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Helpful Tips When Moving into Your First Home

Moving into your first home is a new and potentially quite scary experience that many people go through, usually when they are young adults. Whether you are moving in with a partner, a friend, or by yourself, there are several things that you should think about before your move and during it to ensure the process runs smoothly and that you can convert a new house into somewhere that feels homely and personal. Many people will have lived with their parents or guardians up until the point of moving, so they haven’t had much experience at being particularly independent. This means certain things may not necessarily be on your mental checklist, so here is a quick guide you may want to follow.

Decorate It Nicely to Give It a Homely Feel

Firstly, decorations are everything when moving into a new home, since this is what transforms it from simply being a building with walls and floors to somewhere that you can identify as your place for living and comfort. Some of the first things you could consider concerning decorations are the flooring, the walls, and the curtains or blinds. You could go for something quite plain if you have visions of other ways in which you could spice it up, or you could go for some more unique pieces to make a statement with your new house. For example, why not get some patterned roman blinds for your living room and make them the centerpiece of the room, decorating your house around this? Make My Blinds has a range of different patterned roman blinds, some of which are more stand-out and others that are more neutral to be perfect for every home. You can even order free samples, which is useful if you are undecided – trying before you buy is often the best option.

Add Personal Elements Like Photographs

Making a house a home involves personalization, which can be done by adding elements that you identify with instead of just being a generic home that anyone could live in. Many people decide to put up family photographs on the walls, which are comforting to look at and show your home to be centered around your personal relationships. Aside from photographs, you could put up sentimental items, such as gifts that were given to you by family members, or even paintings done by family members for you, whether they are young children or older family members with a skill for drawing or painting. These are good conversation starters if you ever have guests around and will be nice for your family members to see if they ever visit your new home.

Very happy couple celebrating first day in new home, finishing packing, unpacking boxes, having fun in new apartment. Young man lifting woman on his back in room with yellow sofa.

Check for Damp

There are some practical things that you should do before you fully begin the process of decorating, one of these being checking for damp (confused.com). This is an example of something that you probably wouldn’t even think of if you are a new homeowner but is something that is really important to get sorted before moving in. If there is damp in your home, this indicates that there is some sort of moisture within the walls, which means there could also be mold. This can be really damaging for your home in the long term as it can weaken the walls and infrastructure, meaning it won’t be as strong. Damp can be dealt with, but it can be a bit of a hassle. If possible, you should try and deal with this as early as possible before the decorating process. Getting rid of moisture often means wallpaper has to be peeled back or paint layers have to be taken off, which would be a real shame if you had already put in all of the effort to do this.

Focus On Getting Sustainable Appliances

When moving into your new home, it is tempting to get as many appliances as possible to feel as though your house is fully kitted out, but you should only invest in appliances that will last. Often, people get ‘temporary’ items such as a cheap cooker or microwave but have to replace them soon after moving in. Although the temporary fix may seem sufficient initially, you will soon be regretful of your decision to buy cheap, and you will wish you had invested in something that would sustainably last you for years to come. The period between moving in and getting new appliances can be a little inconvenient, but this can be the perfect excuse to get a takeaway or go round to other people’s houses for dinner while you are waiting to get your house fully up and running. Furthermore, it is wasteful to get cheap items and end up throwing them away so, for the environment’s sake, don’t create unnecessary waste.

Make Friends with Your Neighbours

When moving to a new area, it can feel a bit scary and lonely at times, so one of the best things to do when moving home is to introduce yourself to your neighbors (wiki) when you move in. Even if you don’t end up being the closest of friends with them, it is good to know some familiar faces and know who you are living next to, in case you are ever in a time of need. You could even give them a little gift such as some homemade cookies to establish a positive welcome and give a kind gesture to indicate that you are happy to be there. You will also end up bumping into them throughout the time you live there, so you may as well do the formal introductions as early on as you can.

Work Out a Theme for the Rooms

When beginning to kit your house out, it can be easier to begin if you know what kind of theme you are going for. This will give you a good starting point and will make it easier for others to keep their eyes out for pieces of furniture or decorations that you might like. A theme could be really specific or quite vague – for example, you could go for a theme that is related to a certain time of year, a theme related to your favorite film, or even a theme related to a specific color. Take a look at different showrooms as well as magazine spreads for a bit of inspiration, and when you see something that stands out to you, try and keep it in mind so that you can emulate what they have created.

Once you have the basics sorted, moving in will seem like a breeze, and it will be an exciting opportunity to decorate something that is entirely under your control. If you are moving in alone, try and recruit a friend or a family member to give you a helping hand with the process – even if you are in control of the visual elements, it could be really helpful to have someone there to give advice. Happy moving in day, and good luck!

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