Moving In: What Do You do Now?

Hello everyone:

Welcome to your new home! The first thing you will notice is that this is not your old home. Please note: This will be a shock. Make sure you have nightlights, at least at first, or you may zig instead of zagging on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That could end taking you somewhere that you don’t want to be. Like down a staircase instead of into the bathroom – my grandmother broke a leg on that mistake.

I suggest unpacking a few decorative items as soon as possible, so that your new place seems more like the home you just left. Some pictures, a few knickknacks, and a floral arrangement or two can really make the place seem more homey, right from the start. When I moved recently, my friends were amazed at the speed with which I worked to make the house feel like I really lived there.

When you do this, the depression you might feel from the change in your life’s circumstances can be mitigated somewhat. You look around the room- there’s your son’s first birthday picture, or your daughter’s recital photo, or the picture your friend that overlooks the water. It seems like home, even when “home” has become a very fluid idea.

If the weather permits and the neighborhood is nice, go for a walk. Introduce yourself to the neighbors. Don’t wait for them to come to you. In this day and age, it might not happen. (I read somewhere that you should take cookies to the neighbors but that might be overkill in more ways than one, especially if your specialty is peanut butter cookies and they have a nut allergy!)

Remember how you wrapped your dishes in towels? Time to get them unpacked, so you can take a shower with a familiar towel. Getting your kitchen set up and your cooking utensils is a great way to hunker down in your new place, particularly if you are a cook.

(Confession time: I cooked for the first time last week when I made my famous chili. I had been in my new home almost a month, living on diet dinners, fruit, and cheese. It just didn’t make sense to cook for one, until I bought some new freezer containers and cooked up a batch of chili, one entree for that night and froze the rest in individual containers for later. I had enough left over for three more dinners. Success!)

So, welcome to your new digs. Enjoy your time there! I hope you will find joy in your new surroundings, even though some of the items you have with you are from a different life.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

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