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As we’ve been mentioning, Christa and Curtis just moved into a new place, and Reg and her roomies will be relocating at the beginning of June. There are some seriously exciting and NOT exciting parts of moving, but the biggest challenge will be making your new place feel like home. To help, we’ve gathered some tips that will definitely be useful in our nesting process.

01. Get cookin’

Before we get started here — how good does this look?? This will be made on our end in the very near future (find the link below!). Ok now, back to business.

One thing that’s sure to make your place feel like your own is to get that kitchen fired up. It may be the furthest thing from your mind when your stuff is all a jumble, but eating take-out for two weeks straight is not going to help your well-being, or your wallet. Once you’re done with your move, start unpacking that kitchen pronto. You don’t have to make beef burgundy or anything, just a simple 20-minute-meal will do. It’ll help you get a sense of the new storage, so you can make things more efficient over time. You can also get a sense of what your new place is missing, so you can get a list going of what to pick up next time you’re home shopping.

02. Figuring out the right fit for your furniture

When Curtis and I moved into our new place we couldn’t wait to see all of our beloved furniture in the open space – we wanted to change the positioning and order of our living room, try new pictures on the wall, reinvent our rooms. And what happened was just that. BUT not exactly on our terms. Our living room is oddly shaped, and we can’t use most of the furniture we originally had in there. At first I was bummed and was trying really hard to fit these pieces in, but now I’ve accepted that those items have to live somewhere else. In our case that doesn’t mean we have to get rid of it (we have other rooms to transfer them to), but in some cases, letting go of the items might be the right thing to do.

If you’re planning on staying somewhere for a while, and a piece of furniture you love doesn’t have a home in your new space but you couldn’t possibly give it away, see if someone you love can make use of it, or rent a storage unit — but think hard on these pieces and try to let go if they’re not right for your new home. Think of the joy someone at goodwill (or on craigslist) will have when they stumble upon your awesome piece.

03. Find all items a real home

While this photo above is beautiful and those paintings are clearly living there, if that isn’t your style and you’re just propping them up until you find the time, or the energy, or the man-power to put them up, find whatever you need and get the deed done. Your place will feel like a real home once you arrange your favorite pieces exactly where you want them! And even if you put it in a spot and then change your mind, that’s ok – how would you know it’s not the right place until you try? Get the boxes out of the way, find homes for those random piles you’ve got laying around, and start gettin’ things organized!

04. Freshen up

Let’s be real, there’s nothing grosser than a former tenant’s dust and crumbs. This past week Reg and her roommates were doing a sweep of their new place before they officially move in so they can see what needs to be done beforehand. They opened the fridge, kitchen cabinets, etc… and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. One major way to make your place feel like your own is to give that bad boy a good scrubbing. If your landlord lets you, try to get in a day or two early to throw some elbow grease into it. Clean the baseboards, windows (and their sills!), bathtub, toilet, the works. Hardwood floors? Polish them! Carpet? Rent a carpet cleaner! This will make things feel so much nicer once you start to bring all of your furniture in.

Once you’re settled, keep the momentum going! Get some potted herbs for your kitchen window, hang some plants in the living room, and put some flowers in the entry way. One of our favorite tricks is to simmer some citrus peels and spices over the stovetop. It’ll make your place smell so fresh. *A nice springy option is lemon rinds and rosemary.

05. Start exploring your new neighborhood & community 

While this chunk of advice doesn’t have anything to do with decorating (boo), it is an important part of a move. Start exploring your new neighborhood, take walks around the block, find a new jogging route – once you’ve become more familiar with your new area, you’ll start to feel at home in your new place. If you move into an apartment building, start paying attention to familiar faces, or if you’ve moved into a split family house, chat with your neighbor whenever you both have a minute. The more comfortable you are in your new zone, the sooner your new apartment or house will feel like home!

What do you guys like to do to make your home cozy? Let us know!

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