Settling In

You’ve done it! You survived the packing and moving and all of the transfers of information that come with planning a move to a new home. Now, all that’s left to do is for you to settle in. What should you expect during your first few days in a new place? For starters, purchasing a map of the area may be helpful if you are unfamiliar with the territory!

Getting to Know the Community

In the beginning, you may want to contact the local Chamber of Commerce to learn more about your new city or town. This is a great resource to learn about local schools, parks, museums, and other areas of interest. Make plans to visit some of the places that make your new location special. Talk to some of the locals to find out what they like about the area and where they go for dinner and for fun. Is there a local sports team in your community? Consider checking out one of their games and enjoy supporting the home team. Learning about the local religious organizations may be something you research now as well.

Taking Care of Legalities

If you have moved out of state, there are several things you will need to take care of within a short period. Acquiring a driver’s license in your new area may be one of them. Changing the tags and registration on your car is another. Voter registration can likely be done now too. And, for your insurance needs, if your previous company is not licensed in your new state, you will need to secure coverage in your new location.

Giving the Children a Good Start

If you have children, planning a visit to their new school will help ease some of the anxiety that comes with being the new kid. If possible, arrange for them to meet their teachers and to take a tour of the school before their first official day. You might also want to start looking into children’s clubs, activities and sports in your area.  The sooner you get your children involved in their new community, the easier it will be for them to make the adjustment.

Setting Up Services

Your power, cable or satellite, and other services should already be turned on by the time you move in.  If not, you will want to talk to the local servicers to have these started right away. In addition, you should stop by the new branches where any of your accounts are held in order to verify that everything has been transferred as planned. Checking in with your new doctors, pharmacist, and other entities you will need on a recurring basis is also a good idea at this point as well.

Pacing Your Unpacking

Most importantly, as you unpack, try to go room by room and don’t do so much that you are completely overwhelmed at the end of the day. Try to enjoy your new experience, knowing that the hard part is over, and new adventures await!