I've just recently moved to London, and given the current scene of the rental market, it's a miracle that I found anywhere at all. But lo and behold, I was lucky enough to score a room in a humble, little flat; and thus began my trawl of making it actually feel like home.
While it's nice to think about all the latest home decor trends you've envisioned for your new place coming to life, when you're moving house, it's important to strip it back to the basics. So, should you only get to do one thing on the first day you move into a new place, let it be this: making your bed.
The first thing you should do on moving day
When you first move into a new place, the chances of you having all your key furniture bits put together is unlikely, to say the least – irrespective of how many moving house tips you follow. Although it's nice to imagine you can make your house feel like a home on the first day alone, it'll admittedly take a bit more time.
I asked the Ideal Home team for their must-do first task when they move into a new home, and the answer was surprisingly unanimous. All of our editors agreed that the first thing they'd do is ensure their bedroom (or more specifically, their bed) was looking up to scratch.
'I make the bed and get the bedroom looking tidy so that whatever chaos reigns elsewhere, there's somewhere to retreat to,' says Andrea Childs, our Editor.
Amy Lockwood, our Decor Editor, agrees saying, 'There's nothing worse than realising you still need to make the bed at the end of an exhausting day of moving and unpacking, so getting the beds set up is always my first move.'
Our Content Editor, Holly Cockburn, is in agreement, 'I do the same! Your own bedding and cushions make a new home feel instantly cosy.'
So, I take it by now, you get the gist. Making our beds and sorting our bedrooms out in a new place is always the first order of business, and it's one that we wouldn't trade for anything else (other than maybe lighting our favourite scented candle to kickstart our home's signature scent and making a cuppa).
However, since the decision was unanimous among our editors, it got us thinking: why is that so? What is the importance of our beds and having that 'place to retreat' during big life events?
The importance of our bed during big key life events
'Having one dedicated room in the home to relax and unwind is crucial to keeping a level head during what is deemed one of the most stressful experiences that us, as humans, can go through,' says Alison Jones, sleep expert at Sealy UK.
'Not to mention, a quality night’s sleep will help give you the energy to reload and wake up refreshed to unpack, sort out the home and above all, enjoy the experience.'
Alison explains that some key reasons we should not neglect our beds during huge life events such as moving house are for body restoration – both from physical restoration and the overall emotionally demanding experience – cognitive function, as well as encouraging better daily habits. So, it seems like our team is onto something with this must-do first task.
From finding the best mattress to sourcing the best duvet and the best pillows, creating a sleep sanctuary – even amidst moving day chaos – is clearly an essential we shouldn't neglect.
Alison continues, 'Prioritising our sleep enables you to approach the challenges of moving with greater resilience, adaptability, and overall effectiveness. Putting your focus into creating a space to unwind will ultimately ensure you create the home you’ve always wanted.'
So, should you ever catch any of us moving into a new home, best believe we'll be cracking out our beds and other sleep essentials to ensure we get our well-deserved rest at the end of a long day of unpacking.
