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5 Unpacking Mistakes to Avoid When Arriving at Your New Apartment

5 Unpacking Mistakes to Avoid When Arriving at Your New Apartment

Editor’s Note: The following is a guest post by Sam Radbil from Abodo about unpacking mistakes to avoid when arriving at your new residence.  

The most difficult part of your move is complete; the transition has begun, and all your belongings have safely arrived at your new home, ready to be unpacked.

Now is the time to become aware of common unpacking errors that can cause your move to take even longer and become more stressful. We urge you to avoid these five mistakes:

1. Improper packing may break items in transit
While most items are salvageable if broken, it can take a lot of time and unnecessary effort to repair items you may have packed incorrectly. We suggest being extremely careful while you pack your belongings, or even consider hiring Gentle Giant to professionally pack your items, to ease any worries you might have about your items breaking in transit.

2. Opening your truck or container too quickly
Slowly open the container door and stand back so you won’t be buried by an avalanche of boxes if something has shifted. Be cautious if it feels like the door has gotten caught on something.

3. Not having a plan on where things go
Before you begin taking items of your truck or container, know where you are planning to put everything. If you have packed correctly, you’ll know exactly where each box belongs and where it is located. When you take items out and start piling it up on your front lawn without a game plan, it will cause you to repeat the sorting process.

4. Not getting help
For heavy items such as refrigerators and washers, get some help with moving them to avoid injuring yourself or others. Professional movers such as Gentle Giant know how to take heavy items up and down stairs, and they also have the proper equipment. Being crushed by a dryer as you are dragging it downstairs won’t be conducive to a good moving experience.

5. Not cleaning as you go
It’s more sensible to break down each box and dispose of packing materials as you go, rather than making a big mess that must be cleaned later. Stay organized, diligent and determined to keep your work areas clean. It will save you from additional work and stress later down the line.

Moving is never fun, but by being diligent, organized and determined, you can avoid any preventable mistakes to make sure you have a seamless process. For assistance with any aspect of your move, reach out to a reputable moving company such as Gentle Giant for advice and support.

Sam Radbil is the lead writer for ABODO Apartments, an online real estate and apartments marketplace with available apartments from Eugene, Oregon to New York City. Their research and writing has been featured nationally in Curbed, Forbes,, HousingWire and more.