Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Before I get to the real purpose of today's blog, I just want to take a moment to thank each and every soldier of the past, present, and future for all that they have done for us and our country. A lot of people view Memorial Day as 'National BBQ Day' and the official start of summer, but we really need to recognize the actual importance of this holiday. We are able to celebrate and be with our families today because those soldiers who gave their all to this country cannot. It is important to remember their courage and bravery for all that they have done, and to reach out and thank the soldiers who have survived the fight or are still fighting to keep our nation free. So, from the bottom of my heart, I truly thank you. YOU are the super heroes of the world, and people should tell you that a whole heck of a lot more often.
So today I was going to write my blog on friendship, but then someone actually reached out and asked a question!!! I really cannot stress enough how much this blog is meant to help those who ask for it, so I am way more than happy to save the friendship one for a rainy day. Alright, here's the question:
Dear Jackie,
My boyfriend and I just moved into our new apartment. Yesterday we accomplished the move in part and it was pretty smooth, but we had a lot of help. Today it is just us with 40 boxes and many other things that need to be put away. How do we make it manageable, as pleasant as possible, and fun to unpack? I want to enjoy decorating and organizing but I'm worried we'll both just get overwhelmed and irritated. Help!
-Cheyanne
Hey there, Cheyanne!
Congrats on being the first question to be answered! This question not only is an issue that you're facing right now, but it is guaranteed to be one that everyone will face in their lifetime, if not more than once.
The task you are facing can be a daunting one, but with a little creativity you can make it a lot of fun, and a very memorable experience for you and your boyfriend. When I moved from one house to another with my family, I remember how grueling the whole process was for packing, and then unpacking and organizing. Unfortunately for me, it all happened too fast (the whole process of moving taking only a day, including packing and unpacking pretty much everything) to make it a fun experience. Luckily, you have more time. The very first thing that I would do is find and unpack a radio or a stereo to play some music. There have been many surveys that have shown that music, no matter what your preference, is a very effective relaxer. It will help to keep the mood light, as long as you both agree upon the music you play. If your music style differs from your boyfriends, though, make sure you compromise with one another. You play your music for 30 min, then he gets to play his. Turn it up so that it can be heard almost through the whole apartment, but not too loud that your new neighbors will consider not bringing you some 'Welcome to the building!' treats.
If you were organized enough while packing to keep the boxes packed according to which room the contents belong in, I would suggest moving each box to its corresponding room first. Once that is done, unpack one room at a time. If you start on several rooms at once, you'll just wind up with a cluttered mess and a lot of disorganization. Another reason to start with just one room is to ensure that you guys work together; this will make it seem as though it takes less time to unpack each room since four hands are faster and better than just two. Also, working on the same room will keep both of you in the loop on what is going where -- no one likes looking for 20 minutes for the baking sheets, especially in your own home!
Now that we've established that you're going to be in the same room together, dancing to some tunes, try to get creative. Make a game out of unpacking!! When I was little and had to clean up my toys, I would put the box that they went into in the middle of the floor, and then try to throw the toys into the box. Now, I'm not suggesting that you take your nice china and toss them to one another to put them away, and the first person to drop one has to do the next room by themselves (although that would make for a very interesting day). Maybe each of you could pick a box, and guess how many items are inside. The person who was closest to the correct number gets to pick the next song, or where the next item goes. Another game idea is to create a sort of scavenger hunt. Make 2 lists of 10 different items that you know are still packed away in boxes per room. You each take a list, and the first person to unpack and out away their 10 items they find gets a prize. These are just two game ideas, but I'm sure you could come up with more if you don't like these.
The biggest thing that you should be aware of to keep this task as free of stress as possible is one simple word: compromise. You both have to live in this apartment together, so if one person is unhappy, you both will be sooner or later. The last thing you want to be while moving is stubborn. Give a little and take a little. You won't always be right, and he won't always be wrong. If you feel like you are getting to a point where it is becoming stressful, there is no harm in taking a break. Remember, you own (or are renting) the place now. No one is forcing you to be unpacked by a certain time, so you can take as long as you need.
Make these next few days (or week) memorable. Don't get overwhelmed by the amount of work or the stress of a cluttered house. It is going to take time, to get everything where you want it. You might even find that once everything is unpacked, some things need to be moved around to keep it organized a little better. Just keep that music playing, and your creative thoughts flowing. You can turn this into a fun experience and make some memories doing it!! I hope this helped! Best of luck, Cheyanne!
Your new buddy,
Jackie
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