The thought of moving into your new home is exciting, but truly getting settled into that home can take a lot of time and effort. While you don’t want to be living your life out of boxes, you do want to take the time you need to do things in a conscientious way so the end result leaves you feeling right at home.
We’ve come up with a few ideas to help you get settled into your new surroundings with relative ease.
Start with the Basics
You probably want to jump right into setting up your new home, but you don’t want to get so focused on that task that you forget about some essential basics. For instance, you want to make sure that you’ve changed your address with the post office so that you start getting the mail at the new place. If you’re changing school districts, you want to register as soon as possible to get the paperwork out of the way and make sure the kids can attend their new school as soon as possible. Even if you’re staying at the same school, you’ll want to make sure they have your new address so you don’t miss out on any important mailings.
Many people also look for new doctors in the immediate area. It’s easier to see a doctor in your new neighbourhood if you get sick. Don’t forget about the dentist, the eye doctor, and the vet. You may not need their services as often as you’d need the medical doctor’s, but you want one nearby when you need them.
Lastly, don’t forget to phone your utility companies so you can have everything you need set up in your new home without delay.
Take Your Time Unpacking
Yes, you’ll want to get out all of the things you regularly use quickly, and you don’t want to spend months with boxes still piled up in the corner, but this is also a good opportunity for you to be more intentional about where you place things. Can you fit all of your clothes in the closet or will you need to store your out-of-season things? If you’re storing, where will you put them so that they’re easily accessible when you want to get them out?
Purchase attractive storage bins to avoid clutter in your new home. Make sure that every item you own has its own place and that everyone in the family knows where that place is.
Set a Schedule
We’ve all occasionally suffered the consequences of falling behind on chores, but you’re now starting with a clean slate. Make sure your new home stays looking as sparkling as it did when you moved in by creating a cleaning schedule. Now’s a great time to get the kids involved if they haven’t been so far.
It’s also a good idea to set up a maintenance binder and schedule. This binder should have all of the warranty information on the items in your home, including things like appliances, flooring, and carpeting. That information should include recommendations for caring for it, which may require you to call a professional on an annual basis.
Explore the Neighbourhood
Walking around the new neighbourhood is perhaps the best way to get to know your new home and community. You’ll be able to meet your new neighbours at the playground or while taking walks. Best of all, your family gets a bit of exercise while doing this. Don’t be afraid to knock on your neighbours’ doors to introduce yourself. People don’t always take the initiative to welcome the new people, so this might be necessary.
You’ll also want to drive around the extended area to see all the amenities you can find nearby. Try out the different grocery stores in the area to see which ones have the best prices or have the specialty items your family needs. Take note of the best gas stations and where you can find a branch of your bank. Check out the different restaurants. Maybe try a new one. You deserve to eat out after spending your day unpacking.
Make the Home Your Own
You’ve already spent time carefully selecting design elements for the build of your home to make it your own, but you’ll want to go a little further by adding other decorative elements. Hang up your family photos or other artwork. Place your furniture in the right places (or head to the store to pick out some new pieces if the old ones don’t fit). Maybe you even want to burn some candles that have your favourite scent. Whatever you need to do to make the home your own, go ahead and do it.
You’ll be in your home for many years to come, so take some time to set things up right. Once you do, you’ll be loving your new home.
At Sterling Homes, our mission is to provide the opportunity for affordable homeownership without compromise.
Over the last 70 years, Sterling Edmonton has quickly become one of Edmonton’s most popular builders. We bring more than seven decades worth of exceptional customer service, superior design and unparalleled craftsmanship to the greater Edmonton area. As a member of the Qualico Group, Sterling Homes focuses on greater Edmonton’s finest family communities, while being able to offer some of the region’s most family friendly prices thanks to volume purchasing power for materials, trades and land.
This has not only made Sterling one of Edmonton’s bestselling, move-up builders, but also one of the industry’s most respected home providers. It is through our uncompromising commitment to our customers that we proudly deliver the Sterling Advantage – that’s why each and every home we build includes a 10-year home warranty, a completion guarantee and new home warranty excellence rating. Our Advantage is our pledge that, when you build your dream home with Sterling, we will deliver a timely, well-built home you’re sure to enjoy for years to come.
