5 Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like Home

From organization to planning to the actual act of traveling, moving is a big task. Along with the strenuous to-do list, you often have to leave behind a familiar location for a new, unknown living situation.

Adjusting to a new house in a new place surrounded by new people often proves stressful or even scary! The experts at Wheaton understand the emotions that come along with relocating. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of five ways to make your new space feel like home!

5 Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like Home

1. Be Active

After a move, it can be easy to fall into a pattern of isolation. After all, you have things to unpack, a new home to decorate and a job to get to. However, resist the urge to spend all of your time alone in the house.

Staying active physically, socially and communally can help create a sense of comfort and home. Here are a few ways you can stay active after a move:

1. Exercise. Take time to exercise between unpacking, work and any family responsibilities you may have. You don’t have to do a full workout—even a walk around the block after dinner is great! Physical activity produces endorphins that will help keep you happy and healthy.
2. Join local clubs & organizations. Whether it’s church, the PTA or a book club, social communities help forge connections and create positive associations with your surroundings.
3. Shop locally. Chat with staff and fellow shoppers in order to get to know locals and the area.
4. Don’t fall into a rut. Try your best to actively participate in your new neighborhood. By getting to know your neighbors and the area, your new house will start to feel like home in no time!

2. Cultivate Living Things

You may find yourself grieving after you leave a cherished home. Some people experience depression after relocating. One of the best ways to combat these negative feelings is to invest your time in cultivating living things. For example:

1. Grow a garden. If you live in an apartment without land, place some herbs in your kitchen window. If you have a full-fledged yard, start small and slowly grow your garden! This will help you feel connected to your space and provide you with an activity in your new space.
2. Spend time with your children. Engaging with your own children can help you feel connected and also allow you to see how your kids feel about the move.
3. Take care of your pets. Spend constructive time with your pets learning the new neighborhood, playing, training or just cuddling. The unconditional affection of a pet can help you assimilate to unfamiliar surroundings.
4. Volunteer in the community. Look into volunteering at a local soup kitchen, an animal shelter, or another charitable organization. Not only will you connect with folks who care about their community, but you’ll root yourself in the community by taking care of others.

3. Decorate in a Comforting Color Palette

No matter what your preferred design aesthetic is, there’s no denying the power of the “right colors.” Deliberately choosing a color scheme that promotes calm, happiness and comfort can transform your new accommodations into a place you call your own! Depending on the mood you want to promote, consider the following color options:

• Earth Tones. Colors like rich reds, varying browns, darker golds and earthy greens create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. This is because “earthy tones” are easy on your eyes and stimulate the feelings of stability, reassurance and ease.
• Light colors, ocean tones and pastels like robin egg blue and pale pink provide a feeling of tranquility. Blues, in particular, produce feelings of peacefulness, calm and cleanliness.
• Warm Colors. Similar to earth tones, warm colors encourage comfort. Brighter colors like orange, yellow and red invigorate the mind and can increase your family’s energy levels.

4. Surround Yourself with Familiar Things

Although it’s important to experience new things in your environment, surrounding yourself with familiarity can help you adjust more quickly. You can take control of your circumstances in the following ways:

1. Celebrate holidays with long-standing traditions.
2. Cook your family’s favorite meals.
3. Light scented candles of the aroma you’re used to.
4. Play your favorite music.
5. Stay in contact with friends and family.

5. Unpack

This tip may seem like a no-brainer… but it’s crucial that you take your belongings out of their boxes and begin to set up your home. You may be tempted to live out of storage, especially if your current living arrangement is temporary, but this will only slow the adjustment process.

Unpacking, decorating and arranging your belongings and furniture create a feeling of control in your new surroundings. It also helps you get to know the house! It’s much easier to feel at home once you know which doors go with which keys, where to find each tripping hazard and how each cupboard and closet opens.

We Do More than Move Your Stuff; We Move Your Life.

Along with using the tips above to help you and your family make your new house a home, it can be extremely beneficial to get help from a professional moving company. At Wheaton, our number one priority is making your move as stress-free and simple as possible. Ready to get started with your move? Get an estimate from Wheaton today!