Make your new house feel like home
It’s a big moment when you finally move into a new home. After months of searching, organising, packing and planning, everything falls into place and you’re standing in your new house surrounded by boxes of your belongings.
Moving house is not just a practical change – it’s a big emotional upheaval too. We are in a new house, but we are not at home. At least, it doesn’t always feel like home straight away.
That got us thinking – what does it mean to be ‘at home’? How long does it take for a house to really feel like home, and what can we do to get that feeling faster? To find out, we surveyed 2,000 homeowners in the UK to find out when their place felt like their own, and what things, big and little, made the difference.
Almost half of homeowners take 11 weeks to unpack belongings
The study showed that 80% of homeowners felt it was important to make their house a home when they moved in. And many of our respondents told a similar tale – a new house doesn’t always feel like home right away. While a third of people said their house felt like their home after the first night of sleeping there, most said it took them more time.
Feeling at home is about emotional connection
When we asked our homeowners what really made them feel at home, it was the little things that made the difference. Family photos, a bookshelf filled with books, having a ‘place’ on the sofa and being able to sleep in their ‘own’ bed were all top causes for making a house into a home.
The living room is voted the most homely space in a new house
The living room was found to be the top space which homeowners wanted to make feel homely, followed by the bedroom and the kitchen. Decorating everything properly and getting new furniture were the two big factors in making a house more like a home.
Having a place on the sofa was one of the top three homely triggers, and we know how great it feels to have the right sofa for all the family. Making sure there’s space for everyone means corner sofas are always popular with families moving house. Then you just need to agree who is sitting where, and your home will instantly feel more like your own!
Over half of homeowners feel their home represents their personality
The study also revealed how much people want to make their homes represent them and their personalities. This was a key driver in helping it feel like home. More than a third said they already had an idea of how to make their house feel like ‘theirs’ when they moved in.
And almost 60% of people said their home represents parts of their personality throughout. For inspiration, many looked on social media for interiors and furniture photos, while a quarter browsed furniture stores to see what would suit them, and a fifth were influenced by looking around their friends’ houses.
Making your house feel like a home is about putting your own unique stamp on it, surrounding yourself with what you’re comfortable with and what’s familiar to you – from those family photos to your favourite bedding.
Once you’ve unpacked the last cardboard box you can give a huge sigh of relief, snuggle down on your special space on the sofa and start to finally settle in, feeling you’re just where you belong. It may take a little while to get there, but it’s well worth the effort. There’s no place like home.
