Making A House A Home

Nesting, settling in, setting up house – all of these things sound lovely to me…in theory. But the reality of moving into a new home is often a complete mess. You’re guaranteed to be exhausted, for one. And then there is the fact that no matter how hard you tried to be organized while packing, all of your belongings will explode across your new space within minutes of opening the first box. With my move coming up (16 days!!) I have been thinking a lot about how to make this process as painless as possible, so I can relax and enjoy the fact that we are buying our first home.

Step 1: Make your bed. Preferably with deliciously fresh linens from India Rose, like the ones pictured above. Seriously though, I am planning on setting up the bedroom first thing, right down to the last pillow and slippers tucked beneath the bed. By the time the end of moving day comes, you can flop into bed knowing that you will be waking up to a comforting, homey environment – until you open your bedroom door, anyway!

Clockwise from top: Whale chalkboard from Three Potato Four; DIY cleaning kit from Martha Stewart; Cushy new bathmat from India Rose

Step 2: Freshening up. As soon as enough of the rubble is cleared away that you can see your countertops and floors, I think it’s nice to give everything a little wipe down with a yummy smelling organic cleaning spray. One of the things that can be disconcerting about being in a new place is that it doesn’t smell like home – and I know I always feel more settled in once I’ve spritzed the counters and lit a few of my favorite scented candles. I would also love to pick up a few treats to bring to the new house, like a cute little bathmat and a memo board (isn’t that whale adorable?) to prop up in the kitchen and cluster my important stuff around it, like my address book, phone and mail.

Clockwise from top left: Cotton voile caftans from Plum Pretty Sugar; Flying squirrel mug from Morris Pottery; “Home” bunting from Bananasaurus Rex; Amy Butler print floor cushion from Spruce Home; Bath products from Simplemente Blanco

Step 3: Cozy little nest. I’ve decided that it is really important to have a few extra-special things on hand to use those first few nights before all of the boxes are unpacked. Things that will be a bit pampering and soothing to the senses – like a beautiful robe, your favorite mug, a few special bath products, and even a little bunting to hang on the wall! I am thinking of ordering one or two of these floor cushions because, for reasons that I won’t get into right now, we may not have a couch in our main room when we move in – and at least this way we will look cute while sitting on the floor! And I think our cat would enjoy stretching out on them as well.

Step 4: Tackle a project. Once the boxes are unpacked and we’ve begun to settle into a routine, there are a few (okay, there are tons – but I’ll start with a few!) projects I want to tackle right away. At the top of my list: planting climbing roses in the front, changing out the house numbers, and giving the porch a new lick of paint. I think that putting a bit of effort into improving your space and making it your own instantly provides a sense of belonging and comfort. Even something as simple as lining the shelves of your pantry with fresh paper and making labels (like the sweet ones above from little paper dog) for your jars can feel really, really good.

Have you moved recently or are you planning a move? I would love to hear your thoughts on staying sane and comfortable during the moving process! Your sweet comments make my day!

p.s. – Don’t forget to enter my giveaway from All Modern! There’s still time!

{images: linked to individual sources above}

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