Moving can be a stressful time for students, who are often moving to a new city and starting a new life. We all know that the stress of moving can make unpacking your boxes a lot less fun than packing them up in the first place. 

But there are a few ways to make unpacking easier, so you can enjoy your new home and focus on getting settled as quickly as possible.

Start with the essentials

The first thing you should unpack is your bedding, towels and other linens, clothing and toiletries. These items will be used daily (or at least weekly), so they need to be easily accessible once you move into your room — especially if you’re living in a dorm with limited storage space. If you live in a house or apartment, make sure these essentials are on the top shelf of your closet or under your bed so they’re easily accessible when needed.

Be sure to unpack your kitchen items

Unpacking everything else first can mean that you’ll be cooking with mismatched dishes or eating off paper plates for days while your pots and pans are still in boxes somewhere. Take some time first thing to unpack those essentials so that cooking isn’t an afterthought during break-in week.

Don’t forget the cleaning supplies

You’ll be spending a lot of time cleaning after unpacking all your stuff, so don’t forget to pack some disinfecting wipes and other cleaning items so you can get started right away. So, don’t forget to bring your mop, cleaning spray, and paper towels to keep your house clean during unpacking.

Unpack your wardrobe

Don’t just throw everything on the floor in your room! Group like items together and put them in places where they’re easy to find and access. For example, if you have several pairs of shoes or pairs of jeans, put each pair together in a stack or on a shelf. You can also make use of storage containers and shelves to keep things organized. This way when you need something specific, it will be easy to find without having to dig through your entire wardrobe or closet.

Tackle the bathroom products

The first thing to do is tackle the bathroom products soaps, shampoos and conditioners, toothpaste and toothbrushes, makeup remover wipes, and cotton pads — because these are the items that are most likely to get used up quickly. Then move on to toilet paper rolls and tissues.

If you have clothes hangers, use them liberally because clothes hangers help keep your closet organized. You can also hang towels or sheets on them to save space in the linen closet.

Put away all your bedding, including sheets and pillows

You want to make sure that you’re able to sleep comfortably and safely so you’ll be able to relax and unwind after a long day of classes (and studying). You might even want to consider unzipping your mattress before putting it on the frame so that air can flow through the material and help keep it clean longer. Once the bed is made up, put away any clothes that don’t need ironing or dry cleaning. If you have folding cubes or baskets, now is the time to use them. They will help keep dust off your clothes as well as give them some extra structure so they’re easier to find at a glance later. If you’re feeling ambitious, set up your closet so that everything has its place already — this way when it comes time for laundry day, you won’t have any surprises.

Unpack frames and hanging decorations for your walls

When you’re unpacking, don’t forget about hanging decorations, like photos or paintings. It’s tempting to leave these items in the box until last, but unpacking them early on will make it easier to decide where they’ll hang. Don’t forget that while you’re putting up pictures and posters, you should also be making sure that they’re straight — otherwise they’ll look crooked! If you’re not sure how much space a photo can take up on a wall, measure the width and height of each frame before starting work.

Assemble any furniture that you brought with you

If you have furniture that needs assembly (a bed frame, desk or dresser), do this first so it doesn’t get in the way of unpacking other items later on. It’s also important to remember that if anything is missing from the box, like hardware or screws, it’s best to call the manufacturer right away and see if they can send those missing items right away or if they need to be ordered separately.