Essentials to Help You Conquer the First Week After Your Move

May 27, 2023

Moving is terrible. We can help. Make it less painful with our ultimate guide for moving.

The first few nights at your new place are probably too soon to call it a home—maybe your stuff is still in boxes or making its way to you across the country. Whatever the state of affairs, you should have essentials to take a shower, cook a meal, and get a decent night's sleep. You probably won't need all the items we list below; instead, pick and choose what's important for you or your family. Remember to keep your must-haves in separately marked boxes, suitcases, or bags to take with you personally, so they don't get lost in the chaos of the move.

Especially after a long and sweaty move, you’re going to want to get clean. Make sure you have the basics to do so by putting aside the following in an easily accessible box or suitcase:

See our bathroom guide for ideas on how to get organized once you’re settled.

If your old furniture and bedding will arrive after you (or if you’re getting new stuff), plan to pack essential bedding and temporary beds. And since you’ll be sleeping in an unfamiliar and yet-to-be-controlled setting, consider packing some cozy items beyond the basics to help you sleep and make your new room feel like home (such as a diffuser, a sleep mask, scented candles, or a white noise machine).

Your first night at a new home is not the night to whip out Julia Child's best recipes. Stick to easy meals or takeout. The list below includes more items than you’ll need; pick among them based on the types of food your family usually prepares.

Hanging up and folding all of your clothes is probably not the first task you’ll get to after a move. Keeping a few essentials on hand will guarantee you don't have to. And remember, you’re just unpacking—no need to pull out your sartorial finest.

In a perfect world, the home you move into will be sparkling clean when you arrive. But more likely, you’ll be spending the first few nights with dust and grime and a graveyard of dead bugs. A few basics will help you clean up the worst of it.

While you’re unpacking, organizing, and settling in, a whole array of unpredicted tasks will emerge. Whether that's prying open a stubborn box or quickly repairing the broken toy your kid "can't live without," some basic tools will keep the day from erupting.

In the rush and bustle of a move, it's easy to forget to set aside some of your most important items. These should remain with you, not packed up with your movers.

We know moving with babies and small children is no easy feat. Keeping them comfortable and well-fed will ease their transition into the new space. Pick and choose the things you know you won't be able to live without.

A few basics will go a long way towards ensuring you’re not scrambling at the last minute to find the proper pet gear. Again, pick and choose the basics you know you can't be without.

Make any downtime pleasurable with some smaller items:

This article was edited by Daniela Gorny and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Dorie Chevlen

Dorie Chevlen is a staff writer from Youngstown, Ohio, now living in Los Angeles. She has worked as a copy editor, fact checker, and sandwich maker, but this is probably her favorite gig. Her writing has also been published in Science, Slate, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. She has been called—both flatteringly and not—"a lot."

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