Just Moved--need Unpacking Advice!

Wow, what a challenge for you to be tackling this by yourself! How old is your daughter? Could she help with any of this, like taking things out of boxes and bringing them to you, or putting away unbreakable things, like linens and books?

My advice as a compulsive organizer is to start by bringing the boxes in from the garage and putting them in the rooms where they belong (hopefully you packed them that way). Forget about the spiders. Then, stack them in a corner or somewhere easily acessible and tackle one room at a time. Bring your daughter's toys in the room you're working on and unpack as she plays. If you're in a room with a tv, take advantage of it as a treat for her and put in a movie. Two hours of unpacking should be plenty for any room, except for the kitchen. If you don't think you could do a room at a time, set yourself a goal, like others said, of two boxes a day or whatever works for you. Go room by room, don't jump around, and start with what you're going to need the most - kitchen, then bedrooms, then living room, then closets.

Also, put out a laundry basket as you're unpacking and be really honest with yourself about what you need to keep and what you could donate or throw away. Try to fill it up with each room. My rule is if I didn't know it was in the box, I don't need it. My closets are so much less cluttered thanks to the Amvets truck that comes every two months and I'm so much happier for feeling purged. I think that our culture is so into amassing "stuff" that when the time comes to move and unpack it, it can literally paralyze us with the stress and helplessness of what to do with it all.

Unpacking takes time, but if you are organized and self-disciplined about it, your reward is a new, neat and comfy home for you and your daughter to enjoy. Good luck, and please do take advantage of your family's help when you can. You can do it!

Dear M.,

You sound really stressed! Here is something I picked up from my sister that gets me through even the worst tasks! Set a timer for 15 minutes. Work until the timer goest off then reward yourself with 5 min of "you" time (reading, surfing the net, watching TV, playing with your little one, etc.) then set your timer again and repeat! In 15 min. time slots, you can get the WORST thing done. Sometimes if I'm on a roll, I will reset the timer and go for the next 15 right away and make my reward longer. It's a mind game you have to play with yourself to get overwhelming things done. It works if you try!

Oh, and the spider thing, remember you are a Mom now and if you show you are freaked out about spiders your kids will also be freak out about them and/or will use it against you when they get older! Be tough!! You can get over the spider thing with the advice already given!

Good luck!

Hi M. -

The advice I was given when I moved was to start by building "my space." Maybe its a desk/office area, maybe its your bathroom or your kitchen, whatever part of the house you feel most comfortable in get that set up first. Then you have a place to retreat to when the rest feels overwhelming. Not only will it help you relax to be in comfort zone but you can look at how nice it looks and remind yourself that eventually the whole house will look that nice. Then start small. Don't try to get a whole room done in one day but tell yourself "I'm going to unpack the dishes today" or the books, or whatever... by setting small tasks you will feel like you get more done as you constantly cross all those little jobs off the list. You may wish to focus more on the areas of the house your guests will most likely see since your housewarming is in only a few weeks. If you are stressed about having it all done in time maybe think about pushing back the housewarming party to June. And finally I hate spiders too and I would violent shake up the boxes (unbrakables only)thinking that they would get smashed if they were in there and then I'd keep a shoe and a can of raid handy and let any survivors have it! Good Luck!

Quite honestly if you would have asked before moving I would've told you to have each room's things moved into their appropriate rooms, not the garage. The reason for this is that you systematically can hit one room at a time. I started with the living room and dining room first, then kitchen (a lot of eating out the first weeks) and then bedrooms and family room last. You want some space where you walk into the house and have organized things and can have peace of mind. Next I would tell you to do big things first then smaller more detailed things you need to think about where to put. Just out of curiousity, do you have to have a homewarming party? It sounds like its gonna be more stress than worth it. Or maybe delay it a few months. It is very difficult (even with me a neat freak and organization maniac) to be all unpacked for company in a few weeks. Why stress it so much?! Also, either hire some help or get friends or family to carry All the boxes in to their appropriate rooms and then dig in. Good luck. I know it is overwhelming and quite challenging and I vowed never to do it again (who knows if I'll keep to that?!) but it is totally do-able. You will feel so accomplished and settled when you finish the job, or atleast most of it. My friend is a total organization freak usually (worse than me) and she still 2 years later has about 10-15 boxes she has not unpacked. So hang in there - it takes a while. Best of luck and congrats on the house! You won't regret it.

Morning M.,

Take the time to get unpacked and don't stress out about it. Your guests at the end of the month will understand. Try to make it a goal to tackle 2 boxes a day and you'll be done in no time.

Good luck and congrats on the new house.

Are you looking for suggestions on how to do this, or are you looking for someone here to volunteer to help you with your unpacking, box moving, spider-killing, household cleaning, plumbing, etc.?

You'd be surprised at the power of pizza and beer (or coke). Call your friends over, feed them and give them drinks, and have them move the boxes into the appropriate rooms.

Bribe with food. It works nearly everytime!

You need help, trying to do this all on your own sounds daunting.
Try posting a request for trade, you could probably trade massage therapy for organizing help. Everybody wants a massage.

Also, the spider thing, use rubber gloves and take deep breaths!
Spiders are gross, I know, but your bigger and smarter.