You’ve completed your move and are about done unpacking the last of your boxes. The house you’re now in doesn’t yet feel like your home, but that’s something you can remedy over time. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to make your new home your very own.

  1. Start with the closets. Your closets may not seem like important places in your home, but the two main ones — the foyer and the linen closet — will have an enormous impact on the way you live. Closets help keep you organized — you don’t want to spend wasted time looking for clean sheets and towels or for an umbrella, jacket and boots. Once those closets are done, then do the same in each room. Make it easy for your children to find their clothes, toys, books and other favorite items.
  1. Create familiar places and spaces. Unless you have the same floor plan in your new home as you did in your previous residence, you cannot recreate the layout precisely. What you can do is create entirely new areas that are familiar to you. For instance, if you had a place to hang your keys in your previous home, do likewise in your new home. A book nook to retreat to during the day can be fun as well. And if your children come home from school looking for snacks, place these in a familiar location too.
  1. Save the artwork for last. Your furniture is in place, the closets are filled, and you have sent your seasonal items to the attic. There is just one more thing that has been left undone and that is placement for your artwork. Here, you may be tempted to hang every painting and picture, but put this task off for a while. You want to get used to your home and that means you’ll be moving furniture around and making other changes to add new pop to your house. Only when you are completely settled in should you find places to hang paintings, mirrors and other decor.
  1. Fill it with pleasant smells. Make your home entirely inviting to your family as well as to your guests. Familiar fragrances can be brought out, including seasonal candles and flowers. The idea here is to help your family feel relaxed in a new environment.
  1. Make it comfortable. Smells can make your family feel comfortable, but there are other ways to do that as well. Bring out the large fluffy pillows for the sofa and add a throw or two with them. Make board games accessible for your children, and sign up for Netflix and Hulu to give your family the shows they want to watch. Every child’s bed should be their night-time sanctuary. Ensure that they feel comfortable and at home when they’re in their own rooms.
  1. Choose your favorite foods. If you’re still unpacking the kitchen, don’t fret here. What you don’t want to do is rely on takeout and delivery foods until you find every last pot and pan. Instead, keep your initial meals simple. If that means running to the store and buying pasta, sauce and meat, then so be it. You don’t want your family’s diet to fall victim to the move. Instead, create simple but delicious meals at first. Once your kitchen is up and running, then you’ll be ready to tackle the larger projects.

Welcome Home

It can take months to the better part of a year before you feel at place in your new home explains the Allied Moving Companies. The transition will probably happen gradually and not all at once. But there will come a day when you look around the house, see your family at rest, and realize that you are, indeed, at home.