25th January 2026•
You’ve confirmed your move-in date and the countdown has started. The joy of a fresh start combined with the inevitable chaos of cardboard boxes. Whether it's a straightforward move across town or a brand-new neighbourhood altogether, every new beginning brings its stressful moments for everyone in the family - even your pets.
From rearranging your everyday routine to new schools, jobs, or even having your pots and pans in new cupboards, moving home is as much an emotional shift as it is a physical one, marking the start of a new chapter.
So, before you begin packing, put the bubblewrap down and read Home by Way of Life’s guide to settling in to ensure this house move is the smoothest one yet. From simple rental house ideas to family-first tips, the whole house will feel at home in no time (and you can thank us later).
Unpack the Essentials
Imagine your everyday routine and jot down your day-to-day essentials, from morning to night, for the whole family. Breakfast - check, work laptop - check, kids’ favourite toys, check, your pet’s dinner (and treats!) - double check. In the lead up to the big day, prepare a large bag of your non-negotiables so they’re easy to find from the moment you walk through the door. Don’t forget any important documents, portable chargers and leads you may need for the first day too!
When considering rental home ideas for families, comfort and security are essential for the little ones, so if you can, set up the children’s rooms early on. Not only will this trick work nicely for setting a child-friendly base whilst you can crack on with the heavy lifting, creating a sense of familiarity and peace from the get-go will be key for the first night’s sleep. Don’t forget the little details for your new rental home: cosy blankets, nightlights, favourite toys and (if needed) screens. Creating an environment that’s safe and comforting for children is the foundation for making the home your own.
And for you, if you have time before the big day, try and prepare a fresh set of bedsheets, your favourite pyjamas, and keep aside all of your little luxuries: your favourite skincare, shampoo, shower gel. Whether your first night is spent on a mattress on the floor, or you’ve got the motivation to continue with the screwdriver, guarantee that your first sleep is a good one. You’ve earned it.
Oh, and don’t worry about needing to clean your new home, the Home by Way of Life team will have taken care of that. A perfect blank canvas awaits, ready for you to make it your own. Leaving you to ask the question, will it be a hearty home-cooked meal tonight, or a deserved takeaway from your new local?
Quick Ways to Create Family-Friendly Comfort
Once the basics have been given their temporary home (we can always go back and rework spaces!), take a breather whilst you take some time curating the smaller details. The living room is the perfect place to settle into first, creating a sanctuary to really unwind after a day of cardboard boxes.
Personalising a rental house with throws, cushions, rugs, plants and lamps can easily fast-track a room from blank canvas to cosy retreat. Through adding texture, colour and pattern to a space, you’ll immediately create warmth and familiarity that brings the room to life. Make use of available windowsills and existing shelves so family photos can quickly go on display, and try renter-friendly command strips to hang artwork once you’ve got more time to spare. Give everything a place to live now, and you can tweak as you go. We all know the term ‘home comforts’, and this is it at its very best.
And those leftover empty cardboard boxes? This is when ‘out of sight, out of mind’ can really come into its own. Make the most of the available storage cupboards that Home by Way of Life offers, you can worry about the rest later.
Personalising Without Permanent Changes
When you’re decorating a rental house, we’re spoilt for choice in ways to add character to a temporary space. Online, Facebook Marketplace, your local high street, or even a large supermarket offer plenty of non-permanent and second-hand solutions for every room. Want to take it a step further? Peel-and-stick wallpapers are renter-friendly and a great way to add a touch of you to a home. Turns out, you can have both: style and your deposit returned at the end of the tenancy.
As you settle into the home and spaces evolve, invest in pieces that you know will grow with you. Magnetic boards are a versatile purchase to make for the home, and they’re so useful that you might want two or three, making it perfect when decorating a rental house. Whether it’s for your kitchen (shopping list, recipes, postcards), home office (to-do list, notes, homework) or the children’s bedroom (artwork, posters, photos) - you can keep rotating, refreshing and reinventing your board to match your family’s ever-evolving style and interests.
For the little ones’ rooms in particular, creating a sense of belonging through comfortable furnishings and interiors will elevate a bedroom into a space designed for more than just sleeping. Let them take part in the decorating process to really feel a sense of ownership - it’s time to set a theme and have fun. Additions such as playful bedding, rugs, and bright furniture pieces are a purchase worth making, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Building a space that’s comfortable, creative and full of personality for your child is the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle when settling into new surroundings. And speaking of missing jigsaw pieces…
Make Shared Spaces Work for Everyone
Whether you’re downsizing or moving into a space where you can spread out a little further, make the rooms work for you and your needs. Overflow storage is a must (if you have kids, or not!), and storage cubes are a simple, affordable yet effective choice. Puzzles, toys, half-finished crafts - tidy them away in a storage cube so you can really relax in the evening, knowing that it has an (unofficial) home. Fewer LEGO bricks on the floor, more room to unwind.
Don’t commit to any big decisions when you first move into a new home; take it one room (or even half a room) at a time. That small table that worked perfectly in the living room of your previous home, might now work better in the bedroom. The freestanding mirror you’ve had for years, might fill the gap in the new bathroom perfectly. Spread out, settle in, slowly. When looking to purchase new pieces for your home, look for versatile, renter-friendly furniture that can adapt with you and potential different environments. Think multi-functional pieces such as fold-away tables, guest bed-turned sofas, and stackable stools that can be quickly brought out for surprise guests.
Take organisation a step further and explore the idea of zoning your home to really get comfortable in your new space. Think back to your day-to-day routine and take your time reshaping spaces so they respond to your lifestyle. Read a lot? Set up a relaxing corner full of cushions and soft lighting. Is homework a nightmare every Sunday? Create a concentration zone with a desk and little distraction. Embrace Feng Shui and respond to the things you love (or equally, hate) and curate your home in a way that responds to your family's needs and enhances your life.
Create Routines That Last
A fresh start calls for new memories, and there’s no time to start like the present. Whether it’s your unpacking playlist played on loop, taking a long, relaxing bath after a day with the Allen key, or spending a night on the sofa with the family watching a classic, settling in will take time, but every little moment will help bring you closer to feeling at home.
Renting with Home by Way of Life
Combining good design with easy living, whatever your stage in life, we’ve got a home that’s right for you and your family. With simple contracts, straightforward fees, pet-friendly policies, and repairs taken care of while you’re at work, at Home by Way of Life we know what matters to renters. That’s why we’re rated 4.7/5 by 1,000 happy residents (HomeViews). It’s renting, how it should be.
The ideal “as-long-as-you-need” home: If you're not quite ready to buy, need a little extra space, or want the freedom and flexibility that renting brings, our homes are designed for what you need today, and tomorrow too.
Make your next rental home the best one yet when you choose Home by Way of Life. If your family is looking for a little more room, green space to spend summer days, or a neighbourhood with everything you need, you’ll find our modern homes in plenty of towns throughout the UK.
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