AT On Moving and Feeling at Home
Moving is a great time to break old (bad) habits and begin new ones, to purge the things we don't want to take into a new place and to reevaluate how we want to use our apartments: for entertaining? Working? Relaxing? All three? But it can also be stressful since it's an upheaval of the familiar.
Not only are you living out of boxes but you have to build new routes to the grocery store, the gas station and back and forth to work. Sure you probably get the kitchen essentials unpacked, the bed made and the towels out, but how long until all the boxes are emptied and things have found a home? Sometimes we get everything set up in a week, other times the boxes stay around for months. Don't even get us started on how long it takes to hang artwork (one time we actually didn't get it hung before we moved again!).
A dorm is a special case since you know it's a temporary space. It can be hard to motivate yourself invest too much time, energy or resources. But what have you done to feel at home when far away?
Some of the things that have worked for us:
• Getting the bed made with our favorite sheets, our favorite books by the bed and our clothes put away.
• Being able to invite friends over for a meal without being completely embarrassed.
• Getting to the point that we're not just tossing things in a pile to deal with later, but can put it away, where it belongs.
• Having fresh flowers.
• Having at least one room free of boxes to unpack.
So how do you make a new house a home? And how long does it normally take before you feel at home?
Related to Moving:
Our Best Moving Tips
staying in the City vs. Moving to the Burbs
Best Tips for Moving into the Dorm
Moving To LA, Picking the Right Neighborhood
Good Quotes: On Moving In Together
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We moved August 1st, and I think we only started feeling REALLY cozy in late September. Working full time and starting from scratch with family room and bedroom furniture, we had to wait every two weeks for paychecks in order to make the necessary purchases - and on top of that bargain hunting takes time!
The first time I did house cleaning that didn't involve breaking down boxes or laundering previously stored clothes but instead involved vacuuming around the NEW BED, I knew I was home.
view JuniperGreen's profile
A walker and two Nelson lamps?
view spinsLPs's profile
The first thing I ALWAYS did in every dorm room, before I even plugged in my mini-fridge, put the sheets on my bed, or got the internet working, was to cover my bulletin board (and sometimes the wall) in my favorite photos, pictures, and posters.... It instantly converted the space into something familiar and MINE.
It was amazing too, I carried the same posters with me through 5 moves over the past 5 years, and it always makes each place feel like I've been there forever.
view Zhahira's profile
Ugh, that photo is so how my place looks right now... I makes me want to cry. :(
I've been at my new apartment for almost two months and it's still not feeling like home. But I'm absolutely determined to get it there by the end of the cure.
First, I need to get it a little empty, and kick out the big pieces that don't fit and need to be replaced.
So people on craigslist, buy my stuff, I don't want it anymore!!!!! :P
view sparkle's profile
When I was in college, I always made the bed and hung the posters. Then it felt lived-in and mine.
Last year my husband and I moved to our apartment, and we had no furniture. All of our stuff - for both of us - fit in to one minivan. Within two weeks (neither or us had started working in our new city at the time), we had bought and assembled all furniture and completely unpacked; it felt like our home.
I always unpack everything immediately. If you leave it in boxes, it probably means that you don't need it, so give it away!
view Lizzy's profile
The first things I always set up when moving are
1) bed & bedside tables
2) clothes
3) EVERYTHING in the bathroom...it's small, fast and finishing one room (no matter how small) is motivating
4) lights in every room (otherwise, how would I ever unpack those pesky boxes?)
Having said that, I'm STILL purging boxes from the living room :(
view Stephie_is_a_dork's profile
I'm joining the club, sparkle.
The picture above is EXACTLY how my apartment looks right now. It's painful to even think about.
The problem is I keep putting off the things I should be doing, for things I don't really have to do. At least not right now.
One step at a time, I keep telling myself, but I'm afraid at this rate, by the time my apartment feels like home, I'll have to move again!
view marc from vancouver's profile
I moved Oct 3rd and got most boxes unpacked the first weekend. I'm hardly settled and there are things that I still need to find a place for, but getting stuff unpacked right away helps you get settled faster (at least me). Problem is big things are easy, it's the little stuff that's difficult. Where do I put this little thing, that little thing, etc.
I also have yet to fill my fridge or pantry. All that's in there is a box of granola bars, a case of beer, and a bottle of vodka.
Cheers,
Matt
view Matt. M's profile
I have moved many times in my life, since childhood. All that experience has taught me many things, and now, though I detest packing, moving and unpacking, I can say that I am kind of an expert. Hope these tips help someone.
Packing - A little extra time and effort during packing can go a long way:
1. Bring lots of cartons and boxes.
2. Categorize and pack items per room. Don't pack your oven mitt with your shoes!
3. Finish one room and then move to the other.
4. Number the boxes, and keep a notepad where you write items against numbers. Eg: 1. Picture Frames and showpieces.
5. Don't call too many friends, there will be too much confusion, and you will not know what has ended up where.
Moving - You can spend some money here and get someone to help you, so you have energy left for setting up your new place.
Unpacking:
1. Place cartons in or near respective rooms.
2. Refer the list you made and open necessary items first.
3. Once necessary stuff like toothbrushes and cereal bowls are out, go ahead and set up room by room. I prefer to do the kitchen first, and the guest room the last.
Having a positive attitude towards the new house really helps. Focus on the positives of the house and stop thinking about what features you miss from your previous house
Procrastinating can be very tempting, but you can beat it by inviting people over for a formal dinner on a target date. That way, you will have to have your house in some order before that.
view VeryVee's profile