Moving to a new house is an exciting experience. You spend months planning the move, packing up all your possessions and putting your affairs in order. When the big day rolls around you hand back the keys to your current residence, move every single thing you own into your new place, then breathe a huge sigh of relief once you realise it is all over.
But continuing your life in a new house can feel a little strange at first. The walls are bare, the cupboards are empty, and it just doesn’t feel like home. Perhaps you find it a little difficult to relax and feel at ease.
This feeling will go away over time, as soon as you get settled into your new surroundings and establish a routine. But there are ways to speed up the process and make a beautiful homely environment for you and your family right away. Here are four tips to make your new place feel like home.
Unpack straight away
When you move home, you unpack all the important stuff right away. Your clothes, kitchen utensils, furniture, and electronic devices are all essential for day to day living. But you might take a little longer to get around to those lesser-used items like your book collection, photo frames, and workout equipment. These can end up sitting in their cardboard boxes in a corner, collecting dust until you finally remember they’re there. Your place will never feel like home if you’re still in the process of unpacking. Make an effort to complete the unpacking process in your first week of moving and find a place for everything you own. If you have no room for certain items but can’t bring yourself to throw them out, consider putting them into mobile storage to save space.
Get some plants
Nothing makes a home feel comfortable like a few well-placed bits of greenery. Houseplants have been shown to boost happiness, promote mental health, and even improve the quality of your home’s air. Not to mention the fact that they look lovely too. Find some attractive, low-maintenance plants at your local garden center and dot them around your home. Varieties like aloe vera, cacti, and spider plants are easy to care for, so you don’t need to worry about killing them.
Add some decor
You don’t have to be an interior designer to make a home look nice, but it’s worth making an effort to instill some character. Some colourful furnishings, artwork, and other decor items can really elevate your living space as well as make your new house more attractive to visitors. Many items can be purchased relatively cheaply from homeware stores and charity shops so you don’t need to break the bank to create a home you can be proud of.
Get to know the neighbourhood
You might be wrapped up in the moving process into your new house, but it’s a good idea to take some time to get to know your new surroundings. Go for regular walks and get to know the streets and trails around your home. This will help to make the change less daunting and you’ll feel a lot more comfortable in your new home.
