Once the excitement and adrenaline of moving into a new home has worn off, the task of setting up your new home and settling in to a brand-new place can be just as overwhelming as packing and moving was. Indeed it was the singularly most difficult part of the entire shifting process in my experience when I left chilly Minnesota for Sunny California. The weather itself was a huge difference to get used to, as was the general attitude of the people. Here are a few things I learnt from my experience that hopefully will be of help to others in the same situation.
Get your new place thoroughly deep cleaned
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You should do this before you unpack your things. Getting your new home cleaned inside out, as thoroughly as possible. You do not know who lived there before and what sort of hygiene they practiced. It is better for your peace of mind and health to start with a clean slate. Luckily, the local Los Angeles movers I had hired to help with the move gave me the number of a great cleaning company as well as many great pointers and suggestions about the city and neighbourhood.
Now this thorough cleaning could be something you take on by yourself, or you could hire someone to do it professionally. I would recommend going the professional route as this is a hard job requiring a large amount of physical effort and time. I would not recommend unpacking before your home is cleaned, or better yet, book a cleaning company to clean the house the day before your stuff is due to arrive.
Unpack one room at a time
Don’t be ambitious and try to open all your boxes and set up all your rooms simultaneously. Go slow and tackle the unpacking one room at a time. Start with the living room and the kitchen, as these two places are the heart and essence of any home. Another tip is not to just unpack the basics, but lay out the room and set it up completely. This means lay out the rugs and accessories as well as the basic furniture. This way, even if the rest of the house looks like it has been hit by a hurricane, you have one place to unwind.
Don’t cook until you’re all set up
While I highly recommend unpacking the kitchen first, I strongly think that you should not cook until you have some semblance of order in the rest of the house. Get ready meals, easy eats like cereal, and stock up your fridge with drinks and juices to energize you as you unpack, but eat out for main meals. Not only does this give you a nice break from the unpacking, it also allows you to explore the new neighbourhood and scope out nice eating places, cafes, bars and coffee shops. You can also use this as an opportunity to make new friends in your new city, and once you have unpacked and settled in, invite your new friends to the first home-cooked meal.
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