Moving in can be a stressful activity, and we all know it. It can be really hard to get used to a new living space, but here are some ways to make it feel like home in no time at all.
When moving in, the first thing you should focus on is getting the essential items and furniture set up. Don’t worry about decorations and whatnot until you can actually physically live in the new apartment. These essentials include your bed, sofa, and tv. The sooner your basic needs for rest and entertainment are met the easier it will be to get comfortable and start turning the place into your home. Being able to sleep in your own bed outweighs setting your new end table by an order of magnitude. The sofa and tv/entertainment are important because they’re large and will create a more comfortable environment in areas other than your sleeping room. Silverware and cooking supplies are also high priorities, if you’re not able to cook and eat your own food in your own apartment, are you even really living there? Once your basic survival and comfort needs are met, you can worry about making it look nice, and decorate to your heart’s content.
Another great thing to do when moving in is to familiarize yourself with the area around your new home. Go on walks to figure out nearby landmarks, stores and restaurants in the area. The more familiar you become with your new surroundings the more comfortable you’ll feel in your new home. Find new hangouts, figure out what is and isn’t within walking distance, learn what your options for shopping and transit are. The more you can find out in a short time and the more exploring you do, the better off you’ll be. This familiarity doesn’t just extend to places, get to know the people as well. Build connections to the businesses and residents near to where you live. Say hello to your neighbors, get to know the local businesses and restaurant workers. You don’t need to become close friends with them or anything, just make sure they’re no longer just strangers. Familiarity with people and places around you is a great way to get more comfortable with a new home, and making sure your neighbors have a good impression of you is always a smart move.
After you’ve finished moving in your basic essentials, you can focus on turning your new residence into a proper home. Decorate your walls with pictures, posters, tapestries, or hanging art pieces that express your interests and personality. Set up plants (real or fake), lamps, end tables, and other decorations to make the area more cozy and recognizable. This is your home now, and it should look and feel the part. Make your sofa and living room as comfortable as possible with chairs, pillows, rugs and maybe a space heater if you want. Another great way to get more comfortable in your new home is to invest in comfortable bedding. Make sure your pillows, sheets, and blankets are as comfortable and cozy as can be. If you can’t sleep well in your own home, in your own bed, can it really be called your home? Another great way to make your new living space feel like a home is to set up at least one or two pictures of family members or friends. It’s good to see familiar faces, and even if they’re just pictures, they’ll help you feel more at ease in your new environment.
When first moving in, make sure the places you put the most effort into making comfortable are the places you know you’ll spend most of your time. In my opinion, you should prioritize your bedroom/sleeping area above all others. Decorate this area and make it comfortable as soon as possible, as you’ll be spending a lot of time there and you don’t want to feel like a stranger when in your own bed. Once the bedroom is set up to your liking, you should focus on the living room/dining area, as you’ll probably spend a lot of time there too, especially if that’s where you set up your entertainment options or workstation. Areas like bathrooms and kitchens don’t need as much effort to get familiar with, as you’ll end up becoming accustomed to them the more you use them, and using those areas are kind of required for survival. In short, put more effort into places you know you’ll spend a lot of your time, and the more comfortable you feel in those parts of your new home, the faster you’ll settle into your new home as a whole.
Remember how I said familiar faces make moving in easier? This is the best way to take advantage of that. If you’re able to, invite friends or family who are nearby to come and check out your new home. Any place feels more like a home when it becomes a hangout spot for friends and family, and having familiar faces in this new environment will help you build a positive association and become more comfortable with your new home. If you can’t get them to come in person, you can aways use Zoom or another video-calling app to give them a virtual tour or just have a conversation with them. Another positive effect of inviting people over is that it makes you think about how your new home looks to others. You naturally hold yourself to a higher standard when hosting guests, and if they know you well they can offer input on how to make your new home even more welcoming. If you make any new friendships in the area, be sure to invite them over as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, as new friends help build a sense of belonging just as well as old friends do.
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