So, you bought a new house. You moved in, but you didn’t quite move on from your old abode. Maybe you love the new spot, but it doesn’t feel like yours yet. You might even be feeling sad about your new house. Whatever your situation, these tips for making a new house feel like home might help make your transition a little easier.

Small Updates to Make a House a Home

These five tasks might seem small, but they can have a big impact on your comfort level:

Make “landing pads” for routine actions. Where do you put your keys when you get home? Where do you place your shoes, pet bowel(s), rain gear? Items that you interact with daily need a designated “landing pad” so you can start building new routines. Carefully select a place for any drawer organizers, baskets, shelves, and/or wall hooks you need to create those special ‘landing’ spots. Giving these items a permanent spot will help create routines that make you feel more at home.

Set up comforting sights and sounds. A new house usually doesn’t feel like home right away but adding familiar sights and sounds to it can help. Put that family-heirloom clock on the mantel. Hang your photos and art while listening to your favorite music. Light a candle or the fireplace.

Add a new feature to call your own. Another way to make a new house feel more like your home is to add some new features that make it all your own. A landscape makeover or installing a pond are great ways to add features that give your home a unique personal touch.

Dive into deep cleaning. From unfamiliar odors to puzzling stains, there are a lot of unfamiliar discomforts you can eliminate with a good, thorough cleaning. Of course, you’re busy with all the moving and setup, so consider hiring a professional cleaning service to get your new home in order. Having your new home professionally cleaned can help make the space feel more inviting.

Do soothing chores. Even if you normally don’t enjoy chores, there’s something calming about staying in a routine. If you cook a meal as a family or do a few loads of laundry, you’ll likely start feeling more at home as you complete more of the daily tasks. If the new laundry room machines aren’t behaving for you, connect with a local appliance repair expert for any repairs and schedule a maintenance plan to keep them running smoothly throughout the year.

Larger Upgrades for Extra Homeyness

Ready to really make your home your own? Move beyond the simple stuff, and consider these bigger renovations:

Cozy up. You can never have enough cozy spaces; relaxation makes a new house feel like home. Lucky for you, we’ve already put together a lot of ideas for creating the coziest corners ever:

• Build a reading nook.
• Create your dream walk-in closet with a lounge area.
• Turn a spare room into a home theater.
• Make the most of a natural light.

Modernize the design style. If you purchased an older, somewhat dated home, some of its features may cramp your style and make you feel out of place. Maybe it has old-style hardware; too many walls, or peeling wallpaper. Try out these tips for modernizing the space.

Upgrade the shower. Never underestimate the power of an amazing shower and/or tub. Two spectacular options for upgrading a shower are adding a custom glass shower/bath enclosure and installing a new water softener.

How to Feel More Secure in a New House

What’s more important than being safe and feeling secure in your own home? Not much. That’s why many homeowners do these tasks shortly after they get the keys to their new castle:

• Add a smart home security system.
• Get a mold test done if it wasn't part of your initial home inspection.
• Install more smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Install grab bars and other features that help with aging in place.

How Long Until the Kids Feel Good in the New House?

Every child is different, so it could take days or a few months for kids to feel at home in a new space. The important thing is to plan the moving process based on the age of your kid(s) so you can minimize stress up-front. Then they can begin to “nest” in their new room. You might try doing a family activity to welcome the new house into your lives, like planting a tree or making a toilet-paper-roll birdfeeder. Most importantly, be patient.

Get the Help You Need

With all this change you’re going through with the new house, here’s something constant: The Neighborly family of experts is available to help you with your home repairs, upgrades, and maintenance whenever you need it. See the experts in your new neighborhood, or call 855-217-8437 to get a helping hand.