How to Settle Into a New House

Simple tips and tricks on how to settle into a new home, make the most of your surroundings, and ensure that your transition runs smoothly.
Written by Liliana Pina
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
Whether you’re a
first-time homeowner
or
moving for the millionth time
, it can be difficult to figure out how to settle into a new home. There's no right or wrong way to begin your transition to a new house, but it is extremely helpful to have an actionable plan set up for whenever the big day arrives.
Here are some simple tips and tricks for how to move into a new house, and making the most our of your new surroundings—brought to you by
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Assess the space and plan

Staring at a gigantic pile of packed boxes can be daunting, but there are easy steps you can take to make sure this part of the moving process runs far more smoothly. If you assess the space before you move in and plan the layout of each room (and garage) beforehand, you can easily move the appropriate boxes and items from your
moving truck or van
to the correct rooms with minimal effort. If needed, you can also build furniture in same room it will be residing in.
Once the boxes are sorted, it's a good idea to focus on each area in the house and unpack every individual room one-by-one for maximum efficiency. And if people are helping you move, you can split up the work to get it done even faster!
Tip When moving furniture into a new place, put down rugs first because they can be very tricky (and sometimes nearly impossible) to rearrange after putting large furniture down.

Set up utilities

Once you’re unpacked, it's important to make sure you call your utility service providers to set up essential services (internet, gas/electric, water, trash removal, etc.) and alert them of your updated services and address. If you're a first-time homeowner, you may have utilities that you did not previously need to consider, so be sure to look over your housing agreement or contact your property management company with any questions you may have.

Change your address (and the locks)

The process of changing your address when moving is time-consuming, but it's an essential part of moving into a new home. Here are some places you must alert when you move to a new address:
  • Banks
  • Credit cards
  • Employer
  • IRS
  • Social Security
  • DMV/License
  • Subscription services
  • Friends and Family
  • Post office
  • Utility companies
Tip: If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you need to update, start with the most important services and programs and then work your way down the rest of the list at your own pace.
This is also a good time to install new locks on the doors. You never know who the previous owners may have given a key to when they owned the home.

Make the space your own

With all of that boring (but necessary) stuff out of the way, you can finally focus on the fun part: furnishing your home and decorating it inside and out! Many people refer to sites such as
HGTV
,
Crate and Barrel
,
West Elm
, and
Pinterest
to gain inspiration and figure out how to best utilize their new space.
Once you start hanging up your artwork and placing your belongings and memorabilia all around the house, it will certainly start to feel more like a home.
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Walk around your neighborhood

While conquering the interior of your home, be sure you take some time to walk around your new neighborhood and take stock of everything around you to make the most out of your living experience. Are there any grocery stores nearby? Any neighbors with interesting homes or pets? Observing your surroundings is the first step to becoming comfortable with them, so incorporating a walk into your daily routine has immense benefits. Plus, you get to meet new people every day!
Tip Do you have any children or pets? They can also struggle with living transitions, oftentimes worse than adults, so be sure to make every family member geel comfortable in your new neighborhood and bring them along on your adventures too!

Get involved

Once you feel comfortable being out and about in your neighborhood and have settled into your new home, it’s time to find ways to get involved with your local community. This will be a great way to connect and form long-lasting friendships with your neighbors and fellow community members. Even doing something as simple as trying out a local restaurant can widen your horizons, so don’t be scared to get out there!
Tip Check if your town has its own local newspaper, newsletter, or Facebook group to stay updated on community events and announcements throughout the year.

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