7 Easy Ways to Make Your New House Feel Like Home
Moving into a new house can be stressful. You’ve likely spent a lot of time choosing the right neighborhood and the best house for you and your family. You also know the transition involves paperwork, phone calls, transfer of utilities and services, and a lot of patience. But after you move in, you’ll likely need time before you feel at home in the new environment.
The following seven ideas will help you settle in quickly and easily, making your new house feel just like home.
1. Spring Clean as You Pack for Your New House
Believe it or not, you shouldn’t bring everything you own to your new house. Treat packing like spring cleaning. Consider each item before you pack it so you don’t clutter your new home with unwanted or unusable items. Before you stow an item in a moving box, ask:
- Is it something you need in your new home?
- Does it work properly?
- Is it something you use daily, weekly, by season or not at all?
- Does it have sentimental value?
If the item isn’t a keeper, trash it, recycle it or find it a new home. For items that are in good working order or still usable, make a little extra moving cash by selling them at a yard sale. Or, choose a charity and donate the goods. In many cases, your donation could be tax deductible.
2. Pack by Sight and Sound
Getting used to a new house means getting used to new sights and sounds. From the buzz of the refrigerator to morning traffic outside the window, the first few weeks can be a cacophony of new experiences. Feeling at home in your new space is easier if you surround yourself with familiar sights and sounds. Try packing a “sights and sounds” box with things like a favorite clock, framed pictures or other treasured knick-knacks, so you bring what looks and sounds like home into your new house.
3. Prioritize Unpacking When You Move In
Packing by room is usually a given. But when you unpack, prioritize your rooms by which ones will help you ease into your new house. If the kitchen is your favorite room, unpack the kitchen first. If you have small children, pack special boxes they can unpack themselves in their new rooms. Another great idea is to pack a backpack or suitcase with your daily items, such as medicines, makeup, personal care items, chargers or journals, so you won’t have to go searching for what you need most the first day in your new home.
4. Get Back Into Your Routine at Your New House
The sooner you get back into your regular routine, the quicker you’ll feel at home in your new house. If you can unpack all your belongings quickly, you will soon get back into the swing of things. Even if you’re having to work your schedule around unpacking a little at a time, maintain as much of your regular routine as possible. Adjust to your new surroundings gradually, incorporating the old with the new.
5. Make Your New Home “Scent”-sational
Whether it’s the smell of a wonderful home-cooked meal or your favorite essential oils, making your new house smell like home helps you relax. Baking, cooking or turning on a diffuser not only brings recognizable scents but can also rid your house of other smells. New homes may have smells of construction work. Older homes may have lingering smells of previous tenants. You can safely remove those scents and feel more at home by introducing new smells. Try:
- Baking cookies or a pie
- Lighting a scented candle
- Using a diffuser with citrus oils
- Placing your favorite scented air fresheners around the house
6. Clean Your New House
Even if your new house was professionally cleaned before you moved in, you may still need to clean things up. Unpacking introduces dust and dirt. Breaking down moving boxes also drums up dust. If you have pets, they may have accidents before they get accustomed to their new environment. Break out the vacuum and a dust rag to tidy things up. Plus, that clean smell when you’re finished will help you feel right at home.
7. Decorate Your New Home to Make It Yours
Finally, add your own personal touches to your new house with old and new décor. Incorporate some pieces from previous homes, like photos and keepsakes, to bring in the familiar. But also try something new, like a throw blanket over the back of a chair or a new vase on the table, to brighten your rooms. You’ll add your own style and feel like you belong even quicker as you fill your space with special decorations.
Planning for the move into your new house makes the transition smoother. The less you have to worry about in your new house during and after the move, the more you’ll enjoy it and feel at home. Ayer Moving & Storage offers local moves within Massachusetts and interstate moves, as well as packing and storage services. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, Ayer Moving can move you! Contact us today to schedule your move.
