My husband and I both like our new home and are settling in very easily. I am so glad it waited to snow after our move and not during!
Moving is exhausting work, and you are worthy of a rest after all that work! So do that. It does not have to be all unpacked quickly. Who are you trying to impress? If you unpacked the essentials, leave it at that for a while. If you labeled everything well before the move and had a place in the new home to stack your bins and boxes, in my case, it was my huge walk-in closet, and you will realize there is no rush to unpack the things you don’t use every day. You might not have the drawers and cabinets perfectly organized, but there will be time to do that after you recuperate.
Don’t get right back into cooking meals from scratch. Instead, give yourself time to get settled. The average rate for settling in after a move is six months. It may be frustrating to find something, but the more organized you were before the move, the easier it will be to locate your items.
Here are my top 5 tips for after the move in:
TIP ONE:
Go out as soon as you can to your nearest grocer – in my case, and it is 1 mile from where I live. There you can stock up on easy meals that don’t require a lot of prep time. Keep it healthy. You don’t want to compromise your immune system after putting your body under such stress. I like this instant oatmeal that all I had to do is add hot water. More expensive than cooking it the regular way, but I needed the convenience it provided!
TIP TWO:
Keep all your horizontal surfaces clear. It will be a way to provide yourself with mental serenity. It may only be outward serenity, but that is a great start. So always clear your counters floors and make your bed, etc. Your home will never be this clean again, so try to keep it clean as far as possible. This is your chance to work on some new habits like loading the dishes in the washer as soon as you use them, putting things away in drawers in cupboards right after use, and giving the floor a quick vac as soon as you notice it needs it.
One of my purchases after this move was a small handheld, cordless vacuum. What a lifesaver. We have dark laminate flooring in the kitchen and living room, and things quickly appear on the floor. So it is so easy to do a quick vac and keep the floor looking lovely. I have a stick vac that I use weekly, but now I can keep things looking nice in-between times. Mine is a Bissell and it works great!
TIP THREE:
Keep a list of things your new place needs. In my case, it was a welcome mat and some hooks to hang things on our doors and inside cabinets. Hooks are a great way to keep things tidy and easy to locate! I like the 3M kind.
TIP FOUR:
Buy yourself some fresh flowers and maybe a pretty vase to put them in. Put them on your counter in the kitchen. Mine has lasted over a week now, and they are still looking great! It helps remind me to keep the counter cleared of clutter because I want the flowers to be a focal point and they can’t if they are surrounded by clutter! Place only the appliances you use frequently on your counters. In my case, it is the electric water kettle, the electric can opener, and the toaster.
TIP FIVE:
Find out where your local gym is and use it. Or just take walks every day or at least every other day. If it is too cold or icy outside, find an indoor place to walk like Walmart Home Depot or the mall. Again, just like eating healthy food, getting frequent exercise will energize you keep your spirits up. And if walking is hard for you, maybe find a pool or a good chair exercise class to go to. If there is a will there is a way!
I hope these tips will help you to settle into your new home more joyfully. Remember all that work you did before and during your move and realize now is the time to rest and not overdo it!