You’ve finally gotten past your first PCS, and all the stress is behind you. Now your kids are at school, your husband is at work, and you’re in this new house that feels foreign and strange. How do you make your new duty station feel like home?
You Need a Routine
The first thing I recommend is establishing a routine. It’s important to get back to your schedule when you move. Begin doing the things that were familiar in the past. At your last duty station, if you ran errands on Wednesdays and went to the gym Tuesday and Thursday, try and keep those things consistent. Once those habits kick back in, you’ll start feeling familiar with your new home.
Decorate Your Home
Next, you need to decorate. Picture frames, pillows, blankets, rugs. Whatever you used before, try to incorporate in your new house. Of course, it’s fun to update your home with new items, but you want to recognize it as belonging to you and your family, and a simple way to do that is by bringing in aspects that feel familiar to you.
Explore the Community
If you want to feel at home, you’ll also want to get out into the community. Go out and explore your surroundings. Hike a trail, join the spouses’ club, volunteer at the USO. During the holidays, you can attend a local parade or potluck. See how your community operates and become a part of it.
Make Friends
My final tip is to try to make friends. I know it’s easier said than done, but whether or not you have a support network can make or break your experience. The fact is, your husband won’t be home all the time, and you need someone (or group of someone’s) who can come over for coffee, watch your kiddos while you get a pedicure, or just listen while you vent. Being a military spouse is tough, but we have a built in network of women with whom we can relate if we’re willing.
Moving is stressful, and moving often is difficult, but there are ways to feel comfortable and at home. If you can establish a routine, jazz up your home with some familiar decor, get out into the community, and make friends, then when it’s time to PCS, you’ll wonder how you’re ever going to leave this home you’ve created, that once felt so foreign.
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