Moving isn’t easy and is often emotionally charged. You’re leaving behind your old, familiar and comfortable home, a place where you made many fond memories, into a new house in a new neighborhood, or a strange new building you don’t know. You’re going to feel out of place and unsettled — at least initially. With the right attitude, some effort, and these tips you can turn your new house into a home and start this new chapter in your life on the right foot:
Clean
Cleaning your new house should be a top priority, as soon as you move in. Not only will it allow you to get rid of the dirt and dust, but it will also allow you to get acquainted with the place. You can scope out likely areas for your favorite furniture and household items. Additionally, by washing the walls and floors, steaming the carpets, and dusting out the nooks and crannies, you’ll feel happier and more at ease.
Decorate
After you’ve cleaned, you should decorate your new place with knickknacks and colors that make you happy. Paint your walls to begin with. According to The Spruce, neutral pink is the best color for hallways and entryways, yellows are good for kitchens, green for the nursery, and deep blues for bedrooms. Hang up art — whether old pieces you’ve collected or new ones you’ve always wanted. Indoor plants can be soothing.
Arrange
Unpack and arrange your furniture after you’ve done decorating. Going by The Apartment Theory, you should prioritize function over form — your furniture should be arranged practically so that you move comfortably. Balance is also important — you want to evenly place bigger pieces around the room, with smaller pieces to complement the placement.
Safeguard
A home is a place of safety, a retreat from the troubles of the external world. Of course, that’s assuming the outside world can’t get in. Install deadbolts, set up a home security system, and make sure your windows can’t be opened from outside.
Safety also extends to pests — you want your new place to be free of mice, cockroaches, and termites. If you see signs of pest activity like droppings, nesting, or damage to structures, work with a professional to get rid of the problem efficiently.
Add a touch of childhood
Place attachment, according to psychology, is the bond between a person and a place — like a childhood home. If you have fond memories of your childhood home, you can bring objects to your new place to recreate the attachment and feelings of safety and comfort. An old desk, an antique clock that’s been passed down, or a simple painting you inherited can add homeliness to your new house.
People make the home
Remember that your new house is just a building without people in it or someone to share it with. By making your new place a welcoming environment for you, your family, and your friends, you can make it a real home. Some simple ways to do so are throwing a housewarming party, inviting your loved ones over for dinner, preparing wholesome meals, and simply being a welcoming person in general.
Don’t forget that there’s nothing like old friends to help you feel more connected, regardless of whether you’re physically close by. While you’re working on making new friends and meeting your neighbors, why not refresh some old acquaintances, too? Sites like Classfinders allow you to reconnect with old classmates, and their lists are quite extensive. For instance, they have listings for six high schools in Beverly Hills alone.
Give it time
Your house won’t turn into a home overnight. Home is memories, emotional bonds, love, and attachments as much as it is a comfortable place to be. It will take time for you to get your new place just right, and it will take even longer for you to build memories with your loved ones there. Everyone settles in at a different place, and not everyone is an emotional person. You’ll get there, eventually.
Treat your move as an adventure and focus on making your new house a place you love. As they say, the home is where the heart is — if you manage to make your new place a place where you love to be, it will turn into a home in no time.