OK, you've done the hard part. Half-empty moving boxes litter unfamiliar rooms, the beds are assembled, and you've found your way to the nearest grocery store. In a house that still holds the echoes and smells of its former residents, you realize it's up to you to make this new place a home.

The following tips might inspire you, while others may not apply to you at all. However, you'll only need to use a handful to ease your family into a new community. 

> Allow yourself time and leeway. It's natural to feel sad and overwhelmed at first. One parent of four and repeated "relocator," always takes allows for some emotional solitude after each move.

> Play hooky. While their spouses may be working extra long hours, trailing spouses sustain the brunt of dismantling and resurrecting the home, says Fred Medway, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of South Carolina. Medway has researched family moving topics for more than 20 years. Don't take on days and days of unpacking and neglect the social side of your move, he says. 

> Remember the rule about six degrees of separation. Contact friends and relatives about their ties to your new town. Someone always will know someone who lives or who has lived in your new community.

> Invite a close relative or friend to stay with you right after the move. The two of you can explore unfamiliar territory together, and you'll have an extra pair of hands to help unpack.

> Scope out the territory. Send for state, regional, and local brochures from tourism boards. Buy area travel guides. Subscribe to newsletters from recreation boards, museums, and state parks. 

> Mine the bookstores. Their regional sections hold volumes highlighting the area's hiking trails, attractions, and kid friendly activities. 

> Raid the libraries. These community centers distribute alternative newspapers, community calendars, and school brochures. A stop at the research desk might net even more resources.

> Act like a tourist. Attend festivals, lectures, and special events. Many townships offer guided walking tours of scandalous and significant sites within their jurisdictions. During the weekends of your first year in a new location take the family on jaunts to nearby territories.

> Take your former home's traditions with you to the next place. People in North Dakota will enjoy celebrating Mardi Gras. Californians will catch on quickly to Kentucky Derby parties, and hosting an Elvis Presley birthday bash in Texas will delight young and old alike.

> Never say "no" to an invitation, even if you're in the middle of getting settled. You never may be offered a second chance.

> Force-feed your tender new roots. Cultivate continuity by choosing a new "favorite" restaurant to celebrate life's milestones. Go to the same grocery store checkout clerks, and establish relationships with barbers/hair stylists, doctors, and dentists as soon as possible.

> Be proactive, says Medway. Don't wait for neighbors to welcome you. Stand tradition on its head by visiting your new neighbors with a "Hello, I'm new in town" offering of homemade baked goods or the like.

> Work in the front yard on the weekends. Even if your thumb is more black than green or your mowing and landscaping skills leave a bit to be desired, passersby and window watchers will find this an ideal opportunity to stroll by and begin conversations.

> Adopt an old-fashioned but elegant and practical custom. Print some inexpensive computer "calling cards" to have handy when you meet potential friends.

> Do as the natives do. If residents tend to saunter instead of dash, match their pace. If they say, "pop" instead of "soda," copy their example. Don't worry. You can maintain your individuality and still fit in, says Medway. Go ahead and serve Polish sausage at your first Southern barbecue, but if football allegiances run strong in your new community, alluding to your indifference to that sport would be a mistake.

> Avoid going on and on about the benefits of another place. At best, it's boring. At worst, it alienates prospective friends. Talk about the advantages of your new home at least 10 times more often than you tick off its deficits. 

> Purchase international almanacs about birds, geology, or foliage. Begin a custom of perusing, identifying, and notating entries of specimens in each new environment.

> Go back where everybody knows your name. Arrange to return to your old stomping grounds to soothe your torn roots. Make the occasion even more memorable by scheduling a visit around a favorite season or celebration -- autumn, summer festivals, or the winter carnival. Reacquaint your children with their old neighborhood. Go to your favorite park. 

> Preserve lifelong bonds. Try to attend lifetime friends' significant family events. The children of some frequently relocating families act like cousins to their childhood neighbors. They'll go to each other's weddings, recognize births with presents, and remember birthdays. 

> Hobby up. Hiking, folk dancing, stamp or sports memorabilia collecting, and genealogy are just a few of the diversions with an international following. Nearly every activity has a national organization as well as local chapters.

> Frame meaningful photos and place them in conspicuous places. Ease transitions by choosing pictures of best friends and events from your most recent neighborhood, or add an aura of permanence by selecting snapshots of significant others who have a steady involvement in your family such as grandparents, godparents, and close friends.

> Join national and international organizations. You'll have immediate cohorts in any new environment if you belong to groups such as Toastmasters.

> Fall in love with mobile objects. Grandma's afghan, dad's handmade headboard, and children's first art projects will continue to console transplants with every move.

> Start a scrapbook journal. Collect photos, brochures, and other odds and ends. Keep it in a handy place, so family members can jot down happenings, thoughts, and other memorable notations.

> Latch on to other newbies. Seek out other families who have moved recently. Chances are they will be in the same stage of getting settled, so their calendars will have as much white space as yours.

> Savor the opportunities. Take up skiing in Colorado, surfing in California, or scuba diving in Florida. Learn to make lefse in Minneapolis, espresso in Miami, and dumplings in Milwaukee.

> Create an extended family. Invite other dislocated families to Thanksgiving dinners or Fourth of July barbecues. You may not remember just who shared significant days with your family, but your children will always remember your open heart.

> Hit the road together. Vacationing with old friends rejuvenates frayed bonds. 

> Scout electronic communities and nurture virtual friendships. These portable online relationships move with you and can strengthen a sagging sense of stability.

> Go back to school. Photography, computer courses, flower arranging, and exercise classes permit you to establish consistency and connections. Order the catalogs for community and technical colleges. Coffee houses, craft stores, and cooking schools also host clubs and classes. 

> Coordinate a neighborhood progressive barbeque or dinner party. Also, check gourmet websites for information about dining clubs. Many friendships have been forged during delectable dinners.

> Be a good sport. Tennis, bowling, and golf leagues, as well as joining the local gym or fitness club, all offer the instant camaraderie of shared interests.

> Give of yourself. Volunteering fuses the satisfaction of helping others with the pleasure of meeting new people.

Both experts and moving mavens agree the nomadic life offers a wide spectrum of advantages. People who move often have more expansive horizons, broader perspectives, and deeper knowledge of other people, places, and philosophies. 

Moving may jar your peace of mind. However, if you keep a positive attitude and an open mind, you're bound to stock your new world with meaningful relationships and connections.

You may never find your blender, but your family definitely will discover soul mates to share their laughter, tears, and even the most humdrum of days. Those who have friends in many places rarely have to pay for hotels.

Happy Moving!