Moving to a new city takes some planning. Any city move is a major task that requires multiple levels of organization. From start to finish, there is a lot to consider about the logistics of moving to another city where you don’t have the same access as you would if you were simply moving across town.
Relating to a new city, getting all your belongings there, and getting comfortable takes 1-4 weeks on average. Give yourself time to get everything there, get set up, and properly relocate and receive everything. Depending on costs, a storage container service company may be able to help you properly store your belongings while you sort out questions or issues that may come up during the moving process.
In this guide, we assume you have already chosen a destination to move to, and we take you from there on what to think about in how to move to another city. Here is how to navigate a long-distance move to another region.
1. Save Up and Budget
Moving is costly and will cost even more when it’s done to a new city. Ensure you have the budget to make it happen, considering the cost of the move, hiring movers, security deposits, application fees, new furniture, and more.
2. Search for a Place to Live
Look at where you might want to stay online. There are many places to find apartments, houses, and more, including on Facebook Marketplace. Consider price, size, layout, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities, neighbourhood, and proximity to important city elements.
3. Apply to Places to Live
To secure an apartment, you need proof of income, IDs, references, and the first and last month’s rent. In a lot of cases, you can secure an apartment long-distance. However, if that’s not your style, you may rent an Airbnb or hotel or stay with a friend briefly while you search tour and lock in a rental to call home.
4. Decide What’s Coming
While arranging a new place to live in another city, you may be unable to take all your furniture and items. Decide what’s coming and what isn’t. If there are things you want to leave behind, don’t hesitate to do so. For some, moving to a new city will be a fresh start and taking with them furniture reminiscent of a past life is not helpful. For others, though, it may be.
5. Get Your Utilities Set Up
Besides setting yourself up with a place to live, there are utilities to install and register, i.e. Internet, electricity, gas, and insurance. You also want to ensure all your relevant accounts, such as bank accounts and online subscriptions, are updated to reflect the new address so that your mail is routed to the proper destination, not your old residence.
6. Securing a Job
You may already have work waiting for you in your new city. Suppose you don’t consider the job market before you move and start sending out resumes long beforehand. Try to find a job you can plug into as quickly as you can after the move.
7. Determine How You Will Move
With all these thoughts, you must consider how you will logistically move to another city. You might want a complete restart and take very little or as much as you can fit into your vehicle, but most people have many more belongings than that. A storage container, hiring a moving company, and renting a truck or trailer to get it done are all possibilities.
8. Advantages of Storage Containers
Renting a storage container, you load it, and then it can be used for either storage or to help you move your belongings to a new city. If you aren’t sure yet about how much space you have or have furniture you can’t necessarily fit into your new place, portable storage containers will keep your items safe, level, and protected during and after your new city move.
9. Reach Out to Connections
Moving to a new city can be isolating when you don’t know anyone. If you have friends or acquaintances already living nearby, contact them over social media and let them know about the move. They may be able to help you choose a neighbourhood to live in or provide some recommendations on how to navigate your new area.
10. Explore Your New City
The best way to get accustomed to living in a new city is to explore it. Don’t hide from it. Explore the neighbourhood, the amenities, and the city as a whole. Make the usual tourist trips, visit local restaurants and landmarks, and get to know some people. Before long, with some familiarization, you will find a sense of home after getting to know the lay of the land.
