By Ali Larsen
You may be wondering what steps you can take to make your new home feel more like home. Here are some great ideas:
1. Create a calm, serene bedroom
Having a space where you can retreat and relax at the end of the day is essential, especially during those first chaotic weeks in a new home. Make setting up the bedroom your first priority. Make the bed, set up the nightstands and lamps, hang a mirror, and put up some artwork. It may be tempting to jump from one task to another when there’s so much to do, but resist. It’s worth the effort to enjoy a restful bedroom.
2. Take time to get organized
Whether you opt to do it yourself or hire a professional organizer/closet designer to help you, carving out time to get a few key areas neat will make life in your new home much more pleasant. Instead of putting things away in your new space as quickly as possible, slow down, paying particular attention to the closets, drawers, and garage or storage shed.
3. Fill your shelves with books
Shelves full of books make a home feel cozy and inviting. Perhaps you’d like to sort your books into sections by topic, genre, mood, or alphabetically? Whichever method you choose, don’t put off shelving your books: The sooner they’re on the shelves, the quicker you can sit down and read.
4. Host a casual kitchen dinner
It’s easy to put off cooking an authentic meal at home in a new space: Getting takeout is so much easier, especially when you don’t know where anything is. But once you’re settled in, getting in the kitchen to cook dinner is a great way to feel more at home in your new place. Let it be imperfect and straightforward – and if it’s not all homemade, no big deal. The important thing is to get started. After all, you’re not just cooking … you’re creating the first memories of good times in your new home.
5. Hang some hooks
7. Display family photos
It’s hard to put the first holes into pristine walls, but hanging up photos is one of the best ways to personalize your new space and make it feel like your own. If you’re unsure about where you ultimately want your family photo wall to go, consider using removable picture-hanging hooks or strips instead of a hammer and nails. That way, you won’t have to fill holes if you decide to move things around in a few months.
8. Clean the home from top to bottom
You’d think a new (or new-to-you) home would be clean – but the truth is, the moving process creates a lot of dirt and grime. Giving your home a top-to-bottom cleaning is a great way to start fresh in your new space.
9. Bring in houseplants
Houseplants literally bring a breath of fresh air into the home. If you’ve moved a long distance, maybe you had to give up your old houseplants before the move. Take note of light conditions in each room, and bring these notes along when you go plant shopping. Be sure to get pots, a watering can, and any other supplies needed to keep your new plants healthy and thriving.
10. Hang out on your front porch
One of the best ways to feel like part of the neighbourhood is by spending time on your front porch. Clean up your porch furniture, grab a tall glass of something good to drink, and set aside some time just to kick back and relax. Say hi or wave to neighbours passing by, let your kids play in the front yard, take your dog for a walk; in other words, let yourself be open to interaction. Before you know it, you’ll feel connected to your new home in a way that extends beyond its four walls.