Home is not always about the structure you live in—the area surrounding that structure can be just as important. When moving to a new community or city, getting to know the area can do a lot to help you feel more at home. Here are a few pointers to help you get more familiar with a new area as a new resident. Visit the Local Visitor’s Center Once you have moved and have a few minutes to spare, look up the local visitor center and plan a visit. These organizations can serve those beyond people who are just passing through the town. Also, the centers’ workers are usually well-versed in everything the community offers. They

Moving to a new city or a new home in the same town can be bittersweet. It means getting exciting about living in a new home or new surroundings, but it can also mean stress. This stress is often associated with change, financial challenges, and the time-consuming tasks of packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking. These simple yet effective tips will help you prepare for your next move, so you can continue being excited without all the stress. Recognizing Your Stress Relieving stress involves understanding what is causing it. For example, moving stress is often associated with three factors; change, time, and money. That’s because moving always involves all three. Moving may mean that you’ll be

The average individual will move at least 11 times in their life. Each time you pick up your belongings and transition to a new place to live, you leave home behind and have to make the new house feel just as comfortable.  While much of settling in involves time spent at the new address, a few simple things may help your new house feel much more like your home quicker. 1. Display Family Photos Psychology tells us that the mind uses human faces for more than just recognition. We are comforted by familiar faces, so the quicker you get your new place filled with family photos, the quicker you feel that home comfort is settling

You’ve contacted your utility companies, scheduled a moving service, and started packing —  but what about your mail?   Your to-do list is long when you’re moving, and it’s easy to overlook items such as mail forwarding. Fortunately, the United States Postal Service (USPS) offers easy ways to change your address and have your mail forwarded to your new address. However, you probably have a few questions, such as how long the USPS will forward your mail, when you should notify the post office of your upcoming move, and what you do if your move is temporary? Read on to learn all about how, when, and why to forward your mail when you move. Which

On a list of complex items to pack and move, books come in low on the stress-o-meter rankings — right? After all, they’re flat, (usually) rectangular, and tend to fit neatly into containers without much hassle. However, there’s one pesky reason why you shouldn’t just throw all your book into boxes, tape them up, and call it good: weight. When packed together, books are heavy — very heavy. That means it’s all too easy for improperly packed boxes to break open in transit, resulting in books spilling out into the moving truck. Avoid the mess and potential damage to your books. Read on to learn how the experts recommend packing your books for a move.