So, you’ve just been handed the keys to unlock the doors of your new home. Congratulations – it’s SUCH an exciting time! You’ve got dreams for new memories that will be made within these walls and hopes for the life you will live there. You’ve got a truckload of your belongings and furniture just outside the door, waiting to be brought into this new space. But as you look around you at the empty canvas of your house, you can’t help but wonder what it will take for this place to feel like “home.”
Moving into a new space can feel a little bit like making a new friend. You are excited and see a lot of potential, but also know that there is a lot of time, energy, and investment that will need to happen before this is a place of comfort, safety, and ease – somewhere you feel totally at home.
So what is it that truly makes a house a home?
- The people in it. The first thing that contributes to a new place having that sense of familiarity and comfort is having people you love in it! Even if there are boxes everywhere and you feel the furthest from “settled” in your new house, just having your spouse or kids there can create a sense of “home” and belonging. Another way to make a house feel like a home is to invite family and friends over. Making new memories with people you hold dear in your new setting can really lay the groundwork for seeing your new surroundings as a place of peace, comfort, and rest.
- Meaningful belongings. Another great way to take the blank canvas that stands before you and turn it into a home that feels like a reflection of you is to fill it with meaningful belongings. This could be the kitchen table that your dad made by hand, the wall art that you bought on a special vacation, or the coffee mugs you have been drinking out of since you were newly married. Belongings like these are the things that bring the identity, personal touch, and just the right amount of nostalgia that it takes to turn your house into a home.
- Atmosphere. It is amazing what simply putting a cozy throw blanket on the couch, turning on a lamp, and lighting a candle can do for the atmosphere of a new home. Even if the rest of the house is still in boxes, just having one corner or one room of the house that speaks comfort to you can help you feel settled and at home more quickly. Playing some of your favorite music, buying a bouquet of your favorite flowers, or brewing a cup of your favorite tea are some other simple and effective ways to create an atmosphere that is familiar, warm, and inviting in your new space.
- Thoughtful organization. We’ve all heard the saying “a place for everything, and everything in its place.” As cliché as it is, this is another great way to feel settled in your new home. When all of your belongings have a place that they belong, clutter is at a minimum, and you have a sense of order in your house, it is so much easier to take a deep breath and see your home as a reflection of who you are. Taking some extra time and energy to thoughtfully organize your new space allows you to feel that this new home “fits” you and your family.
As a realtor, it is one of my greatest joys to see my clients “unlock new doors” to the house of their dreams, and then to see them make it a home just a short time later. Truly, that is the ultimate goal of any realtor – to see their clients settled and thriving in a place that is perfect for them. I hope these tips point you in the right direction of feeling “at home” in your new place in no time.
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