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Relocating to a new city can be physically and mentally hectic. While moving can seem exciting, leaving a place you’re familiar with is quite confusing. With this confusion, many people end up forgetting the necessary things that are needed to make that move.
If you’re planning to relocate, don’t wait until the last minute. Bear in mind that relocating is a big household task and without organization, it can be really overwhelming. This guide will give you some ideas on how to move to a new city and hopefully make this process seamless for you.
Decide on Where You Want to Move
You need a destination before moving. Usually, someone else decides this for you. For example, you could relocate for a new job or family reasons. Well, if you’ve already decided where you want to live, skip to the next tip. But if you’re still deciding, there are some factors one should consider before settling on a city. These include;
The city’s size- some people love living in large cities while others find them stressful. Ensure that you determine what size city you like as it’ll have a great impact on your experience.
The type of climate you’d like- while this is often an overlooked factor, it’s an important one. A city’s climate affects what clothes you’ll wear, which activities you’ll do in different seasons and sometimes your mood.
Other things you should think of when making this decision is the job market, cost of living, and what you value most in a city.
Design a Moving Budget
When relocating to a new location, you should think about how your budget will handle the relocation expenses. It’s expensive to move between two homes and the cost can be more than what you’d expected at first. There are always extra costs which if not careful, can make your final bill extremely expensive. That’s why one needs to design a moving budget as early as possible. This will help you monitor your spending. Include the usual expenses for relocating, that is, a moving company cost, extra fees, car transportation, post-relocation expenses, etc. Then also set some cash aside for unexpected expenses.
Pick a Neighborhood
With a budget in place, you can then choose your neighborhood. Doing this will help you find an apartment easily. So how do I choose my neighborhood? Consider safety, the overall cost of living, proximity to public transport, hospital, schools and other social amenities, distance to work if you’re not working remotely, and ease of parking. You can search online for some of the best neighborhoods in your chosen city and use Google Maps to see which amenities it has. However, you should know that there’s nothing like a perfect neighborhood.
Search for Apartments Online
Once you’ve decided on a neighborhood, you can now start looking at different apartments on the internet. Fortunately, there are apartment hunting websites you can use for instance Apartments.com or Zillow. But before visiting these sites, you should have an apartment wish list including price, number of rooms, size, layout, and amenities in the apartment. You can then fill this information into an apartment finding website and analyze the results.
Then after, you should tour those places. Bear in mind that rental sites can sometimes have misleading pictures and descriptions. You can use the apartment finding website to contact the property and set up a tour. Make sure you ask the person in charge of the apartment all the questions you have. And evaluate the place carefully for any neglect, damage, or other problems.
You can then apply to apartments. It’ll take a few days to get your application approved. If it is denied, go back to the apartment hunting sites and repeat this process with different apartments.
Packing and Preparing to Get Moving
Packing is the most time-consuming task. Well, you can get in touch with a full-service mover and request them to pack for you. However, this is costlier. If you don’t have money, don’t worry as you can pack on your own. Use these tips when packing;
- Design an inventory of all your household items
- Have the necessary packing materials like a stretch wrap, tape, etc.
- Use a packing timeline to monitor your progress
- Pack from the most difficult to the easiest rooms
- Ask packing help from your friends
Once, that is done, you can then figure out how to move your possessions. One can rent a moving truck/trailer, move them in your vehicle, or ship your things in a container. But if you’re going with the second option, ensure that you get an expert to do the job. If you’re looking for a professional removalist for Gold Coast region consider one who’s reputable and has been operating for a while.
Set Up Your Apartment
This step involves unpacking boxes and arranging your furniture. You can either hire professionals or do it yourself. After laying out your apartment, you then need to establish yourself in the new city. That includes updating your bank accounts, subscriptions, and credit cards, registering your car in your new state, changing your address with the Post Office, etc.
Final Thoughts
Moving to a new city whether permanent or temporary can be fun and overwhelming at the same time. To avoid all the confusion, we advise that you take time to prepare for a move. Use these tried and tested tips to simplify the process.