Adjusting to your New Denver CO, Area Home:

Feel At Home & Settle In Faster After You Move:

Moving to a new community can be a great adventure, if you go with the right attitude and a sound strategy for settling-in. Incorporate these tips into an action plan, and you'll stay focused, organized and proactive--just what's needed to put roots down fast.

Before You Move:

• Complete a change of address form with the post office, which can be done online at the United States Postal Services website, usps.com. You'll also want to send your new address to any publications you subscribe to, as it can take up to eight weeks for the change to become effective.
• Contact the Visitor's Bureau for materials about your new town, which should include a map. Identify important routes, such as those between your home and your office or your child's school.
• Make initial contact with childcare facilities. Depending on the area you move to, you may need to put your name on a waiting list.
• If possible, enroll your children in school. Firm plans will reduce the stress.
• Pack a box with essentials for your first few nights, such as prescription medicine, toiletries, a telephone, clothing, towels, toilet paper, and bed linen.
• You'll also want to make arrangements for to have utilities transferred to your name or turned on. In addition, you will want to set up appointments to have services such as telephone, cable and high-speed Internet connected.

Once you Move:

• For safety & just peace of mind, change the locks. You never know who has a copy of the house key and it does not cost much at all.
• Become familiar with and locate emergency services, police, fire stations and the closest hospital.
• Hang drapes or curtains to give you some privacy and use sheets etc. to get you by until you buy them.
• Select one room, perhaps the family room, as a place of to have peace. Make it a cozy space without unpacked boxes and anything else move-related.
• Stock the fridge with prepared entrees, fruit drinks, energy bars and the makings for easy meals.

The First Week after you move:

• Check with the post office to see if they are holding mail for you.
• Send out change of address to credit card companies, clubs, associations, friends and family.
• File away all documents related to the move. You'll need them at tax time to show expenses.
• Call your waste collection company trash pickup schedule.
• Open a bank account and arrange for a safe deposit box, if you have a need for one.
• Obtain a driver's license from the local authorities and transfer your vehicle's registration.
• Register to vote.  Contact the local Board of Elections for information on where and how.
• Take a tour of your neighborhood to become familiar with your new surroundings. Learn the routes to work, school, grocers, etc.

Help Your Children Adjust If You Have Them:

• Maintain family routines. Kids will appreciate the continuity of family life and make it easier for them to adapt.
• Involve the kids. Allow them to select new furnishings, decide where to hang pictures or decorate their rooms.
• Take your children to the local playground. If you move during the summer, it's likely they'll make friends there, which should ease the transition to the new school.
• Try to be home when the children return from their first day at school. Kids feel reassured when a parent is there to hear about their special day.
• Watch for signs of adjustment problems. These can manifest as trouble making friends, academic difficulties, and irritability or depression.  Kids adapt well to new changes in ways that will surprise you, but keep attentive to what is normal for them and be able to recognize when things are not right.

Get Involved in the Community:

• Spend time outdoors. You can bump into the neighbors and get to know them easily.
• Walk your dog in an area where you see other dog owners congregating and it will be easy to get to know others.
• Schedule an after-work coffee or dessert hour. Invite the neighbors and make it social.
• Choose a place to worship and get involved; consider doing volunteer work.
• Select professional service providers such as doctor, dentist and veterinarian.
• Find out if your community has a welcome committee or newcomers group. Your local library is a good place to start.
• Join a club or take up activities you enjoyed before the move & call the past club to get contacts in the new area.
• Take a job-related class to develop new professional contacts and update skills.
• Take a class that is not job related to enhance a skill you have and get to know others.

Don't hesitate to contact your real estate agent for more ideas or information about your new community. By re-establishing daily patterns like before the move, and developing new groups and interests soon after arrival, your new environment will soon begin to feel like home.

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