Moving into a new home is an amazing experience. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of getting onto the property ladder and owning something that is actually yours, and you’re not contributing to some landlord’s wallet size. But when we move in, we can feel like we’re biting off more than we can chew. There could be a lot of work that needs doing, and as a result, it may not feel like home just yet. So if you are living with an up-ended sofa and piles of boxes surrounding you, here are a few ways to make your new house feel like a home.
Tackle the Major Issues
There could be a number of pressing issues, but your priority should be the health and safety of your loved ones. For example, if you’re moving into a home in the middle of winter and you notice that there are draughts coming through, upgrading your windows to get rid of those, but also tackling the other major areas will make a massive difference. Those major issues will potentially take a while to solve, but if you can get started one bit at a time, this will build your confidence.
Prioritise the Children’s Rooms
One of the most difficult parts of moving into a new home with children is the sense of upheaval in everybody’s lives. Children can feel that the most. They can have disrupted sleep or feel like they don’t want to move into this home. What we need to do at this point is to prioritise their rooms and ensure that it feels as close to the old bedroom as possible. Additionally, giving them some creative control over what they’d like to put on their walls, whether it’s wall stencils or a specific colour, will potentially make them more excited for their new home. There could be times when they feel a sense of longing for the old property, but this will pass; just make sure you give it time.
Recreate Familiar Sights and Sounds
A very little thing that can do a lot for us. If your old home had a clock in the middle of the kitchen, get this up as soon as possible. You’ll notice that, during quiet times, the ticking may very well provide some soothing sensations. Those things that made your old home feel like home need to be amped up in your new place.
Stick to Your Normal Routine
A new home may seem like a new opportunity to shake things up, but for the sake of everybody, including your kids, you need to create those regular routines that have made life easier for you. Even if you now have to start commuting to your new workplace for longer, it’s important to prioritise those little things that will make everybody feel settled in quickly. Ensuring that you make your home cosy could be one thing, but you can also prioritise something as simple as quality time with the kids, no matter how difficult it may be, because it will create a far more welcoming atmosphere and over time, on an unconscious level, will make us all feel far more settled.
