You've arrived, unpacked and begun to settle in. Perhaps many of your arrangements have been made—schools have been selected for your kids, your new house or apartment is set up—but that doesn't quite make it home...yet.

How long that takes depends on your circumstances. Do you have relatives in the area, a company "work family," or memories of time spent nearby as a child? These factors lend a comforting sense of familiarity, even if you've just arrived. Or perhaps you feel like I did arriving in San Francisco, 8 years ago, with a job lead and two college friends in the city. I must admit it's taken me years, but I can now say that I feel at home.

Home, as you know, is about people as much as anything, and relationships with friends, neighbors, teachers and grocery store owners.

Relocating is stressful, and part of that has less to do with the boxes and arrangement than the new relationships you'll need to make...and, well...that feeling of "home" that only time can deliver. So be patient, but be active!

Is there a way to fertilize the soil a bit and get those taproots growing? Consider these tips: