Moving in to a New Home

Congratulations, you are moving in! Getting the keys to a new space is a mixture of a sugar rush high and a tight bubble of anxiety. It is a new beginning and a chance to start another life chapter or to re-invent yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are buying or renting, you need to enter the house or apartment the right way. It doesn’t matter if you are freshly married, taking the next step and moving in with your partner or making that big life change, it can be overwhelming.

Get Ready

When moving, it is a great opportunity to clear out clutter, old items and to add new welcoming furniture and accessories. Remember the four major areas, the front door, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. These are the areas to activate the life energy that you want to set from the start.

If you can afford it, buy the following:

• A new bed or at least new bed linen and pillows – this is particularly important for a new relationship and check out my previous posts on bedrooms. If you are single, start again, set that intention that at the right time the right person will be there and ensure your bedroom has pairs of lamps, decorations and has a romantic presence.
• Buy new cleaning tools – this is a Chinese Feng Shui tip I like. By new brooms, buckets and buy as natural smelling products as you can.
• Get some new towels and accessories for the bathroom, this is all about new beginnings and the next chapter, set that intention – check out my bathroom posts as it is important to see where the bathroom is and match the colours and elements, you may need to ‘drain’ some of the water by having stone and ceramics to ‘earth’ the water element.
• Can you buy new kitchen items? This is often the heart of the home and if you are newly married, it is likely that you have some wonderful new gadgets. If it is your next step, consider selling or donating those items that were part of the past.

Say Goodbye

Your previous space, no matter what emotions it has for you – good or bad, Feng Shui practice recommends saying goodbye and clearing your energy for the next person. There are various methods. My favourite is to go in to each room including each corner and cupboard and high and low. Using the frankincense, I move through each room and thank the space and release it with blessing to the next person. Yes, you may feel slightly loopy doing this but it feels good! Also, clean the place. I have moved in to some places where I have had to scrub walls!

What to Do First

As soon as you can, make the bed and set out the kitchen. You will be happy that you did this when you finish for the day and want to go to bed! If you can have at least a cup of tea or glass of wine, if not a meal that evening and congratulations!

Prepare Your New Space

My blog is called Interior Harmony for a reason. Before moving in properly, I take an incense stick and a Chinese singing bowl and moving through all the spaces including balconies, gardens and garages, I state that I am the new owner and I release the old energy of the space and welcome positive new energy to my new home. A lovely plant or new flowers are placed in a focal area to create the first step of connecting with the home. I make sure the place smells fresh and even a cup of tea or coffee adds an aroma. My husband loves to start with a meal and preferably with garlic!

The Front Door

By now, you should know from other posts that this is a key area. Make sure it is clean, there is no clutter outside or in. A friend moved in to a wonderful apartment but the corridor was dowdy and tired. She put in a new hall lightbulb, cleaned the area around her front door, placed a cheerful red door mat and put a small number plaque on the front door. It is tempting when moving in to have the boxes in the front, try to keep the front entrance clear of clutter as you unpack. Keep a box aside, you will soon find there are items that don’t go anywhere, give them away, they don’t belong in your new place.

Kitchens!

Many times we have moved in and been too exhausted to cook. We have always made sure we order good takeaway and had a glass of wine ready. Even if you are on your own, which has happened to most of us, order a really good meal and sit down. The boxes can wait. A Feng Shui friend welcomes each space but I just make sure I am calm and try not get frustrated which is easy when you are overwhelmed. We all have so much stuff these days!

Finally – the Bedroom