So you're all moved in... Now what?

Moving to a new city, house, or even apartment is a big step. Once you've completed your move, it's understandable that you might be experiencing a bit of discombobulation in your new surroundings. Of course, in time, everything will become routine but that doesn't help the here and now that you're dealing with.

Your adjustment period after moving doesn't have to be a stressful experience though, and we're here to help with some tips that will provide some suggestions about what to do after moving. You'll have a lot of questions on your mind. Hopefully our tips will help get you situated all that much sooner.

The first thing you're going to want to do is to set up a plan that will succinctly organize your time after you've moved in. In the past we've talked about organizing your time before you move. But, it's just as important to prioritize the most important things to you after you move as well. You see, there will be little time to relax even after the initial relief of getting everything into your new abode. Definitely consider making yourself a to-do list that will itemize everything you need to get done now that your relocation efforts are completed. Do you need to work on your new house? Do you need to get matters set up in your new location (insurance, utilities, etc...) If anything matters in life, it is time. So, be sure to be organized so you can work most efficiently as you acclimate to your new home and your new city.

Next, the task of unpacking the plethora of boxes that you've got sitting around your house. Unlike the packing adventure, you can afford yourself a bit more of a relaxed pace here. Gone is the deadline of "the" moving date. But, it is still important to your sanity to get everything unpacked and in order. Don't underestimate how long it can take to unpack either.

The first priority in unpacking are, of course, your daily essentials (which you should have transported separately if you followed our past advice). Bedroom and bathroom boxes will be your objective here. You simply cannot really do without either, and as such, you're going to want to get those two rooms settled with the quickness.

Learning your new home will be the next step. Though, it will be integrated into the prior steps, once you've unpacked and have your local needs settled... It's time to gain an intimate knowledge of your new home. Your objective here, if you didn't examine it in depth prior, is to gain intimate knowledge of the critical parts of your house. Looking out for any masked damage that you may have missed... checking out the plumbing, looking for signs of unwanted pests, and learning such fundamentals as to where the circuit breakers and water shut off valves are located can be invaluable in case of emergencies.

Now, it probably goes without saying but... Don't forget to update your mailing address for all of your important correspondence. The last thing you want is for your bills and personal mail to keep going to your old address. The only way to ensure this (because post office forwarding is unreliable at best), is to systematically go through all of your accounts and update them one by one. So, if you didn't do this ahead of time (which isn't likely due to the time constraints), the best time is "now" to get this done.

If you have children, it will be of paramount importance to register them at the new school district. Again, if this isn't something that you handled ahead of time, the time is now to get it done. We all know the importance of education and you won't want to do this at the last moment and risk not getting into the best schools possible.

After those tasks are completed, if you've moved any kind of distance away from your previous residence, you will want to be sure that you update your health insurance provider to one that is widely accepted to your new local region. While your old insurance may work in the case of an emergency, you want to be sure that you're able to keep up with your preventative medicine as well.

If you've moved to a new state, you will next want to be sure that you register your vehicle to your new one. While you're getting this taken care of, you'll also want to be sure that you update your drivers license and/or state identification. This can be done in one easy trip to your new local DMV.

Often overlooked for pet owners is giving your fur babies time and attention needed to acclimate to their new surroundings. They are creatures of habit and once taken out of their comfort zone, it will take them some time and space in order to get used to the new routines. Be ready to give them a bit more attention and do your best to not leave them alone for extended periods of time as they get used to the new place.

Lastly, don't forget to take care of yourself. Explore your new town, try new restaurants, find your new favorite haunts, and of course, get out and make some new friends! Doing this by getting to know your new neighbors, engaging in extra curricular conversation at work, and even finding new clubs in the area can all help the human soul to feel more at home more quickly.