Did You Recently Relocate? 3 Things You Can Do to Feel Comfortable in Your New Neighbourhood

You just looked at the clock; the time shows it’s 11:59 pm. It’s twenty-five Celsius outside and all your boxes are packed, the furniture is wrapped up and you double-checked, no triple-checked, your “to-do” list and realized this time, you did it! Go to sleep early tonight because tomorrow, tomorrow is the big day! YOU’RE MOVING!

The kids are excited, your spouse is excited, and you are excited. As you should be, you’ve been wanting to move and the neighbour of your new home looks like someone you may be able to vibe with. Two months later you still have a few things left to unpack and you feel like you’ve been on the go for the last few months non-stop. The moving process is, seldom, fun. As time passes, you realize maybe you should get out in your new neighbourhood. Here are three things you can do to feel comfortable in your new neighbourhood:

1. SHOP LOCALLY

Local businesses bring local flavour, uniqueness and history to their environments, and the restaurants and shops that also call your neighbourhood home can tell you a story about what’s important and what bring people in your community together over the year because they have been there. You can find a franchised big-box store, typically, anywhere you move to, but that mom-and-pop shop that is on the corner or side street from your new home is where you will find the only one of its kind. Even if you really enjoy online shopping and you’re not quite ready to give up that convenience, at least, make the diner down the street your new “go-to” breakfast or brunch spot instead of the grocery store. It can be a great way to build relationships with establishments that has become a staple in your area.

2. JOIN LOCAL CLUBS

Above all, neighbourhoods are made up of a cohort of people from all walks of life, cultures and experiences. The odds of you finding someone who has the same interests as you is higher than you think. Granted, during a pandemic and multiple lockdowns it does not make it as easy as it can be but thankfully we live in 2022 with an abundance of apps that can help with connectivity. Look to apps you can use like “Meetup” and “NextDoor”. I have personally used both with massive success to find like-minded people who have the same interests and live in the same areas, so if you are a family who just moved and wants to connect with other families who have younger children such as yourself, for example, this would be a great place for you to start.

3. WALK     

Simple, yet so effective and it has multiple benefits. Moving to a new area can be something that you should be looking forward to but for others, it may be a trigger for anxiety due to the unknown. A new unfamiliar area, with people they do not know or just getting lost on the way home because you made one wrong turn can be an unpleasant feeling for many. A great way to get familiar is to go out for morning or evening walks with family, friends that may be close by, or even with your pet dog. Doing this simple step will allow you to become comfortable with your new surroundings and start seeing familiar faces on your street. Additionally, walking is a great way to burn calories, improve cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness and also reduce risks of heart disease and stroke. Let’s get up and get out!

These tips and tricks seem obvious, but it is not done as often as you think. Whenever I move to a new area, I do all three of these and more and I tend to get very familiar with my area within just a few weeks. As an advocate in my neighbourhood, I regularly plan events for everyone in the community to take part in whether it is a fundraiser for Cancer, a charity event on wheels, or just a family day during the holidays getting together and a sense of community is something that will never get old.