Moving house is often described as one of life’s most stressful experiences – and not for no reason. Between packing, paperwork, and a hundred and one unforeseen details, it’s easy to feel like your whole life is in packing boxes, both literally and emotionally. Once the move is done, however, the way that you approach those first few weeks can make all the difference to how settled and calm you feel in the new place. The following are a few simple ways to settle into a new place and ease this transition, and make your place feel like home much faster.

Start with one room that feels finished

It’s tempting to feel that you have to tackle everything at once, but that can be overwhelming and negate the potential benefits it is intended to achieve. Instead, pick a single room – the bedroom or the kitchen – and focus on getting it completely nailed down. Make the bed with new sheets, ideally these should be luxurious and sustainable bedding, unpack your favorite mugs, or hang art on the walls. Having a space that feels done is a little win that confers a sense of control, a place to retreat to when the rest still feels in flux.

Don’t delay the practical side

There are always boring little things that nonetheless need to be done, and getting them settled can really help you feel grounded. Things like getting your mail redirected, setting up your internet service, or arranging for trash collection after everything has been moved in. You don’t need to do it all the moment you move in, but getting some of it done builds momentum and reduces background stress.

Some of it you can even get arranged before you move – hitting up Smart Move Cable and getting cable and internet switched as close to the move-in date as possible. When you have items ticked off the list early, you can focus all the more on enjoying the benefits of the move.

Make space for your routine

Even if there are still boxes to be unpacked and services to arrange, one way to get a sense of normality is to carve out space for your usual routine. Getting the coffee machine set up and your skincare products stored in the place where you will use them, and maybe having your yoga mat to hand means that you can retain and build on the shape of your usual day, giving you a much needed sense of control.

Order takeout on the first night

Even if your kitchen is in good shape and ready to go, the first night in a new house should be low-resistance and relaxing. It’s not a good time to start thinking about what to cook, and then do it all in what is still an unfamiliar space. And you’ll also be dog-tired and emotionally wrought, so let someone else deal with the cooking. You can still eat off the usual plates and load the dishwasher as usual, but even if you don’t like to make a habit of ordering in, this is one night when it just makes sense.

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