after the dust has settled

When things have become more calm or stable; when the consequences (of something) have become known or manageable. I know things have been really hectic during this project, so let's all take a bit of a break and return to it after the dust has settled a bit. Lots of people opposed the legislation, but after the dust has settled, I hope they'll see that there was no reason to be afraid of what it would bring. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami wreaked havoc on the city. We will only understand the scope of that destruction after the dust has settled.