Transitioning To A New Home - Part 1
By Trish Ollom
Moving is a stressful time: from finding the perfect home to packing and physically moving. Here are some helpful tips to making those first few months go a little smoother.
First things first - Unpack. This may seem obvious but it’s important to take your belongings out of their boxes and begin to set up your home. Decorating and arranging your furniture creates a feeling of control in your new surroundings. It also helps you get to know the house.
Surround yourself with familiar things to help push things into falling into place. Even before you settle in entirely, you can make your control your circumstances in the following ways:
1) Paint a room or rooms with favorite colors. You know that gray you painted your bedroom in your last house? Bring that same color to your new bedroom.
2) Cook favorite meals. This may sound trite but cooking something you always make will help you acclimate to your new kitchen quicker and the smells of the familiar foods will fill your new house.
3) Play your favorite music.
4) Find the perfect spot for that family heirloom piece or that favorite piece of art - seeing it in your new home will brighten it up and add that familiarity to your new place.
Get outside the home and stay active. You may feel tempted to stay inside after a move because you are exhausted and still have so much to do - like unpack - but actively participating in your new neighborhood will help you feel more a part of it. It is proven that staying active-physically, socially, and communally helps to trigger important mental processes that help to create the sense of home.
1) Take time to exercise between unpacking, work, and your family responsibilities. You don’t have to do a full workout-even a walk around the block after dinner each evening will help and you will get to meet your neighbors.
2) Join local communities like a church, the PTA, a book club, the YMCA, the local Chamber of Commerce, etc. These help to make connections and create positive associations with your surroundings.
3) Get to know the local shops. Meet and chat with the staff who are wonderful resources in a new community. Chat with shoppers - they will always tell give you more tips and introduce you to more people. The more people you meet, the faster you acclimate to your new surroundings.
These are just a few tips to help you adjust to a new move. Of course if you find yourself struggling to adjust to your situation after you move in, reach out. Your friends, family, and neighbors can offer support and advice specific to your circumstances.
