How To Settle Into First-Time Home Ownership

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Buying your first home is such an exciting milestone in your life, but actually moving in and settling into home ownership can feel a bit overwhelming to say the least. If there’s one word that comes to mind, it’s responsibility. Your home is your home, but it’s also your home, and that means caring for it off your own dime, so to speak. 

Sure, renting has its downsides. But at least when you arrive in the property, it’s prepared for you, and you get to furnish or enjoy the furnishings knowing any queries will be attended to. You’d much rather own the property you live in of course, but it’s healthy to consider a few steps forward regarding your own approach.

Don’t worry though – you can absolutely enjoy renting if you give yourself some space to learn the new habits of a homeowner. In this post, we hope to help you settle in more easily:

Handling Home Maintenance & Safety

As renters, we tend to always call the landlord for maintenance issues, of course, this is part of them charging market rate. But now the responsibilities of home upkeep are all on you as the owner. Don’t let this stress you out though! Start by doing a full walkthrough of your new home and noting literally anything that needs repair or replacement – that might include leaky taps, burnt out light bulbs, faulty appliances, etc. 

You may even notice something the homeowner missed or need specific seasonal equipment like tick control products to protect your house. We’d also recommend prioritizing safety issues like installing working smoke/carbon monoxide detectors on every floor. Give yourself a couple of weeks to pull things together, and you may be surprised at how on top of things you feel.

Design The House How You Like It, Starting Small To Begin

Of course, transforming your new house into a comfortable, personal home environment is a big part of settling in, but don’t feel overwhelmed trying to decorate everything at once. Tackle it room-by-room, allowing spaces to slowly come together over time with well-thought additions. You can proudly showcase sentimental items, travel souvenirs, family heirlooms or whatever else you like, have a quick trip to the local furnishing store for essentials, and then move on from there.

Over time, the home’s style, architecture and your own lifestyle/hobbies will influence your design choices. That might include green plants, textured fabrics, art and unique furnishings for the lovely surroundings you appreciate. Rearranging that furniture a few times until the flow and function feel just right is a perfect way to begin. You could even play around with lighting fixtures, central rugs, and feature walls to shape different moods or elongate the space where needed. Find what you most appreciate. Have fun with it. This isn’t an exam to be passed, after all!

Getting Settled In The Neighborhood

Don’t forget to actually get settled and comfortable in your local neighborhood and wider community. Be sure to visit those nearby parks, shops, restaurants and attractions to get connect with your new area’s flow. 

If you’re intentional about meeting your neighbor, it can provide a wonderful sense of belonging straight off. At the very least, you learn who to avoid because they’re just not social. That might involve attending a local community event, or getting involved with neighborhood groups/social clubs, or just knocking on doors. You can thank yourself for at least making the effort, and knowing who is around you.

With this advice, we hope you can settle into that first home ownership in the best possible way.