An average American moves 12 times in their lifetime, and many of those relocations are to another town and even another state. No matter if you are relocating for a job or love, you will have to go through the same process. And knowing how to move to a new city can help you a great deal to have a stress-free relocation.
More and more folks decide to leave their hometowns and explore different opportunities in different cities or even states. But no matter your reasons for relocation,this will probably be one of the most stressful events in your life. You are leaving your friends and family and heading off to a totally different place. But with our tips and advice, you will learn to get the answer to a question “how do I move to a new city,” learn how to avoid some common relocation mistakes, implement some of the best tips for relocation to another state, and much more. Keep reading and see some of the best professional relocation tips there are.
How to Move to a New City – Tips for Best Preparation
So how do you move to a new city and start over? First and foremost, you will have to create a plan and strategy. Go to the store, buy a binder and start organizing your move. There are tons of things that need to be done when moving interstate, but if you create a relocation checklist and start with your preparations on time, you will have as stress-free a move as possible. And if you are relocating for the first time, this list will come in even handier. Here are some things you must put in your binder:
- Relocation budget,
- Hiring movers,
- Transfer utilities,
- House hunting research,
- Travel arrangements,
- Auto transport service.
Plan Your Move – Create a Budget and Start Saving Now
Probably the most important part of every relocation is a good financial plan. That is something you must do before anything else. Once you have an idea of how much money you need for a relocation, you can start saving money. If you wish to know the answer to a question “how much money should I save to move to a new city,” it would be about three months of life expenditures.
Once you decide where you will move, go online on the website Numbeo and check the living costs in your town of choice. As a rule, you should save money for three months’ rent, utilities, and food. That is a scenario for a really tight budget. If your salary allows you, you can set aside money for buying things to furnish your place.
Book Your State to State Movers
Ensure to contact and book your interstate moving company for moving services at least three months in advance. This way, you will have enough time to arrange other things, pack everything, make living arrangements, and save some money. When looking for interstate moving companies, contact the ones that can give you a free online quote for your move.
With the estimate, you will have an idea of how much money you will have to save. Also, find a company that can provide you with all services, for example, packing service, car shipping, or even storage units. With all in one company, you will not have to struggle in booking different companies for services.
Find Apartment in the Right Neighborhood
While booking your movers, you should begin research of your town of choice. To be precise, you should find out as much as possible about neighborhoods and housing options. If you have buddies there, ask them for guidance. If not, hit the web. Go on websites such as Niche and AreaVibes and search through neighborhoods. Whether you’ll choose the neighborhood for safety or proximity to downtown, ensure that you go into a renting process as soon as possible. Remember that getting all the paperwork done usually lasts for one month once you choose the apartment.
Consider Getting a Roommate
Perhaps you wish to live near the economic core or your place of work, only to realize prices are too high for your budget. If this is the case, you should consider finding a roommate. You can do this through acquaintances or an online search. You can use online platforms for finding roommates. Just sign up and choose someone. And yes, living with a stranger may not be something you imagined for yourself, but this can be a good thing.
For starters, you will have someone to talk to and someone to hang out and explore the town with, and if that person is a local, even better. With your roommate you can learn more about the town as they can show you around, get you to know their mates, and much more. And in the end, your bill will be much cheaper at the end of the month, and you may save some additional funds.
Pack Lightly for Easier Settle In
No matter if you are relocating to a big or small town, it is always good to cleanse your way into a new life. Downsizing your home will make your move more efficient, more affordable, and not to mention that you have the chance to finally get rid of all the things you don’t want to look at anymore. So before you start packing pots and pans and other belongings, inspect everything and throw away anything you didn’t use for more than two years.
Don’t Forget to Forward You Mail
Another common thing people usually forget to do is to change their address. You can easily do this online at your local UPSP. Just fill out the change of address form, and your mail will be forwarded to your new address for the next 12 months. Bear in mind that you can do this after you find a place to live.
Connect With People Before You Move
Connect, connect, connect. That is a golden rule whether you’re relocating to a different town alone or with family. You will need as many connections as you can possibly have. So talk to pals and family and inform them about your plans – maybe they will know someone in that city. Post your plan to Facebook, too. Maybe your old college buddy is currently living there. Talk even with your barista -you never know who of the people you speak to have acquaintances there. You will have someone to show you around. Or, if you are relocating without a job, to recommend you to some company.
Moving to a New City Tips for Easy Settle
Relocating to a new state can cause serious anxiety and nostalgia. Depression after the relocation is a real thing, and most people experience symptoms in various forms. Some people have adjustment insomnia. Some are just sad and blue and don’t wanna go out of bed. These feelings are all perfectly normal, but they shouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks, and if they do, you should seek professional help.
Relocation is hard. You have to say bye to your friends and family and everything familiar to you. But you should fight these feelings, keep reminding yourself why you are doing this, explore the town, and be open to fresh ideas.
Make Your Home a Happy Place
As soon as your movers unload all your belongings, you should start unpacking. If you keep yourself busy, you will not have time to feel sad and blue. Decorate your place to feel like your old home. Put some photographs and other memories on display, and you will soon feel like you have been there for ages.
Stay in Touch With Friends and Family
One of the best long-distance relocation tips we can give you is to schedule video chatting with all your pals and family.Create a habit of keeping in touch with them as much as you can. Make a chat group with your closest pals and share your daily activities with all of them. If you invest extra effort in your relationship, there is no need for friendships to fall apart. And if you keep in touch with close mates on a regular basis, your adjustment will be much easier.
Don’t Be Afraid to Explore Different Places
If you wish to become a part of the city’s culture and vibe, you will have to get out of your comfort zone and explore your surroundings. If you are relocating with a pet (a dog, for example,) it is an excellent excuse for you to leave your house and go outside. Take a bike and ride in any direction or go to a park where everybody is riding. Establish morning routines and go to a local coffee shop for breakfast, and you will certainly meet someone there. Use public transportation as much as you can or go on foot. And in the blink of an eye you will get to know a place like you were born there.
Bonus Tip – Be Open to New People
Meeting friends at a certain age can be exciting but yet exhausting. You just thought you had finished with all that meeting up when you had to relocate and make new buddies. So yes, it is hard, but stay open to people. Even if they seem annoying or uninteresting, give them a chance – not everybody is good at making a first impression.
And keep in mind that they are not your old pals and they will never be. So don’t be all disappointed on your first night out. Making friendships that last for life is hard, but eventually, you will meet someone in that town too. But until then, find folks you can chat or hang out with, for starters.
Join Local Club and Meet Your Neighbors
When in a different environment, saying yes to a bunch of things you did before will become normal. So don’t be surprised when you see yourself in a hunting club smoking a cigar, just because some colleague asks you to spend some time with his buddies. When searching for buddies, many things can happen, so stay open to fresh experiences and say “Yes” to everything you feel comfortable doing.
Also, do not rule out those living in the vicinity. Meet your neighbors as soon as possible – in the end, they are your neighbors, and they can help you a great deal. Check this video for more tips on how to make pals.
Is It Hard to Move to a New City?
Now that you know the answer to the question of how do you move to a new city, the moment has come to discuss how hard it is to do such a thing. As you can see, moving state to state requires a lot of hard work, but luckily you can outsource most of the things needed to be done to professionals. Do so, and you won’t have to deal with finding a truck or buying packing materials, with more time left to finish other obligations. Also, you will not miss out days from your work and save more money along the way. And with proper organization and good strategy in place, relocation doesn’t have to be hard.
