How long did it take you to unpack?

Last time you moved house, how long did it take you to unpack the last box?  Were you all done in the first week or are you still looking at boxes years later?

A recent survey by Hillarys.co.uk revealed that the average person takes over two years to unpack all of their belongings after moving house!  In fact, 10% of the 2,000 people surveyed said they never unpack all of their possessions after moving home!

Knick-knacks are the most common things to hide away in boxes with vases and ornaments coming out top in the survey for most time spent in boxes, followed by clothing, crockery, and art.

The survey also revealed that the old adage of moving being the most stressful experience might well be true!  Almost two thirds of those surveyed said they had fallen out with their partner during a move.  Over half admitted to arguing with other family members and 35% said they considered pulling out of the move altogether.

Unpacking your boxes and ‘dressing’ your new properties can help you to feel at home, so once the dust settles, it’s important to crack open the boxes and get everything in its new place.

“After a move, you might feel too exhausted to properly unpack and it can be tempting to hide the boxes away so they’re out of sight and out of mind,” says Tara Hall of Hillary’s.

“Living out of boxes is never a good idea,” she says. “You’ll be surrounded by stressful reminders you still have work to do.”

You don’t need to unpack on day one, but day 721 is probably too long!