After months of researching neighborhoods and school districts, visiting open houses and negotiating prices, organizing your move and dealing with laborious relocation tasks, you’re finally in your new home. It’s time to settle into your new surroundings and your new life.
Settling into a new home and a new neighborhood, however, involves much more than arranging your items and locating key places in the vicinity – it’s about making your new place feel like home, adapting to your new environment, and connecting with your new community.
This may seem like a daunting task, especially after a stressful residential move, but it’s actually easier than you think – all it takes is a positive attitude and a willingness to make it happen.
Here’s what to do when you move into a new neighborhood in order to get settled and become a part of the community quickly and easily.
Make your new home your safe haven
The first thing you should do after moving to a new home is to turn it into your safe haven – a personal sanctuary where you and your family will feel safe, comfortable, and happy.
- Set up your new home – set up your furniture, connect kitchen appliances and electronic devices, get the bathroom, bedroom(s), and kitchen ready, unpack and arrange your items, and make your new place functional and comfortable (See also: How to unpack quickly after moving);
- Protect your home from accidents and natural disasters – ensure fire safety (supply fire extinguishers at every level of the house, install fire alarms and smoke detectors in every room, etc.), reduce the risk of flooding and water damage (ensure proper drainage away from the house, waterproof the roof, invest in a quality sump-pump, etc.), get adequate homeowner’s/renter’s insurance, secure stairs, balconies, bathrooms and other areas that present a falling hazard, etc. Do not forget to childproof and/or pet-proof your new home to make it safe for your kids and your animal friends;
- Secure your home against break-ins – change the locks, install a home security system, add exterior lights, etc. Even if you moved to a neighborhood with a very low crime rate, it’s always better to be safe than sorry (See also: How to improve home security after a move);
- Make your new place feel like home – introduce plants to the space, hang your favorite photos and pictures on the walls, display your preferred pieces of art, decorations, and collectibles, and surround yourself with things you love to bring comfort, coziness, and warmth to your new place and turn it into your sweet home. (See also: How to make your new place feel like home)
Additional useful information: What to do after moving to a new home
Feeling at home in your new house or apartment, however, is not enough to really feel at home in your new area – you need to also know the people around you and find your place in your new community.
Meet your new neighbors
Getting to know the people in your neighborhood will help you feel settled in your new surroundings and your new routine. It is, therefore, a good idea to go say hello to the people next door within the first days after moving to a new neighborhood – introduce yourself and tell them you’re new to the area. Be polite and friendly and keep your first interactions short – you don’t want to intrude or appear inquisitive.
Approach your new neighbors again in a few days – offer them some home-baked cookies, ask them about neighborhood affairs and community happenings, seek recommendations for a good local restaurant or grocery store, etc. You’ll get a lot of useful information about your new area and will have the chance to start a friendly conversation.
Then, try to find an interest you have in common, such as children, pets, gardening, sports, etc. (look for signs like toys, gardening gear, or sports equipment lying around) – topics like these make conversations flow easily and help people establish a connection. After that, it will be easy to build a rapport and bond with your neighbors.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable knocking on your neighbors’ doors, you can still meet people and foster conversations in a natural and unobtrusive way:
- Spend time outside – in the garden or on the front porch if you’ve moved into a house or in the common areas if you’ve moved into a building. Greet everyone you meet with a “hello” and a smile – you’ll be surprised how willing people will be to talk with you when they see you’re available;
- Take frequent walks around the neighborhood and in nearby parks, hang out at local shopping centers and eat out in public – you’ll have a chance to observe daily life in the community and will meet many of your neighbors;
- Take your children to the nearest playground, take your dog for a walk in the nearest park, go to the nearest gym, etc. – you’ll meet other parents, other animal lovers, other sports enthusiasts, etc. in the neighborhood and will be able to easily start a conversation with them.
Your next step is to throw a housewarming party and invite your neighbors over – ask them in person or slip invitations in their mailboxes a week or so in advance. Make the event casual and cheerful, relax and have fun – you’ll get to know your new neighbors a bit better and may even find some good friends among them.
Click here for more tips on how to meet your new neighbors after moving.
Get involved in the community life
The best way to settle into your new neighborhood is to devote some of your time to your new community and take an active part in the local life:
- Join local charities, church groups, and other community organizations, depending on your personal interests, values, and skills;
- Get involved with your child’s school (if applicable);
- Consider volunteering for bettering the neighborhood – things like cleaning up trash or assisting elderly residents;
- Visit local hot spots and hangouts (popular bars, restaurants, shopping centers, recreation centers, parks, entertainment venues, etc.) to meet people from the neighborhood and feel as one of them;
- Attend local events – from festivals and fairs to sports games and farmers’ markets. Showing up is a great way to be noticed and let your neighbors know you want to be included in the community;
- Look for activities that interest you – join local clubs, classes, etc. that will give you the opportunity to practice your hobby, try new experiences, and meet like-minded people from the neighborhood;
- Be helpful and considerate – if you notice one of your neighbors could use some help with something, be proactive and jump in to assist. Your neighbors will remember your kindness and will come to like and trust you;
- Show gratitude when some of the people next door help you out and let them know that you’ll be happy to return the favor.
See also: How to adjust after moving
When you move to a new neighborhood, you need to get to know your surroundings as soon as possible, so you feel comfortable, safe, and confident in your new environment. To really settle in, however, you need to adapt to your new community and get a sense of belongingness.
The best way to do so is to be friendly, helpful, proactive, and easily approachable – even if you don’t get to become close friends with any of your new neighbors, you will quickly become a part of the community and gain the trust and support of the people next door.
Happy new life in your new neighborhood!
