Unpacking year-by-year walkthrough: rooms and placement from 1997 to 2018
Each year's hints are separate from concrete placement examples. From 1997 to the final home, check furniture interiors, items for other rooms, and special photograph or certificate placements.
Edition: Unpacking PC (Steam) base game. Normal placement rules are the baseline; Allow items anywhere is explained separately. Covers 25 Steam achievements, excluding the PlayStation platinum and mobile or Unpacking+ specifics
Verification scope: Public sources cross-checked on 2026-10-04. Installed build and every possible placement cell have not been exhaustively tested. Left/right clicks refer to PC defaults; use current bindings if changed
Sources checked: 2026-10-04
38 / 38 rows
Searching does not open answer tables. Choose the answer you want to reveal.
Read the current year's hints, then open the solution only if needed
This walkthrough follows normal placement rules in the PC base game. Suggested locations are one workable arrangement, not the only decorative layout. Items and drawer contents vary according to what you have already moved.
- Check the year and first unpack rooms with boxes remaining
- Read that year's hints, opening its solution only if still stuck
- After placing things, confirm the red outlines are gone, then select the star to finish
House layouts and room names can also reveal later developments. Keep answers for unreached years closed.
1997 hints
Start in one room by learning to arrange shelves, store things inside furniture, and hang decorations on walls.
- Hint 1: closed doors and drawers can hide storage surfaces
- Hint 2: use shelves and floor space rather than filling the desk with large toys
- Hint 3: would a lockable book normally be left on display?
Answer 3 (spoilers)
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1997 placement examples and completion checks
This year has one bedroom. Open the desk drawers and cupboard beneath the window before organizing to see your storage options.
- Once all boxes are empty, check outlines inside furniture too
- When the star appears, select it to move to the next year
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Items often left over | Example placement | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Lockable diary | Desk drawer | Store separately from ordinary books |
| Posters and wall pictures | Walls | Do not try to store a poster rolled up on a shelf |
| Stuffed toys | Bed | Their order is not fixed |
| Books and stationery | Books on shelves; stationery on the desk or in drawers | Keep some desk space free |
| Board games and similar items | Cupboard beneath the window | Open the doors to use its shelves |
| Backpack | Floor beside the desk | Do not leave it held by the cursor |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Unpacking the camera earns Make some memories. Extra actions with the cube puzzle and music player are covered in the achievement guide.
2004 hints
The first year with several rooms. Consider where an item is used rather than placing it indiscriminately on an empty shelf.
- Hint 1: some items belong in a different room from their box
- Hint 2: towels come in different sizes and have several possible hanging places
- Hint 3: reserve desk space for large equipment before placing small objects
Answer 5 (spoilers)
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2004 placement examples and completion checks
There are three rooms: bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Carry any clothes unpacked in the bathroom to the bedroom.
- Move items belonging in other rooms, such as clothing, first
- When shelves fill up, choose storage surfaces by item size rather than how often you use them
- Fix outlines in all three rooms and select the star
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Room | Specific placement | Final check |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Put the monitor, keyboard, and mouse on the desk; clothes in the wardrobe and underwear in drawers | Have books filled the desk and left no space for equipment? |
| Kitchen | Dishes on upper shelves, cutlery and small cooking tools in drawers beneath the stove, and pots in cupboards | Have you opened the shallow drawer and the section below it? |
| Bathroom | Toothbrushing and washing supplies near the sink; larger supplies in storage beneath it | Try the sink rail for the hand towel and door hook for the large towel |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Placing the cookie jar on a high kitchen shelf is an achievement action. Finishing the room normally does not automatically unlock every achievement.
2007 hints
Existing belongings help suggest how free spaces are used. Compare your possessions with the surrounding objects rather than considering your items alone.
- Hint 1: small star and heart decorations have a surface they can stick to
- Hint 2: if shelves seem insufficient, check the top of the screen and below tables
- Hint 3: a long wooden brush is not necessarily an art tool for the desk
Answer 7 (spoilers)
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2007 placement examples and completion checks
Five rooms: bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom. Move confusing small objects to their intended room and compare them with existing belongings.
- Carry toiletries to the bathroom and dishes to the kitchen
- Put bedroom underwear in drawers and unframed photos on the board above the bed
- Check outlines in all five rooms
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Room or item | Example placement | Avoiding oversights |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen stars and hearts | Attach them to the refrigerator door | Treat them as magnets |
| Box labeled Rascal in the living room | Lower shelf of the central low table | Check the space underneath, not only the tabletop |
| Dining-room decorations and books | Tall shelving | Move the view upward to check the top shelf |
| Long-handled wooden bathroom brush | Hook inside the shower | Do not confuse it with kitchen utensils or art supplies |
| Bedroom computer tower | Compartment beneath the desk | Keep the monitor, keyboard, and similar equipment on the desktop |
| Bedroom yoga mat and weights | Storage space such as beneath the bed | Rotate to place them without sticking out |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Powering the console and using the green hat are optional achievement actions convenient in this year. Keep these separate from completion requirements.
2010 hints
The rooms already contain many possessions before your new boxes arrive. Check whether you can move existing objects to make room.
- Hint 1: check inside and beneath furniture as well as shelves
- Hint 2: grouping existing objects of the same kind can free compartments for smaller items
- Hint 3: a framed object cannot necessarily be hung on a wall
The developer identifies a particular framed-item problem in this year as a placement puzzle. You need not immediately assume it is a bug.
Answer 9 (spoilers)
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2010 placement examples and completion checks
Four rooms: living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Organize existing household objects to make room for new belongings.
- Move kitchen items, clothes, and similar objects unpacked in the bathroom to their intended rooms
- Organize existing belongings one by one to free storage surfaces
- Select the star after all outlines, including the diploma's, disappear
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Troublesome item or location | Solution or placement example | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Framed diploma | Put it beneath the bedroom bed | Move smaller items out of the space first if needed |
| Bedroom clothes | Group existing wardrobe clothes and hang or fold yours in the free space | Check underwear drawers too |
| Yoga mat or bag | Free space beneath the bed | Leave enough room for the diploma as well |
| Living-room books and games | Distribute them across existing shelves and spaces such as the low table's lower shelf | Do not force everything onto one shelf |
| Small bathroom objects | Washstand drawers and shelves | Put the long wooden brush on the shower hook |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Gathering coffee equipment and grouping existing underwear are optional achievements. You may interpret relationships through the diploma's storage, but this guide separates actions from interpretation.
2012 hints
Familiar furniture contains different belongings. Examine existing storage as well as the new boxes.
- Hint 1: if low shelves are full, look up toward the ceiling
- Hint 2: you need not display every photo in the same way
- Hint 3: look inside opened furniture for something you could display again
Answer 11 (spoilers)
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2012 placement examples and completion checks
Two rooms: bedroom and washroom/bathroom. Under normal settings, if one photo alone has a red outline, look for somewhere to store it out of sight.
- Open the cupboard beneath the window and make room for the photo
- Hang the old rolled poster on the wall to pursue Rediscover childhood
- Check boxes and outlines in both rooms, then finish
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Item or location | Solution or placement example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Photo of two people | Inside the cupboard beneath the window | Separate it from the other photos displayed on the board |
| Numerous books | Shelves near the ceiling or beside existing books | Zoom out or move the view to inspect upper shelves |
| Framed certificate | Walls | Do not assume it uses the same storage as in 2010 |
| Cup unpacked in the washroom | Right side of the sink | Do not assume it belongs elsewhere merely because it resembles a drinking cup |
| Stuffed toys and yoga mat | Toys on the bed; mat beneath it | Check that no box remains hidden behind small objects |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
If the photo has a red outline, open the cupboard and put it inside rather than on top. Look in the under-window storage for the old poster, separate from the new boxes.
2013 hints
Sort different kinds of tools by room. Separate items for desk work, living-room use, and wearing before arranging them.
- Hint 1: long objects can have upright holders rather than shelf storage
- Hint 2: clothing storage may differ from the drawers used in earlier years
- Hint 3: consider upright surfaces such as walls and the refrigerator too
Answer 13 (spoilers)
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2013 placement examples and completion checks
Five rooms: bedroom, living room, workspace, kitchen, and bathroom. Work equipment increases, so avoid filling the desk with everyday household items.
- Gather work tools unpacked elsewhere into the workspace
- Check underwear with changed storage and long objects first
- Fix outlines in every room and select the star
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Room | Example placement | Common sticking point |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Underwear in the purple wardrobe storage box; clothing on shelves or hangers | This storage differs from the earlier drawers |
| Living room | Umbrella and cane in the holder near the TV stand; console on the TV stand | Do not keep trying to lay long objects flat |
| Workspace | Computer and art supplies on the desk and nearby storage; framed items on walls and papers on the board | Distinguish unframed drawings or pictures from framed items |
| Kitchen | Pots and colanders in lower cupboards, cooking tools in drawers, and magnets on the refrigerator | Reserve space for large appliances such as the microwave first |
| Bathroom | One toilet-paper roll on the holder; spare rolls in storage | Check the bath-brush hook and space beneath the sink too |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
The achievement guide covers equations with number magnets and changing the microwave display. These require more than ordinary refrigerator or kitchen tidying.
2015 hints
If unpacking the boxes is not enough to finish, inspect items already in the rooms or sitting on top of boxes.
- Hint 1: focus on new kinds of items rather than the number of rooms
- Hint 2: find a suitable place for every plant, including small pots
- Hint 3: make room for the new belongings within existing storage
Answer 15 (spoilers)
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2015 placement examples and completion checks
Another person's belongings arrive at the same home as in 2013. Visit all five rooms, including the workspace with few boxes.
- Gather room plants before unpacking. Check the living room, bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen, plus the small workspace cactus
- Put plants on surfaces accepted under normal rules, such as the shelf beneath the living-room window. Do not leave them on boxes
- Organize added clothing in the wardrobe, separating underwear into storage boxes
- Use kitchen cupboards, drawers, and counters for cooking items, and bathroom shelves or sink space for toiletries
- Group existing living-room objects to free shelving for books, games, and decorations
- Check outlines in every room to finish. Putting the new tiger toy beside the existing pig is an achievement action
Ten plant pots provide the achievement checklist. Even with free placement enabled, leaving plants in locations that normal rules reject may prevent the achievement.
2018 hints
In the final home, similar household items can have different users or purposes. Use each room's furniture to sort them instead of grouping everything together.
- Hint 1: switch floors on the plan so no area remains unvisited
- Hint 2: separate items for washing, dressing, and working
- Hint 3: consider whether small clothes and hygiene supplies belong in the same storage as before
Answer 17 (spoilers)
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2018 placement examples and completion checks
Ten rooms: entrance, living room, dining room, kitchen, workspace, bedroom, dressing room, nursery, large bathroom, and small toilet. Check the laundry area inside the large bathroom too.
- After inspecting one floor, check the other on the floor plan
- Check that nursery supplies have not been mixed into adult washing or clothing storage
- After every box disappears, inspect small items hidden inside drawers, the bathtub, or behind shelves
- Select the star to finish the main game. Revisit years through the same album to find remaining achievements
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Area | Items to organize first | Example placements for items often left over |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | Shoes, umbrellas, and canes | Shoes on the lower shoe rack; umbrellas and canes in an upright holder. Use the dressing room for surplus shoes too |
| Kitchen and dining room | Dishes, cooking equipment, and tableware | Small utensils in drawers, magnets on the refrigerator, and coasters on the table |
| Living room | Books, games, and cushions | Media on shelves or the TV stand; fabric items on the sofa |
| Workspace | Computer, art supplies, and books | Unframed pictures on the desk board, books in the bookcase, and clear desktop space for work equipment |
| Bedroom and dressing room | Bedding, clothing, and shoes | Fabric items and stuffed toys on the bed; clothes in clothing storage. The space beneath the bed can hold a long mat too |
| Large bathroom | Washing, bathing, and laundry supplies | Blue non-slip mat and duck in the bathtub; laundry supplies on shelves by the washing machine |
| Small toilet | Towels, paper, and soap | Check the fitted holder, sink, and left-hand shelf |
| Nursery | Small clothes, diapers, and toys | Clothes and boxed diapers in changing-table drawers, wiping supplies on top, and the pacifier in the crib |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
This year has two toilets. For Gotta flush 'em all, operate both the toilet in the large bathroom and the one in the small toilet room.
Checks when you cannot identify the last item
Under normal settings, invalid-placement outlines are the clue before completion. In a large home, visiting even apparently empty rooms before inspecting outlines helps prevent omissions.
- Check your selected outline color
- Zoom out and inspect other rooms and the other floor
- Empty remaining boxes and place any held item
- Open cupboards and drawers, and look behind stacked objects
- Move only an outlined item and test it
Use Allow items anywhere if you want to progress without solving placement correctness. Keep that separate from meeting each achievement's conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Must I decorate exactly like the guide?
No. These are examples of workable storage. Any location that removes the outline under your normal settings can be used.
Is it a bug if a location accepted in an earlier year no longer works?
Some placement requirements change with the year and home. Check your current year and use its hints.
How can I use this without learning later developments?
Read only hints for a year you have reached, opening that year's solution if needed. Later room layouts also convey story clues, so keep those answers closed.