Moving can be a transformative experience, particularly if you’re moving long-distance to a new state or country. Once you’ve moved all of your stuff, however, that’s when the settling begins. Getting used to a new location can be overwhelming at first, but we’ve compiled a five-step process to make it easier. Here’s what you need to know.
Step One: Start With the Basics
First, you should take care of all the practical elements of moving into a new home. These components can include setting up new utilities, forwarding mail, and getting your internet hooked up and ready to go.
Other essential elements to focus on can include finding the nearest gas station, grocery store, department store, and local restaurants. You don’t need to figure out your “go-to” spots right now, but having an idea of what’s in the area will give you a decent foundation.
Step Two: Assess Before You Unpack
While your instinct may be to unpack as you move in, it’s often better to wait a few days before diving into your moving boxes. Ideally, your furniture should get moved into place first; then, you can rearrange boxes so that they’re where they need to be. You can also figure out where smaller items can go, such as decorations, end tables, and more.
If you’re not sure about a room, you can leave miscellaneous boxes in it for the time being. Start with the rooms you know about for sure (i.e., the kitchen and bedrooms), then move onto other parts of the home.
Step Three: Unpack as Quickly as Possible
Once you finish your assessment, you don’t want to be staring at moving boxes for weeks on end. Unpacking quickly and efficiently can help your new place feel like home since it will be filled with everything you own. As with packing, it’s best to start with more oversized items and work your way down. Rearrange furniture, place area rugs, and hang any large items like mirrors. If you need to do any light installation (i.e., shelving or mounted TVs), do those things first, too.
Step Four: Decorate
Staring at blank walls and furniture can make your new home feel empty and unwelcoming. So, adding some decorations and flourishes can help you feel more at home as quickly as possible. Even if you’re not 100-percent sure where you want everything to go, you can put decorations in one spot for now and move them later on.
Step Five: Explore
If you made a list of local spots to visit, spend a day or two exploring them. Even if you don’t need to buy much, walking through the shops and the neighborhood can help you get a feel for which areas you’d like to spend more time in later on.
Hopefully, there are places within walking distance, and try to bundle trips in the same area. Overall, you should figure out where to get gas, buy groceries, clothing, furniture, and get your car serviced (i.e., an oil change).
Make Moving Easier With Us!
While we can’t help you feel more at home in your new place, we can help you get everything there quickly and efficiently. We can even help you unpack. So contact us today for moving help and see what we can do!