Day 7: Unpacking

Unpacking boxes after a move is the tricky part, isn't it?  All of a sudden, you have to make a home for things that are homeless.  Things either find their way into your cabinet, closet, or shelf because you need them, or you don't need them at all, and they need to be sent (to basement, to Craigslist, to charity).

Ian's room was the most simple to unpack.  We did it on Saturday, which included setting up a bed, situating a bookshelf, sliding his dresser into his 7 foot closet (!) and plugging in a lamp.

The little boys' room was also pretty easy.  Position the dressers and beds where they need to be, put the rocking chair on a rug, and voila!  We have a room!

The dining room was mostly easy.  Set up the table and chairs (add felt sliders!), position the piano, and unpack the card catalog (still in process).

Other than these two rooms, there's nothing easy about unpacking.  Unpacking wisdom from Father-in-law: Decide what stays, goes, gets sold BEFORE you unpack it.  Don't "put it away" if you don't want it.  Therefore, we have lots of boxes that aren't unpacked because a) we haven't figured out where to put things, or b) we haven't decided if things are valuable enough to stay or go.

In the kitchen I made some headway, because I wanted to eat oatmeal out of a dish using a spoon.  Therefore I needed a dish and a spoon.  The dishes and utensils are basically unpacked, and I think we've found our cooking ingredients.  I set up the basement pantry quite thoroughly, I think, and it's looking pretty good.  We were trying something new with appliances (not storing them in the island the way we did at the last house) but the cabinets are a smidge too small.  I think we're going to have to revise that plan.

{To be added when I get a chance: Before and After of the kitchen.}

One awesome thing about the new house:  Tons of basement shelves!  Walls of storage shelves in the storage room.  They basically line the entirety of the walls under the addition, making an awesome storage room.

My intent with the basement is to have all of the food pantry shelves to the left, food storage in stacks in the storage room, and everything else either neatly stacked in the storage room or organized on a work bench.

{Basement unpacking pictures forthcoming!}