So you’re moving to Gungahlin: Top tips for new residents

Moving house is both stressful and exciting. There’s the stress of getting everything organised to move from an old house into a new house. Then there’s the excitement of putting down roots in another house in another suburb. To get away from the stress of unpacking and making an empty house feel like a home, people will often leave unpacking boxes in favour of exploring their new area. This band aid solution can lead to even more stress by avoiding what you know needs to be done.

Having things organised before exploring a place like Gungahlin is the best move. This is simply because there is so much to do and see that you might still be unpacking 12 months later! Having things organised will allow you and your family to explore the new neighbourhood stress free and without a time limit. 

Get to know your neighbours 

Once the last of the boxes have been emptied, the next point of call should be meeting your neighbours. You’ll be living next to these people so you don’t want to wait too long to make an introduction. Getting to know your neighbours will help you feel like you’re at home and settled into your new space. 

In order to get off on the right foot, make time for your neighbours. You don’t have to know them on an intimate level, but rather make small talk so that they can get a sense of who you are. At the end of the day, you’ll feel more settled in your home once you know the people around you. 

Meeting your neighbours will help establish feelings of home and community. Additionally, it will ensure that, if you know the people next to you, if ever you’re away, there is always someone trustworthy left to look after your house. However, when initially moving in, neighbours can be helpful in other ways. 

Your neighbours can provide insider information on the best places to visit in town or the best nature walks so that you can start off life in Gungahlin on a positive note. Your new neighbours could also provide helpful tips like where to find the best parking spots in town or the best place to buy meat. 

Check out the local businesses 

Another tip when moving into a new area is to spend time getting to know the local businesses. Feeling like you’re part of a community takes time and effort on your part. Meeting your next door neighbours, especially if your new to the neighbourhood entirely, isn’t enough. Walking through town and spending the next few weeks sharing your name and small personal details with business owners can go a long way towards forging a sense of community. 

In suburbs like Gungahlin, getting to know the local businesses can be quite beneficial. Your favourite coffee shop will soon be able to make your order without you even having to ask. This small act of kindness can be a nice gesture and time saver if you’re late for an appointment or due at work. Sharing a few exchanges with the local grocer means that there is enough of a relationship there to possibly ask in the future if they would consider stocking a product you simply can’t find anywhere else in town. 

Checking out the local businesses has short term and long term impacts. In the short term, by taking the time to get to know what’s on offer, you’ll soon find the best coffee in town. In the long term it means that you’ll always have people looking out for you and your family. So even though you’ve moved to a new place, it will soon start to feel a little less lonely and a lot like home. 

Be a tourist 

To get the best out of your new town, try playing tourist. By visiting popular places and gems off the beaten track, you’ll soon be able to confidently know everything your new area has to offer. By playing tourist you get to experience the best of Gungahlin, rather than just the day to day of going to the shops and settling in at home. 

Playing tourist means visiting the beaches and having fish and chips or taking the kids for a play in the local parks. Put simply, it means enjoying the area and all its offerings instead of visiting places because you have to. 

Welcome to Gungahlin 

Moving into a new house is an exciting time for everyone involved. However, there can be a lot of stress involved. In order to enjoy moving into your new house as much as possible, make an effort to get all the unpacking out of the way fairly quickly. With the unpacking done, you and your family can go and enjoy all that Gungahlin has to offer without any stress or time frames. Meet your neighbours, check out the local businesses, play tourist for a few days and simply enjoy your new environment. 

Having trouble settling in? Check out The Marketplace Gungahlin to help ease into a new beginning.