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Unpacking

 

If you thought packing for your move was fun (Come on! You know you did! Right?), then you’ll really love unpacking!

Actually, we expect you’re dreading it. But unpacking doesn’t have to be the tedious, time-consuming, troublesome chore you imagine it to be – or that it all too often is. There are all sorts of ways to make unpacking a little easier, a little less annoying, and a lot more pleasant. Let’s explore them.

It should come as no surprise that simpler, speedier unpacking can best be assured by how well you organize your packing in the first place. Planning ahead – always a good idea – means in this instance that you should …

  • Pack only what’s essential. Sort through your belongings and separate them into three categories:
    1. Items you want or need to keep – these you’ll bring with you or have shipped
    2. Items you can sell or donate,
    3. Items you can throw out.
  • Pack a bag of temporary provisions for each family member. This should contain toiletries, medicine, snacks, bottles of water, a few changes of clothing – whatever you think you might need for travel to your new home and to navigate the first few days of settling into it.
  • Develop an unpacking timeline. Just as you (should have) scheduled your packing activity before the move, you should divvy up tasks for unpacking and create a timeline for its completion. Sticking to this timeline will help make the process go much more smoothly.
  • See that your boxes are placed in the right rooms. If you properly labeled your boxes when packing them, that won’t be much of a problem. Make sure you indicate clearly on each box its contents and the room of your new home in which it should be placed.

Once you’ve arrived at your new home …

  • Figure out where you want things placed before you unpack them. Create room plans that designate where furniture, décor, and other items meant for a particular room should go in that room. That’ll really speed things up – and keep you calm throughout the unpacking process.
  • Know what you’re unpacking. Labeling your boxes properly as you pack them will help with that. But, if you yourself didn’t also prepare an inventory list of your possessions, your mover will have done so, and you should bring a copy of it with you on Move Day.
  • Get the big stuff in place. As eager as you may be to rip into your boxes and start unpacking all the little goodies, you’re better off assembling and positioning your major furniture pieces – sofas, chairs, tables, bookcases, dining room sets, beds, TVs, pianos, chests of drawers, and the like – first.
  • Next, unpack the things you need right away. In every room, locate the boxes containing your most important, immediately useful items, unpack them, and put their contents where you want them. What constitutes “important”? That’s up to you. But one thing you shouldn’t overlook is the hanging of artwork and the placement of framed family photos as well as other, personal décor items. These add an immediate touch of warmth and familiarity to your new home, helping you and your family get acclimated to it quicker.
  • Unpack rooms systematically, one by one. A helter-skelter approach can only confuse what, for most people moving, is an already hectic, confusing situation. After you’ve unpacked and put away the most important items from each room, go back and finish unpacking one room at a time. You’ll find yourself calmer and much more focused. In fact, you may feel like concentrating on setting up a particular room completely, painting it, decorating it, placing everything in it “just so,” before you move on to another. Go ahead! You set the schedule, after all!
  • Start in the kitchen. Hook up all your major appliances – stove, fridge, dishwasher, etc. – before you unpack anything else. Then unpack your food and get it in the cupboards and pantry. You’ll also want to unpack and put away at least a smattering of pots, pans, and cooking utensils, whatever you might find useful the first few days in your new home.
  • Next, do the bedrooms. Assemble the bed frames first and get the mattresses, covers, sheets, blankets, and pillows on them. That way, you and your family members will have ready-made places to “crash” at the end of a frenetic Move Day.
  • Then take care of the bathrooms. Unpack and shelve toiletries, make sure all necessary medications are placed where you want them, hang shower curtains, and put towels out soon after you arrive at your new home so you and your family can clean up before hitting the beds.
  • Last of all, unpack garage, storage, and patio items. Face it, most garage items aren’t necessities. Nor are the things you plan on keeping in an attic or storage closet. And the patio? You’ll have plenty of time to fix that up the way you want it, once you’ve settled in and gotten the rest of your home organized. Now, it’s true that if you’re moving in the summer and have an outdoor grill, you may want to set it up fast. After all, what better way to prepare tasty meals those first few days in your new home without having to unpack everything you’d typically use in your kitchen?
  • Set small goals. Unless there’s some inescapable reason to hurry, unpacking doesn’t have to be a horse race. Yes, you’ll find it helpful to get big furniture pieces and some immediately useful small items unpacked first. After that, though, you can slow the pace down a bit. Take it easy. Unpack the rest of your belongings at your leisure. At the same time, you can better get to know your new home … and your new community.
  • Ask for help. There are some things, certainly, you might prefer to unpack by yourself. But, in general, it’s no fun to unpack alone. And it does take more time. So why set yourself up for misery? Get your whole family involved. Call on your friends. Consider having an Unpacking Party. The more the merrier, right?

Follow these tips, and there’s no reason why unpacking your belongings at your new home shouldn’t be a smoother, simpler, and far more gratifying experience than you might ever have thought possible.

 
 
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We utilized SIRVA for our relocation from Minnesota to California and were very pleased with their service, professionalism and attention to detail. The experience was positive from start to finish, including the successful close on our new home. Thank you SIRVA Mortgage team!
- Brian N.
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This site is not authorized by the New York State Department of Financial Services. No mortgage solicitation activity or loan applications for properties located in the State of New York can be facilitated through this site. 
 
SIRVA Home Benefits is a tradename used for marketing and is not licensed to conduct business in New York. 
 
1 SIRVA Home Benefits is a brand name of SIRVA Worldwide used to offer a suite of products for homebuying purposes. Mortgage lender (SIRVA Mortgage, Inc.2), SIRVA entity making real estate referral (SIRVA Relocation LLC3), and van lines providing moving services (Allied Van Lines, Inc. and North American Van Lines, Inc.4)  are affiliated entities. You are not required to use all programs in order to receive the benefits but the offer for the mortgage closing cost credit of up to $500 only applies when using a SIRVA program identified lender, the cash back offer only applies when using a SIRVA referred real estate broker, and any discounts on moving services are only applied when using an affiliated van line. SIRVA's Affiliated Business Disclosure (including affiliations and information on estimated charge or range of charged) can be found here. Each program benefit is offered separately. Program benefits are only available through program participants but you are not required to use all programs to receive each separate benefit.
 
SIRVA endeavors to refer real estate brokers and agents, household goods providers and other service providers that provide quality services and products. However, SIRVA and its respective associates, agents, representatives and clients cannot make any representations or warranties as to the fitness and applicability of the referred brokers and agents, household goods providers and other service providers and their service for your particular situation and purpose. SIRVA does not provide a warranty with respect to your particular engagement, relationship and experience with the party referred brokers and agents or their services. You must evaluate the brokers, agents household goods providers and other service providers and their services and make selections and decisions based upon your own best judgment, interest, priorities, and concerns. SIRVA is not providing advice with respect to any selection or decision you may make.  
 
To provide you with better service, SIRVA may collect certain anonymous information on how you use our website(s). To view our Privacy Policy, click here. To view our Cookie Policy, click here.  
 
2 This not an offer of credit. This is not an offer to enter into an interest rate lock-in agreement nor is this notice of loan approval. Mortgage approvals are rendered based on individual credit qualifications.

This not an offer of credit. This is not an offer to enter into an interest rate lock-in agreement nor is this notice of loan approval. Mortgage approvals are rendered based on individual credit qualifications. SIRVA Mortgage is engaged in the business of originating residential mortgage loans. We are licensed or authorized to conduct mortgage loan origination in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. SIRVA Mortgage is not a depository institution and does not act as or represent itself a full service bank. Reference to the term “mortgage banker” is a common, accepted industry term referring to companies engaged only in the business of making mortgage loans. Various state laws and regulations and our individual license in various states refer to us as a mortgage lender, mortgage banker or mortgage broker. For our Privacy Policy and Affiliated business relationships please visit https://mortgage.sirva.com/about/about-sirva-mortgage . Please see the complete required license disclosure below. Call 800-531-3837 for more information.

For those looking to refinance- even if your refinanced rate or APR is lower, by refinancing your existing loan, your total finance charges may be higher over the life of the refinanced loan.

SIRVA Mortgage, Inc. is licensed by/as (among others): Arizona Licensed Mortgage Banker, License #0901430; Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, license #4130944; regulated by the Colorado Division of Real Estate; Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #6221; Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company, License # MC.0025314; Massachusetts Mortgage Lender, License #ML2240; Nevada Licensed Mortgage Banker #1043; Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurances; Licensed Mortgage Banker - NYSDFS; Ohio Registration #RM.803887.000; subject to state regulation and licensed under the Oregon Consumer Finance Act license # ML-186; Rhode Island Licensed Lender; Texas Mortgage Banker Registration #2240; WA Consumer Loan Company License #CL-2240. NMLS Unique Identifier #2240. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) Main Office of SIRVA Mortgage, Inc.: 6200 Oak Tree Blvd., Ste. 300, Independence, OH 44131; Telephone: 1-800-531-3837. Information last updated 4/13/2020

Licensed Mortgage Loan Originators employed by SIRVA Mortgage, Inc. and their NMLS Unique Identifiers: Alan E. Flowers #252043, Bradley Linn Chapman #4047, Debra Jean Jackson #3561, Ernest Edward Phillips #4488, Jennifer Mae Miller #4248, Jeremey Roach #920088, Joseph Edward Walkuski #1477740, Kathleen Marie Pope #3509, Linda Michelle Laramy #4034, Mark Dennis Lehman #942618, Patrick Alan Frimel #980933, Paul Eric Klemme #4909, Robin Patricia Kara #4408, Ronna Sills Harris #4399, Sam Oscar Simmerman Jr. # 4081, Stacy Marie Murphy #488543.

CONSUMERS WISHING TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A MORTGAGE BANKER OR A LICENSED MORTGAGE BANKER RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATOR SHOULD COMPLETE AND SEND A COMPLAINT FORM TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF SAVINGS AND MORTGAGE LENDING, 2601 NORTH LAMAR, SUITE 201, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78705. COMPLAINT FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SML.TEXAS.GOV. A TOLL-FREE CONSUMER HOTLINE IS AVAILABLE AT 1-877-276-5550.

THE DEPARTMENT MAINTAINS A RECOVERY FUND TO MAKE PAYMENTS OF CERTAIN ACTUAL OUT OF POCKET DAMAGES SUSTAINED BY BORROWERS CAUSED BY ACTS OF LICENSED MORTGAGE BANKER RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATORS. A WRITTEN APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE RECOVERY FUND MUST BE FILED WITH AND INVESTIGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO THE PAYMENT OF A CLAIM. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECOVERY FUND, PLEASE CONSULT THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SML.TEXAS.GOV.”

Updated 1/8/2021. 

 
3 SIRVA Relocation LLC is a licensed real estate broker. SIRVA Relocation LLC is making the referral as a licensed real estate broker and will refer you to a licensed real estate broker in the selected area that will provide you the real estate services.
 
To receive the award, customers must close their real estate transaction with a SIRVA-referred real estate agent. Due to state regulations, the award program is not allowed in AK, AL, AR, IA, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, OR, TN. Additionally, if you choose to sell your home with a SIRVA-referred broker in these states, the benefit will be provided in the form of a reduced real estate commission. Program reward amount is based upon at least 6% real estate commission and the participating broker receiving at least one half of commission. If the commission amount or the split is reduced the program reward will be reduced proportionately. If you are purchasing a home and use a SIRVA-referred broker in these states, and also choose to work with SIRVA Mortgage, Inc. (an Affiliate of SIRVA Relocation) for your financing, SIRVA Mortgage Inc. will issue you a credit toward closing costs; in addition to any other closing cost credit providing by your loan program. You are not required to use SIRVA Mortgage Inc. for home purchase financing. Closing cost credits cannot be issued without utilizing SIRVA Mortgage. None of these programs are valid for corporate-sponsored relocations or mobile homes. The minimum home value must be above $75,000 to receive cash back in any program. Programs can be cancelled or modified at any time without notice.
 
In the state of New Jersey a purchaser is obligated to pay any applicable taxes for receipt of the real estate cash back rebate and the purchaser should contact a tax professional concerning any possible tax implications of receiving the rebate. 
 
4 Allied Van Lines, Inc. MC 15735 U.S. DOT No.076235. Texas intrastate moves are hauled under the authority of Allied Van Lines, Inc., TxDMV No 0000007143; Texas DMV Phone No. 1-888-368-4689
 North American Van Lines, Inc. MC 107012 U.S. DOT No.070851. Texas intrastate moves are hauled under the authority of North American Van Lines of Texas, LLC TxDMV No 0000009188; Texas DMV Phone No. 1-888-368-4689
 
5  Average customer savings calculation for all relocation benefits is based on a $250,000 home value when using a SIRVA referred agent to buy and/or sell a home. $3,400 total cash back and savings consist of a cash back reward of $2,500 for real estate program (buy & sell), plus $500 mortgage closing cost credit (credit provided only through program lender) and $400 savings on interstate move with our affiliate van line. A combined savings of $3,400. Certain state restrictions apply to the real estate cash back program. Call 866-631-2261 for details and disclosures. Terms and conditions apply. Cash back rewards are available separately on the buy and sell transactions. Offer not available to those with a full service, company paid relocation package.
 
6 If we don’t close on your loan with SIRVA Mortgage the date stated in the purchase contract, due solely to SIRVA Mortgage’s delay, we will pay you $1,000. 
 
7 Savings calculation based on an average our clients saving more than $45 per month & $23 a month on mortgage insurance on their mortgage payments multiplied by 12 months on a 30 year mortgage. Payment average compared to national average rates published by FHLMC, found at www.freddiemac.com/pmms from 1/1/2015-12/31/2015 with loan amount of $315,142. For a 30 year fixed rate the national average interest rate was 3.84% with a principal and interest payment of $1,475 compared to the SIRVA Mortgage average interest rate of 3.59% with a principal and interest payment of $1,431. Mortgage insurance savings as measured by United Guaranty for the period 1/1-12/31/2015.
 
8 Average percentage of clients who said SIRVA mortgage “exceeded or met expectations” in Customer Satisfaction Surveys since 2008.
 
Penske and Apartments.com are independent companies not affiliated with SIRVA or the SIRVA Home Benefits program except for this referral. SIRVA endeavors to refer service providers that provide quality services and products. However, the SIRVA Home Benefits program cannot make any representations or warranties as to the fitness and applicability of the referred service providers and their service for your particular situation and purpose. SIRVA does not provide a warranty with respect to your particular engagement, relationship and experience with any referred service provider or the services or the suppliers. You must evaluate the service providers and their services and make selections and decisions based upon your own best judgment, interest, priorities, and concerns. SIRVA is not providing advice with respect to any selection or decision you may make 

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