Get ready to feel settled

At least as important as the logistics of the physical move into a new home is planning to feel at ease in your new home as early as possible.

So while you’re organizing the logistics down to the color-coded stickers on boxes and furniture designating what goes where, remember also to envision how you will unpack.

Last in, first out

It’s not as obvious as it sounds. But in the most basic sense, the items that will make you feel comfortable in your new home should be easy to access on move-in day.

These items might include office equipment, TV remote controls, smart-home devices, Bluetooth speakers and at least one day’s worth of

dishes, glassware and flatware. Don’t forget the dish soap.

Perhaps equally important are your favorite blankets and throw pillows or the dog’s crate and bed. Or maybe the hallway mirror with the key rack attached to it will come in handy before the moving truck even arrives.

It could be the family shoe organizer that used to fill half of a hall closet but now can go in a mudroom. For that matter, maybe it’s the coat hooks in the garage or cubbies for everyone’s sporting goods, this time with space for tennis rackets, golf clubs or water sports equipment.

Plan for the familiar

After that, think about cherished furnishings and decor within your existing home that you may have developed a blind spot for because they’ve been in your home for so long. These are the things that make a house feel like home.

You may not consciously see the 24-inch-by-36-inch framed family portrait that’s been hanging in your current home since 2015. But you’d notice if it were gone. And its absence will be glaring when you move into your new home. Start thinking about it more as you prepare to move.

The same goes for the framed photos on the sofa table in the living room or the family message board in the kitchen.

To speed up the process of feeling settled in at your new home, before you pack, spend a couple of afternoons or evenings measuring your hanging artwork and your larger pieces of furniture, such as sofas, loveseats, tables, dressers, beds and desks.

With those measurements in hand, bring the measuring tape to the new home for another couple of afternoons. Map out your options for arranging things and agree on the choices with family members. Measuring and planning while the builder is putting the finishing touches on the still-empty home can inspire ideas for how to feel welcome in your new home.

During visits, choose the wall spaces where you will hang cherished art. Determine which surfaces will become home to framed photos and other favorite decor. Decide on the locations of key pieces of furniture and “creature comforts” that you want to have on hand upon moving in.

Decide which hanging pieces will need anchors or special hangers and purchase the fittings, hardware and tools you’ll need to put them in their designated spots as soon as possible.

Clean and freshen up

Next, plan out how much of your old dust will move with you into your new home.

Cleaning your household items before moving will save you time in making your new house a home. Air out, wash, polish, dust or otherwise freshen up all pieces that will be making the move with you. For some items, this can start early in the packing process.

If you’re using area rugs on your hard-surface floors, shake them out in the fresh air and vacuum them before rolling them up. The same concept applies to soft fabrics and blankets or pillows on sofas, chairs and beds. Consider spot-cleaning any stains or wear spots. Let these items dry fully before packing them.

Brighten up and soften up

Change some lightbulbs if you can. It may seem trivial, but replacing lightbulbs in your table lamps and floor lamps before moving in will save you time doing so on a one-by-one basis.

If you don’t think a lightbulb needs replacing, at the very least dust lamps and lightbulbs; it’s surprising how much dust these can collect.

Will you need more area rugs? If so, consider purchasing new, plusher rug pads to put under them. You might even want new pads for your older rugs. New rugs and new pads mean cleaner floors and comfier tootsies.

What about the holidays?

Is your move-in date at or near the time of one of the fall or winter holidays? Keep your storage containers for the appropriate holidays in the right order with the first holidays easiest to reach.

In the next article in this space, we’ll explore seasonal decorating that can add warmth and comfort to your new home this fall and winter.