How to LOVE your New Home
We’ve all felt it … buyer’s remorse! It’s real. It’s natural. And it can cause a lot of unnecessary angst. So instead of focusing on whether you paid too much or you bought a lemon or that you can’t return if it doesn’t fit, remember there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason, so it was meant to be. You were drawn to the house, you made the decision to buy it, and now all you need to do is make it home. Yes, it’s your home sweet home!
It may need some work to reach the ‘home sweet home’ stage, but every step draws it closer to your heart and to becoming a member of the family. Here are some tips to help you embrace your new family member.
- Be gentle with yourself. Moving into a new home can be a HUGE stress and it’s totally normal to have second thoughts. So instead of focusing on the stress of moving, painting, decorating, and adjusting to a new neighborhood and routines, focus on why you loved the house enough to buy, the new friends you’re about to meet, the clean slate waiting for you to give it personality and flair. Then once you are given the key and enter the front door, say a little blessing inviting it to embrace you and your family with joy, harmony, peace, and love. Making this mental shift will immediately shift your buyer’s remorse.
- Keep one room clutter-free. Moving in can create absolute mayhem. To help your sanity, keep one room free of boxes and clutter. No matter what, keep this area open, light, and clutter-free. Make it cozy and relaxing; bring in a couple of your favorite chairs, a coffee table, ottoman, etc. When the chaos gets the best of you, head to this spot to sit back and breathe.
- Try some not-so-subliminal messaging. As soon as possible locate some art that makes you smile or gives you a warm welcoming message, and hang it where you’ll see it frequently. Just seeing it will lift your spirits. At first it will be a conscious greeting, but as time passes, it will become a subconscious greeting, quietly uplifting you as you busy yourself with the tasks at hand.
- Add touches of the familiar.Dig out some favorite accents or lighting fixtures you loved in your old place, and try repeating some of them in your new home. This can help a new place feel familiar. But don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t feel exactly as before, after all your new home has new energy which is part of the excitement and creating a fresh start. So an old favorite may add some familiarity yet take on a new personality making it new again. How fun!
- Celebrate the tiny victories. Feeling so overwhelmed that you’re not sure where to begin? Try not to focus on the whole house; but select one area that will affect your daily routines the most: your bedroom, medicine cabinet, clothes closet, or kitchen. Take your time with these areas — neatly organizing them from the start sets the tone for how they will most likely stay. Then pat yourself on the back and admire your handiwork before moving on to the next area!
- Out with the old, in with the new.There are traditions worldwide relating to moving into a new space. As mentioned before saying a blessing for your new house is very uplifting. This can be a simple silent intent between you and the house or it can be a part of a housewarming with friends. Other traditions are: symbolically cleanse traces of the past owners by misting each room and corner with a lavender and sea salt mist; or purify the air in each room with a sage bundle; or have The Redefined Home clear the air with Feng Shui. These traditions have stood the test of time, creating a wonderful new energy the whole family will feel.
- Bring your house flowers.Fresh flowers are a gesture of love, so buying them for your new home can be surprisingly meaningful. The vibrant color and freshness will be energizing, so don’t wait for things to be perfect to start treating your new home well!
- Continue staying positive. Try keeping a daily gratitude journal, paying special attention to all the things you appreciate about your new home, from the big (a roof over your head) to the small (great water pressure!). To make it easier to remember to journal, try pairing it with another daily routine, like your morning coffee or before sleeping. For more inspiration, check out my article Shower Your Home with Gratitude.
- Enlist some help.If things just aren’t coming together as you’d hoped, it may be time to call in reinforcements. Whether you invite a creative friend over to help solve the furniture puzzle in your new living room or hire The Redefined Home to help select beautiful colors or solve some bigger dilemmas, getting another set of eyes on your space can bring new insights to your home.
BEFORE. The furniture puzzle.
AFTER. The Redefined Home’s puzzle solution, creating new energy with old favorites.
- And last but not least, embrace the-not-so-perfect. It’s easy to fall into the trap of expecting your new home to be perfect. But just like people, no home is perfect. As you discover your home’s quirks, accept them and live with them for a while. Over time those quirks may become a part of your home’s personality or you may find ways to improve or repair them. Whatever the case, embrace your new home and hold on to its positive qualities instead of holding on to an impossible picture-perfect ideal.
