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7 Tips for Moving to a New City

Thank you to Holly Tomlinson for this post!! Some great tips here. I love #5!!

Whether you’re moving for a job or just for a much needed change, making your way to a new city can be a rough task, but it’s also an exciting time. Use these tips to make your move the best it can be and save yourself some stress along the way.

  1. How to Find the Perfect Apartment

Looking for the right apartment is essential when you’re making the move to a new city. It’s a good idea to find a monthly lease at first; it will allow you to determine if you enjoy your new neighborhood or if you’d like to make another move to a more permanent location. Make sure you keep your information safe when searching for a new apartment. Ask your potential landlord to use a service like Transunion Smartmove to securely screen you and prevent your information from getting stolen.

  1. Make the Effort to Meet People

Once you’re settled in, it’s time to broaden your social horizons. It’s easier said than done, sure, but meeting new people is essential to making your move a good one. If you moved for a job, you’ll likely find social contacts through your employment, but there are many other avenues you can utilize. Whether you use dating apps like Tinder, or bump into somebody the old-fashioned way at a grocery store, putting yourself out there is important. If dating isn’t your aim, meet friends through clubs, rec activities, and classes. You’ll get to partake in one of your favorite hobbies and meet new people who share similar interests in one step.

  1. Give Yourself Time

Give yourself at least a year to get completely acclimated. I know this sounds like a long time, but it’s necessary. If you’re secretly panicking a month in that you made a huge mistake, give it time. Try even harder to meet new people, practice some stress-relieving yoga, and keep exploring new places in your new environment. Change can be hard, but you’ll thank yourself once you’ve made it through the transition period. Eventually, you won’t believe you’ve ever lived anywhere else.

  1. Don’t Let Go of Your Roots

Just because you’re relocating doesn’t mean you have to lose the connections you spent so much time fostering. While it definitely won’t be the same as it was when you lived in the same city, you can still keep in contact with friends and loved ones. It could be Skype dates, phone calls, or hourly texts—whatever you need to help you feel in contact with the loved ones you’ve left behind.

  1. Get a Dog

This may seem like adding more stress to an already trying time, but having an animal in a new city will help you in a variety of ways. The companionship of animals has been proven to help both mental and physical health. Animals also serve as the perfect icebreaker. Head to your local dog park and meet other dog parents—your furry friend will help you find some common ground and hopefully encourage some connections. Having a pet will also encourage physical fitness. If you have a dog, you’ll need to get out at least twice a day to take your new furry friend on a walk or jog—if even just for their potty purposes.

 

Tips for moving to a new city!

  1. Follow a Budget

Moving is expensive; there’s simply no way around it. Once you’ve made the move, it may seem easy to spend money on food and activities, and these are great ways to meet other people. However, don’t spend above your means when you reach your new city. New opportunities are tempting and exciting, but digging yourself into debt in your new place isn’t going to make the move any easier. Set up a budget for monthly expenses, and repay any outstanding bills you may have from your move.

  1. Learn to be Alone

Even if you make friends right away, you’re bound to have some times of solitude. That’s okay! Use this alone time to your advantage and you may find you really value it. Explore on your own, spend time reading books that will expand your intellectual horizons, or take up a new solo hobby like knitting. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself and your capabilities.

Making the move to a new city is exciting, but it can be extremely trying. Follow these tips to ensure you have the best move possible, and in no time you’ll have a great group of friends, an awesome apartment, and a wonderful new life.

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3 Responses to 7 Tips for Moving to a New City

  1. Miguel Nolasco October 26, 2015 at 4:09 pm #

    GREAT POST , this will come in handy, when I moved in two years to the BEACH. But taking a pet like a DOG may too much for ME…peace

    • Melany October 27, 2015 at 3:20 pm #

      Thanks!! Great post – right? Dogs rock!

  2. Bob October 30, 2015 at 10:40 am #

    I need some new friends so I think I am going to get a dog and try the dog park.

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