Settling into a New Environment after a Move
Moving to a new location is a big endeavor. And of course that is due to some extent to the work involved in packing and removals, choosing a company, transporting everything, etc. But one of the biggest things that makes a new home such an adventure is the prospect of a whole new beginning, meeting new people and getting acquainted with an entirely new environment. This isn’t easy of course, and it may take you a while, but if you’re social enough and dive straight in, you can feel at home in no time. This article will offer a few pointers on how to go about this, how to make the neighborhood feel yours and how to integrate yourself into the brand new crowd.
1. Firstly, start with your home. You don’t have to be done with all of the unpacking straight away, but do try to fully unpack and arrange one room, at least. Not only will this give you a “base of operations” of sorts, but it will also make you feel more comfortable and at home, which is exactly what you need at this time. Try to also get at least one new item. The feeling of familiarity is nice, but having a new accent piece in the room will serve to remind you of the new adventure you’re about to embark on. Help you merge the old with the new, so to speak. Once you have your home all set up and comfortable, it’ll be much easier to branch out.
2. On your first day, you will have a lot of unpacking to do. Do not get bogged down in chores though. Try to do a bit, just to get started, then go out and take a walk. Explore your area. Make a mental note of all of the shops, restaurants, banks, the post office, the hospital around you. These will definitely come in handy later on and knowing where everything is will make you feel like you belong there. Try to note the little things – signs, cracks in the pavement, maybe the odd bit of graffiti, if you live in an urban area – these things will help you get around and memorize your surroundings better than street names or maps.
3. Talk to your neighbors. You don’t have to rush into this on your very first day, but try to do it at least in your first week. You could go and knock on a few doors; introduce yourself, say that you’re new to the neighborhood and don’t really know anyone. People are bound to respond to that. Alternatively, if you hit it off with your neighbors, you could invite a couple of them over for a drink and a chat. This of course, depends on where you are and the culture around you, but, in general, if you’re polite and not too pushy, people will respond well. Another idea to bond with your neighbors is throwing a housewarming party.
4. Make sure you deal with all of the chores in the first week. Register with a doctor in the area, go to the bank, if you need to, find any available discounts in local shops, find and register for a gym membership maybe – just do all of the things that you will need later on and get them out of the way early.
Author: http://www.manandvan.org.uk/page-removals-uk.html