When all of your things are chaotically strewn around the house, it’s hard to remember how excited you were to move. Unpacking is the hardest part of moving, and not because it’s particularly difficult. Unpacking box after box is a mental game. After all the organizing, packing, loading, and physically moving, you really just want to be done with it all. To help you get your unpacking done instead of just letting your boxes sit there for the next few months (or years), here are some helpful tips.

Set up Your Bed First

After a long day of moving, you’re going to be more tired than you think. Set up your bed, first and foremost. Make sure you have all your sheets and pillows ready to go when you’re ready to call it a night.

Focus on One Room at a Time

Sure, it would be great to unload and have everything out and organized in a matter of hours, but it doesn’t quite work this way. One strategy is to unpack one room at a time. Take your kitchen, for example. You know you’re going to have to wash your dishes after they’ve been packed in newspapers. As they dry, take the time to figure out where to put your pots and pans, towels, oven mitt, blender, and coffee machine.

Unpack the Big Stuff First

You can spend an afternoon stressing out about where to hang up the living room’s artwork. Instead, first figure out where you’re going to place the big items. Once the couch, tv, and rugs are in place, it will be easier to work on the smaller décor.

It’s Ok if Things Change

It’s tempting to want to decorate as soon as possible, and there’s nothing wrong with speed. However, don’t think you have to do everything at once. You have time to pick out new color schemes and wall accents. And really, it’s going to take some getting used to before you decide on how to organize your office for optimal use. Things can change with time, and be open for that. Just don’t let decorating slide too long, or you’ll be living in dull blank canvass instead of your personalized home.