Image by Jlyne Hanback from Pixabay

Moving into a new home for the first time can be a daunting, and potentially alienating, experience. After the stress of the move is behind you, it might seem like a good moment to settle down and unwind. But if you don’t yet feel at home in your new environment, this can be difficult.

As such, it’s often a good idea to take steps to make yourself at home quickly. But exactly what do these steps look like?

Personalise Your Space From Day One

You don’t have to spend major money on refurbishment, or commit to any changes that will take several weeks to bear fruit. In many cases, it’s possible to get the ball rolling with the help of a few simple changes, here and there. You might hang art in key locations, decorate your living room with soft furnishings, or distribute a few pleasant fragrances in key locations. This can help to make a space feel familiar – especially if you were using the same paintings and fragrances in your old residence.

New-build homes tend to excel in this respect. They’re often decorated and furnished in a very neutral way, which means that they’ll act as a blank canvas for whatever touches you’d like to apply. This has another advantage, in that it’ll be easier to make changes once you get bored with your current decor.

Build Comfort Through Routines and Familiar Touches

Feeling comfortable in your surroundings often means building the right associations and habits. If you make pour-over coffee from scratch in your kitchen every morning, and assemble the family around the dining room table each evening, then you’ll find a pleasant routine that’s worth settling into.

The feelings of warmth you get from a home are often a product of the memories you make in it, and the energy you put into developing it. Concentrate on the more important parts of the home, like the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms. It’s in these areas that you’ll spend much of your time, and so they should be given a suitable amount of care and attention when it comes to decoration and furniture.

Connect With Your Community and Environment

If you aren’t integrated into your neighbourhood, then you might struggle to feel grounded in it. Make sure that you get into the habit of walking around the area, and chatting to the people you meet. Get into the habit of picking up essentials from the local convenience store, even if the supermarket is slightly cheaper.

Remember also that many neighbourhoods have a digital component, courtesy of modern social media sites. Find out whether there’s a local group on Facebook, and introduce yourself. You might find that there are other, hidden groups that you’ll want to involve yourself with.

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