Moving to a new city is exciting and stressful at the same time. For instance, driving in a big city for the first time can be fun, but it can also make you anxious if you don’t know your way around. However, if you want to turn it into a more positive experience, you’ll need to plan ahead. There are a lot of things to plan for, and it can be hard to keep track of everything you need to do. Whether you’re moving because you got a new job or simply want to switch things up, you could do with a few tips to follow when moving to a new city. Read on to discover nine great tips that will make life easier for you.
Start Packing Early
One of the best tips for moving to a new city is to pack as early as you can. This is especially so if you plan to sell your home before moving. If you put off the packing until the last time, you might have a nasty surprise when you discover what a time-consuming task it is. So, packing is one of those things you should put high up on your moving checklist. The easiest way to pack is to start with the items that you don’t use every day. For instance, you can store items that are in your spare room and other storage areas like the garage and attic.
As the move draws closer, you can then start packing the rest of your belongings. Be sure to label all the boxes so that you know exactly what is in each box. This makes unpacking such a breeze. Also, make sure you have enough packing supplies on hand, including plenty of storage containers, bubble wrap, markers, etc. You can also ask your family and friends to speed up the packing process. Alternatively, you can save yourself the hassle of packing by hiring professionals who can do the job for you. This will leave you with more time to attend to other things on your moving checklist.
Hire Professional Movers
Driving in a big city for the first time won’t be the only thing you have to be worried about. You also have to think about how to get yourself and all your belongings to your new location. Of course, the obvious answer to all this is to hire a professional moving company. However, keep in mind that your belongings are valuable items, and you don’t just entrust their care to anyone without checking their reputation first. So you have to find a reliable city-to-city mover that will do the job without damaging your belongings or making life difficult for you.
So it’s worth it to compare moving companies and do your research before hiring. You can use various factors to make the comparison, including checking to see if the company is licensed. Google is also your best friend in this case since online reviews can tell you a lot about whether a company is worth hiring. After narrowing down your options, you should also get a written quote for the services you want. Doing all this will help you find an affordable but reliable and reputable moving company you can trust.
Enroll Your Child In School Beforehand
If you’re making the move with children, then you also need to think ahead about moving them to a different school. Keep in mind that the move can also be stressful to children, so try as much as possible to keep them in the loop, so they acclimate to the idea. You can prepare children for change by involving them in the process of moving schools. For instance, you can discuss what moving to the new school will entail. You can research daycares, middle schools, high schools, or other types of educational centers to find the best one that your child prefers and which also aligns with your plans.
Before moving schools, you can also enlist the help of your child’s old school to make the transfer process easier. At the same time, contact representatives from the new school to find if there’s anything your child can do to familiarize themselves with the new school quickly. If you have the time, you can even take your child for a tour of the school so that everything won’t look so new and intimidating on their first day. Children are often very resistant to moving, but applying these tips will encourage them to cooperate. Remember to give them enough time to say goodbye to their friends and the familiar environment they’re used to.
Do Your Research
If you’re making any big life changes, it goes without saying that those changes should be backed up by research. Fortunately, there’s a lot of information available online, so you should be able to find many valuable details about the new city you’re moving to. For instance, if you want to enroll your child in a new school, all you have to do is search for ‘ performing arts schools near me.’ Similarly, if you’re going to be driving in a big city for the first time, all you have to do is use Google Maps to get the basic lay of the land. This will help you figure out where you’ll be working and how long the commute times are. When researching a new city neighborhood online, you’ll also find out about events that happen in the city and the kind of vibe it has.
Go On a Tour of the City
It’s always a good idea to go on a tour of the city before you actually make the move. Act like a tourist who’s discovering a new place and taking note of all the details and the pros and cons. You might as well get the experience of driving in a big city for the first time out of the way. That way, you won’t be as nervous about driving around when you finally make the move. Going on a tour of the city helps because it improves your implicit bias awareness since you now have a first-hand experience of what the city is like. Now is the time to check if your research matches what’s on the ground. We recommend that you find time to check out basic neighborhood amenities, such as hospitals. Find out what healthcare services are offered and the primary care billing method they use. If you need to check out assisted living communities, it’s preferable to do so before making the move.
Make a Plan for Meeting New People
When moving to a new city, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed because you’re in a strange new place. You’ll miss your old friends and relationships. The only thing to do to establish a new lifestyle is to meet new people and make new friends. We know it’s easier said than done, but there are many great tips you can apply to meet new people around your area. The first thing to do is embrace adventure and be ready to explore popular social scenes in the city. If you’re lucky, you may find some old friends who are already living in the new city. Ask to hang out with them as much as possible, and who knows, they may even help you get around if you’re driving in a big city for the first time.
Don’t just stick to old friends — as you go around, you’ll find many strangers that will eventually turn to be close friends. If you have the budget for it, you can even host a housewarming party and invite your neighbors so you can get to know them better. Sign up for different classes and attend social events. You’ll be surprised at how many friendly faces you can meet.
Create a Moving Budget
Money is always a big factor to consider when moving to a different city. That’s because such a big move is already more costly than moving within the same city. If you’re not careful, the final bill can come as a nasty surprise. In that case, you’ll need to budget ahead to ensure there are no financial hiccups. To create a budget that works, you should start with the essential costs, such as hiring a moving company, rentals, mortgage payments, and other costs that come with getting your new home up to speed. If you’re planning to be driving in a big city for the first time, you also need to factor in car transportation costs and parking charges (remember, big city life can be expensive).
When creating your moving budget, you should also leave room for unexpected expenses. No matter how much you plan, you can never account for all expenses. Otherwise, you might find yourself moving to a new city with no extra money for emergencies. To avoid this, you should find ways to save money so that the whole move ends up being cost-effective. You can do this by selling unnecessary stuff you don’t need in your new home. Take the time to compare quotes so you can find a reputable and affordable mover.
Combat Separation Anxiety
As mentioned, moving to a big city can involve some positive and negative feelings. One of the negative feelings that can end up being unbearable is missing your old home and your old life. This is quite understandable because you need a lot of time to quickly acclimate to your new environment. The most important thing to understand is that it’s normal to feel like you’re struggling to get used to your new surroundings. What helps is giving yourself plenty of time to adjust and also taking some time for self-care. For instance, if you’re anxious about driving in a big city for the first time, you can ask someone you trust to drive you around for the first few weeks.
If you’re experiencing what is known as relocation depression, you can also visit a wellness clinic or research mindfulness centers that can help you get into a more positive mental space. Avoid staying cooped up in your home but venture outside as much as possible to get used to the new place. Make an effort to meet new people and to find new places that you like to hang out in. Also, remember that you don’t have to give up your new life completely. You can still reach out to your old friends and maintain the relationships and contacts you already had.
Create a Moving Checklist
We have given you plenty of tips that are easy to follow when moving to a big city. However, they’re easy to forget if you don’t write them down. That’s why we highly recommend that you create a moving checklist that you can continually refer to as you try to bring all your plans together. This moving checklist will be the map you need to guide you to your new location successfully. So you should feel proud of yourself as you manage to tick off all the items on your moving checklist one by one.
To recap, you should start packing as early as possible and while you’re at it, also take the time to hire a moving company well in advance so you don’t end up settling for any moving expenses services you can find at the last minute. If you’re going to be driving in a big city for the first time, make sure you have a list of all the places you need to visit beforehand. On top of that, you have to create a reasonable moving budget and find a new school for your children where applicable. There are so many other things to do, such as changing your address, gathering paperwork, and transferring your utilities, so make sure that your moving checklist is as comprehensive as possible.
These are great tips to follow if you have a big move planned to a new city. As a final reminder, have fun driving in a big city for the first time, but make sure you’re safe and cautious all the time. When done right, you’ll find that moving to a new city doesn’t have to be scary or stressful at all.
