A few months back, when we began our journey back east I wrote a post on what it was like to pack up a house, and move with a toddler.
Now that we have found a house and are getting settled back east, I figured it was time to write a post about what it’s like unpacking a house with a toddler. Here’s a hint, it’s just as hard, if not harder now because Cameron is 7 months older than she was when we were packing up in CA. She is getting into much more, she is more active, and more curious. Here’s how we have been trying to make getting the house set up as easy as possible, as well as keeping Cameron a happy camper.
Unpack the kids room first. Just like you want to make sure you leave their room and stuff until the last thing to pack up, you want to make sure it’s the first thing you unpack at the new house. This way, they are comfortable and have the familiarity of all their belongings to make the transition easier.
Tackle one room at a time. This way you aren’t running back and forth from room to room when you’re unpacking boxes. If you keep to a system, and work on a single room at once, it’s easier to tackle, and know where all the items for that room will be. We made sure to do our kitchen, bathroom, and master bedroom after we finished Cameron’s room and playroom. These were the main living areas that we knew we wanted to make sure we had things unpacked because we would be using them often.
Wait until nap-time/bedtime. When trying to unpack with a toddler who wants to get into everything it’s best to wait until they aren’t around to try and unpack things. With this you have to be careful of where in the house you are working during these times, to make sure you don’t wake up the child.
Let them help if they can. Hand them a pillow, or a hanger, or their clothes. Giving them some sort of responsibility also helps with keeping them entertained while unpacking. This way you also kill two birds with one stone.
It may still not run smoothly, and it most definitely will take time. But these few tricks can help out a little.
