cupboard. If you have a special china set that you only use on special occasions, put that in the high cupboard where it won’t get bumped into on accident, or take up usable space.

Keep your pantry organized

Try and keep any food that was transported separate from any dishes or cookware. Small containers with things such as spices and sugars etc. can be put into a cupboard. When getting organized in your new home, make sure to label the tops of the lids. That way, when you need somethings specific, you’ll be able to find it quicker, rather than going searching for it. Your unpacking goes quicker when you are organized. The more organized you are able to keep your pantry, the more room you have.

Keep an inventory

For the first few weeks after getting organized in your new home, keep an inventory of where things are located, and what items are in each drawer and or cupboard. This will ensure that you know where certain cooking utensils are, instead of having to go looking for them. After you become more comfortable, you can of course ditch the list.

For more information on how to unpack, check out our blog on the best way to unpack. Remember, that while unpacking can be overwhelming, you will get it all done. Take some time before unpacking all your cartons, and create an unpacking schedule. Be realistic with your schedule. If you only have weeknights to unpack, set something attainable for that time frame. If you have more time to unpack, then set a more aggressive schedule. Make sure what you set out is something that is attainable, and something that you can adhere to. It can be a little demoralizing to aim at having your house unpacked in a week, only having weeknights to accomplish this feat, and falling short. Make sure that you can do what you plan to do.

If you are looking to get some help with your unpack, make sure to give Quick Transfer a call. We can help you with anything from packing to crating to moving as well as unpacking. Our experienced team will be able to help you get settled in, into your new home. Make sure to give us a call today!