Moving house is a stressful enough process without having to worry about settling into your new area. Moving to a new area gives you plenty of things to worry about, from finding a new medical practitioner to finding a new school for the kids. If you’re moving a new area and you’re worried about settling in then why not have a look at this list of helpful tips to get you off to the best start imaginable?-    Pre-move preparations.Before you move it’s important that you take the time to explore your new area. There’ll be a lot of things to think about, such as your best route to work, which modes of public transport are the easiest to access from your new home and where to find the best schools, doctors, libraries, dentists and more! Start off by making a list of your needs, for example, if you drive then it might not be necessary for you to have a look at the local bus or train routes. All of the things that can be done before you move should be done in plenty of time, so that come moving day you’ll only have to focus on the unloading and unpacking. -    Meeting the neighbours.Either before you move or soon afterwards you should introduce yourself and your family to your neighbours. This doesn’t have to take long, you can just say a friendly hello. Being on good terms with your neighbours will help you settle into your new home. Making friends for yourself and your children is a great way for you to acclimatise yourself with your new surroundings, and it’s not something you should neglect to do! -    Unpacking tips.Unpacking your house can make your new property feel more like a home, but you shouldn’t rush to get this done! Make an unpacking schedule for you and your family and try your best to stick to it. Start with the most important rooms of your house such as your kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms and slowly branch out to finish off the rest of the boxes. Rushing to get everything unpacked immediately can create a lot of problems and the chaos can make it easy for important items to go missing. Take your time and don’t rush and you’ll find yourself more motivated to unpack all of your boxes instead of having one or two left in the garage for years to come! -    Throwing a party.Once you’ve settled into your new home why not invite your new neighbours around to come and have a look around? Meeting the neighbours and making new friends is a great way for you to get to know and understand your new neighbourhood. Although the internet will be an invaluable resource when it comes to finding out information about your new living area, there’s nothing that can compare to the opinions and knowledge of people who have lived there for years! Throwing a small get-together or party can be a fantastic way to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood and it’s definitely something that’s worth the time and effort, especially if you have children. A barbeque or housewarming party can be a great opportunity for your little ones to make new friends, so if you’re concerned about how your child will settle into their new home then this is definitely an idea worth considering!