Post-move priorities: Tie up loose ends to get settled

You're in your new home, your movers have left and you and your family are ready to get settled. What do you have to do to make sure you can fully enjoy this experience in the long run? Tie up these loose ends to make your home more comfortable and improve peace of mind:

Slowly but surely, get your new home set up

Before all the furniture is in place, the dishes are in the cupboard and - most importantly for some - the internet and TV are set up, a new house won't yet feel like home. It can feel like a daunting task to go from boxes and furniture in protective wrapping to a fully organized and established home, but it's worthwhile to get it done early on.

How can you take on this frequently substantial task? Break it into smaller pieces and enlist the help of your family. Starting with the rooms used most frequently and moving out to the rooms that don't see as much regular foot traffic means a little bit of work each day instead of another day of heavy lifting - and plenty of thinking, too - so soon after a move. Start with the kitchen and bedrooms and slowly move out into the dining room, basement and garage.

By getting your spouse, kids and any other relatives to help, you don't just lighten the load, you can assign the right people to the right tasks. Especially fit members of the family can take on the heavy lifting, and the technically inclined can set up routers, TVs, cable boxes, computers and the many other pieces of technology common in modern homes.

It's also worth noting you can ask your movers to put boxes and furniture in the right rooms, substantially cutting down on your workload. While they won't unpack for you, professional, dependable movers will go the extra mile to give you an excellent experience.

Find what you need in your neighborhood and beyond

Many people do plenty of research before moving into a new town, but it tends to focus on the big picture: school districts, hospitals, municipal services and similarly important considerations. While knowing where these facilities and service providers are located is vital, it doesn't represent the entirety of what's needed to truly feel at home.

Where will you go grocery shopping? What if you want to order a pizza, or Chinese, Indian or Thai food? Are there any parks, basketball or tennis courts, bike paths or golf courses nearby? What if one of the kids gets sick, is there a 24-hour pharmacy nearby? Answering these less pressing questions doesn't have to happen the day you move in, but knowing the answers can make you feel more comfortable and happier in your new home. Once you get everything unpacked - or possibly sooner, in the case of ordering delivery - start answering these questions to truly feel at home.