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Originally Posted On: https://www.angelaricardo.com/how-to-get-settled-in-quickly/

Moving home can cause a lot of chaos. There’s a lot happening at the same time, from packing and unpacking to getting to know a new neighborhood. If you’ve moved far away from where you used to live, you might also have to deal with things like settling into a new job or finding friends. Getting settled in quickly is probably on your mind, especially if you find the process of moving particularly stressful. It’s important to give yourself plenty of time to get used to your new home, but you can also do some things to make it feel more like home after you’ve moved in.

If you’re preparing to move home and you want to make sure you get settled as soon as you can, use this guide to make your house a home as quickly as possible.

Pack Smartly
Before you’ve left your current home, you can start taking steps to get settled into your new home quickly. Packing smartly will help you to unpack in a quicker and more logical way too. Packing up your home by room is definitely helpful, as you’ll be able to place each box in the right room when you get to your new place. But think about where everything is going to go in your new home before you start packing. Maybe your books are currently in your bedroom but you want to move them to the living room when you move.

Get Help with the Move
The quicker you complete the move-in process, the faster you can start to settle into your new home. Everyone can use a bit of moving help, whether it’s from a team of professional movers or you get friends and family members to help you. If you decide to hire movers, they can lend you all of their professional experience and skills. They can often help you to pack up your stuff and they’ll load it all into their moving truck with efficiency and speed. When the move goes smoothly, you can start to work on other important things to help you settle in.

Don’t Delay the Admin
There can be a lot to do to get your new home set up. Making sure your utilities are set up and you’ve changed your address on everything can be boring and tedious, but it’s also necessary. By getting it out of the way as soon as you can, you can move on to other things without having it hanging over your head. You can get a headstart on it before you move, letting various people and organizations know that your address will be changing. Get as much done as you can before moving day and you won’t have to worry about it so much after.

Unpack Methodically
If packing in a smart way is essential, so is unpacking smartly. You want to do it quickly so you don’t have boxes hanging around your new home for weeks or even months. But if you unpack too hastily, it could cause a bit of a mess. You might start by unpacking some of the most important things, such as kitchen and dining items that you need to use. But after the first day or so, make sure you’re unpacking everything room by room instead of just taking something out when you need it. Get unpacked quickly and you’ll soon start to feel more at home.

Help Kids and Pets Get Settled
Moving home can be stressful for anyone, but families with kids and pets can find it particularly stressful. Both children and animals can find it difficult to adjust when their routine is disrupted and they’re moved to a new place. If you’re moving with children, you can help them to get used to the idea of moving before the big day. Visiting your new home, if possible, and allowing them to pick out a room and start thinking about how to decorate it can go a long way. Pets might not understand the move, but you can still help them to settle in by ensuring they have their own space where they can adjust.

Introduce Yourself to the Neighbors
Getting to know the neighbors is an important part of moving into a new neighborhood or even onto a new street. Some people might not bother, but it can prove to be very useful later. If you want to raise a dispute or you need some help, it’s much easier if you’ve already introduced yourself and know who your neighbors are. Some neighbors might come to visit you, but you can also make the effort to knock on their doors to say hello. You could introduce yourself to your immediate neighbors and if you want to make others on the street aware that you’ve moved in, consider leaving them a note or card.

Get Into a Routine
Getting into a regular routine as soon as possible will help you to settle into your new home and get used to being there. Your routine might change slightly after you’ve moved, but matching it to your previous routine can help your new place to feel like home more quickly. When you get into the rhythm of doing all of your usual things, you’ll start to feel like you’re really at home. It makes the move less of a big deal, ensuring that although the move itself might have felt like an upheaval, it was just part of your normal life.

Explore the Neighborhood and Connect with the Community
After meeting your neighbors, look for opportunities to participate in the wider community too. That might mean going to local stores and cafes, finding a gym, dropping into the bakery, or taking the kids to the nearest park. All of these things can familiarize you with the surrounding area and help you to start getting more involved with your local community. You might start to recognize people as you get around. Even if you don’t, you’ll start to learn your way around the place and it will start to feel more familiar to you.

Consider a Housewarming Party
Housewarming parties aren’t for everyone, but a lot of people enjoy them as a way to officially mark the beginning of a new chapter in their life. A housewarming party can be whatever you want it to be. When you’re younger, it might be beer and pizza with your friends, but perhaps it’s more likely to be a dinner party or some quiet drinks when you’re older. You can invite your friends and family, and you might extend an invitation to the neighbors if you want to get to know them better. You might want to wait until you’ve unpacked and got everything straightened out before you have a party.

Start Making Your Home Yours
Unpacking your things will definitely help you to get settled into your new home, but you will probably want to start making some changes too. If nothing else, you might want to carry out some light decorating such as repainting. If you want to make any larger alterations or renovations, it could be a good idea to wait until you feel a little more settled. Before you make any major changes, check if there are any rules you might have to follow. This is especially important if you’re part of an HOA and want to make any changes to your outside space.

Start getting settled into your new home as soon as you can. When you start to make an effort to settle in, you can find your place and feel more at home.