Have you seen the wasteland? Emptiness, chaos, sorrow… Just like when you get to your new home and you see a lifeless space, with blank walls, cold and uninviting. And then you look around and see a chaos of your belongings in boxes everywhere, waiting to be unpacked. The sorrow of heavy work in great loads… All right, all right, it’s a bit dramatic, I know, but for most people who move in New York, this is the real thing. The agony of unpacking, of putting every single little thing in its proper place truly is a torment, especially if you have lots and lots of stuff to deal with. But guess what… it doesn’t have to be like that if you take it slow, don’t rush into it and make the whole thing fun! Remember, nobody’s rushing you, so try to resist the urge to quickly restore law and order. Although unpacking this way can take days, even weeks, be sure you’ll win calm, relaxation and little to no domestic problems in the long run.
So, you’re in your new home, the New York move is over, you’re surrounded by boxes and empty rooms. What now? Well, you should focus on the basic needs: food, bath, sleep. Therefore, your first mission is:
TO THE KITCHEN!
Although you may be tempted to storm the room and begin unpacking at warp speed, take it easy and consider dealing only with those frequently used items at this point. Leave the details for later. Right now concentrate on making the kitchen “central command” – the place for energy refills and an oasis of order away from the ruckus in the other rooms. Mission accomplished! Next:
THE BATHROOM!
This should be the second objective on the high-priority list. First of all check the systems and make sure they work. Then deploy toiletries and any other supplies that you usually stock on. With all that done, the red alert is over. The two most urgent needs are now covered and other fronts can be opened safely. Still, the long road to the bedrooms is closed. You have to conquer:
THE LIVING ROOM!
Before juggling around with heavy furniture, it would be best to imagine where everything goes, measure, use pen and paper to draw more ideas and ultimately choose one. If you feel up for it, start positioning the lighter furniture only. You’ve had a long day and heavy lifting will not help. At least, the ultimate goal is in sight:
THE BEDROOM(S)
If you have more than one, share the furniture assembly process with the others but leave the details to each dweller. Depending on your contract, even your New York movers may lend a hand with this. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t finish unpacking the bedrooms on the first day. Instead add creativity and adventure to your situation. Grab mattresses and pillows and camp in style, in the comfort of your own home. Don’t tell me you never dreamed of doing this when you were a kid.
See? Not bad for the first day! Just calm down, breathe and take things slowly and logically. You may get a lot more out of this whole process than you bargained for. For example, it’s a great way of telling yourself: “Hey, it’s time for a garage sale!”.
