Life Swap: How To Adjust To Your New Country Cottage

So you’ve upped and moved to the country! How’s it going? You might be slowly adjusting to the new pace of life, the quietness, and having friendly neighbors, but you might also be feeling a little lost. If you’re used to city life or feeling invisible in a bigger town, country life could be a complete culture shock for you. 

But it’s not only the lifestyle you have to get used to, it’s the new home too. If you find it difficult going from a city apartment to a country cottage, you could be in need of a little advice and a bit of reassurance. Country life can be so rewarding and good for your health, it just takes a little getting used to.

Inject Your Style

When you’re trying to adjust to something that’s completely different to what you’re used to, you might want to try and inject a whole lot of you into it. Your style is a huge part of who you are. So, you need to make sure that you can see it in your new space. Then, you’ll find it easier to adjust. You might be down with country style, but you might want to add a few of your favorite decor pieces in too, just to make it feel like home.

Add Cozy Touches

Next, you should work on making your home as cozy as possible. When you first envisioned country life, you probably thought of slowing down a little, relaxing more and enjoying your days. When you get to your country cottage, you can feel like it’s going to be anything but. A way to get over your initial shock is to add cozy touches around the home, like soft furnishings, candles, and a warming fireplace (find reviews on sites like http://bestelectricfireplaces.net/).

Embrace The Culture

As much as you might be missing your old way of life, you’re going to need to throw yourself in the deep end and embrace your new culture if you’re ever going to adjust. It’s likely that your life would have slowed down a lot, so make the most of it. Grow vegetables, meet your neighbors and get involved in the community.

Be Prepared

Before you move or as soon as you arrive, you’re going to want to be prepared for the utilities and services that you’ll face. In the country, cell phone signal isn’t always strong, you might not get cable and your heating might not be as good as you’re used to. But, if you prepare yourself and expect the worse, anything better is a bonus. Besides, there are ways around each issue, you just have to ask the locals.

Adjust As You Go

By moving from the city to the country, you probably expect some challenges (here are some pros and cons to help you – http://modernhomesteading.ca/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-country-living-part-1-the-challenges). But, there are benefits too. As soon as you realize that you can make changes, upgrade what you’ve got in the home and make it work for you, the better. If you want to install air conditioning, do it. A log burner? Go for it. You just need to remember that adapting takes time, but you can do it in whichever way you choose.

Images Courtesy of Canva.