Personal preferences aside, there are specific items you should unpack first. According to Michael Weiss, president of Midway Moving and Storage, fragile items like glassware, photos and electronics should be dredged up immediately.
Monica Thompson, president of Chaos to Order, believes the kitchen is key. “It’s a settling feeling to be able to get a glass of water if you want one.”
Thalia Poulos, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers, adds the oft-forgotten vital needs of “coffee, coffee-maker and breakfast.”
Since unpacking is more than a 24-hour project, Thompson recommends unpacking toiletries next, followed by bed linens. “You absolutely have to do the beds the first day. If your first night in your new home is not comfortable, it will really throw you off balance.”
Thompson’s list of priority purchases for your new apartment: shelf liner, silverware divider, drawer organizers, turntables for your kitchen cabinets, shower curtain liner and a step-stool (it’s much easier than dragging around a chair when you’re heaving stuff onto upper shelves).
