Each year, about 40 million Americans will move to a new home — that’s roughly 14 percent of the population. New homeowners make up around six million of those movers.

That’s a lot of moving boxes!

According to a recent survey by Duck Brand tape – the tape you probably used to seal all those moving boxes – it takes most Americans almost 182 days to finish unpacking after a move. That’s more than six months!

A lot can happen in six months. Valuables go missing, you may replace something you already own, or you might just decide that last moving box never gets unpacked.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though.

If you’ve recently moved into a new home, here are some tips to help you get unpacked faster without losing anything.

One Room at a Time

One of the best ways to ensure you unpack everything is to work one room at a time. Start by putting boxes in the rooms where they belong — dishes go to the kitchen, pictures in the living room and so on.

When you don’t have to constantly move items between rooms, fewer things get misplaced and you’ll have more energy to finish.

What’s Next?

Start unpacking into that room — and don’t stop until it’s done. Finishing one whole room at a time rather than little bits around the house will keep you focused and motivated.

Pro Tip: if you’ve hired a professional moving team, have them unload your boxes into specific rooms for you. This way, you won’t have to worry about sorting and moving heavy boxes yourself!

Go in Order

Each move is a bit different, but it’s a good idea to start unpacking “functional” spaces first, like the kitchen and bathroom.

Here’s the order we recommend…

1.     Kitchen

2.     Bathroom

3.     Bedroom(s)

4.     Living Room

5.     Garage / Shed

But First…

Even before you start unpacking the kitchen, set aside some essentials that you may need for the next few days! Toiletries and food, for example, are a must have.

Divide and Conquer

You don’t have to do it all on your own! At least, if you’re unpacking a family home, each person should own a space.

If you have kids, put them in charge of the boxes for their own room, checking in periodically on their progress. You should also consider divvying up the remaining rooms with your spouse or partner.

Dividing up the workload makes for smaller, bite-sized move-in projects, and owning the unpacking part of a specific room can make it a more exciting project — especially for kids.

Don’t Unpack Distractions

Avoid setting up the T.V. at all costs! Entertainment can be a big distraction when you’re in the midst of a big unpacking project, and distractions mean you’ll take more time to finish. You could also lose track of something.

But, That’s Not All…

If your child isn’t old enough to help unpack their own room, you may want to hire a babysitter for the days and evenings you’re unpacking your boxes. The same goes for pets and petsitters.

Pro Tip: reward yourself at the end with a move-in movie night!

Remember, unpacking is the final hurdle to living in your new home. By getting it done right up front, you’ll have more time to enjoy your new space.