How to Plan a Move to Another City – Best Tips and Tricks

The endeavor known as relocating your belongings to an entirely new address requires thorough consideration and organizing. That’s because figuring out how to plan a move to another city isn’t necessarily the easiest task. However, it is made much easier with professional hacks we’ve prepared for you in this thorough guide.

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October 26, 2021 Posted in Moving Tips

How to Plan a Move to Another City?

Many people decide to relocate and then find themselves asking the question: how can I plan a move to another city in an optimal way? Well, the process is a large one, requiring you to figure out where to move, how to pack your items, create a social circle, and find a relocation company to employ. And we are here to guide you through it entirely. So sit back, order some takeout, get a pen and paper, or even better – a fresh binder and let’s get to planning.

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First, You’ll Have to Decide in Which City Do You Want to Start a New Life

The first of all the steps to moving to a new city is to decide on where exactly it is you want to settle down for the time being. Of course, those relocating for a relationship or because they just got a different job will have this portion of work cut out for them.

However, a significant number of folks might feel the need to move away but won’t know where exactly. So, we have some relocation tips on deciding which city and its specific area would be a good choice for you when there are too many options available.

Figure Out What Kind of a City Suits Your Lifestyle

Picking a city to live in requires thorough consideration. After all, this is a major decision that will impact you and your partner or family. So, it is important that you don’t make it hastily, but rather think through your choices thoroughly. We recommend you begin this process by figuring out what it is that you currently enjoy in the place you live in, as well as what irritates you and what issues you find the most stressful. It’s crucial that you move somewhere that suits your needs, wants, and lifestyle. So, here are some factors you may find important:

  • How safe the city is – A very crucial factor in relocation is making sure you move efficiently to a safe area. How safe a place is will impact your ability to walk freely alone, even at night. So, before you get set on a location, make sure it has a low crime rate.
  • How available public transportation is – If you don’t plan on shipping a vehicle or are not a driver, you will rely on public transport a lot. So, make sure the place has good connections on all sides, as well as a metro or another reliable and fast form of commuting.
  • How much green space the town has – Not only are trees and plants important for our health, as they produce oxygen, but parks and green spaces dramatically shape how you can spend your days. So, even if you don’t consider yourself a sporty person, don’t settle for a place without nature – you’ll thank us later.
  • Does it have good amenities, like education and healthcare – Even if you are just out of school, you may decide to have a family at some point in your life. Hence, it’s important to move somewhere where your potential kids can study in the best possible conditions. Healthcare is also really important, even if you are the healthiest person in the world. You won’t want to move somewhere where you can’t be treated in case anything goes wrong.

Start Researching Neighborhoods on Time So That You End up Finding the Right One

Once you’ve settled on the zip code, it’s time to look for an address your home will be located at. However, before you start scouting apartments, you should figure out which neighborhoods will suit you most. The best way to go about this is by reading up on websites like Wikipedia, Niche, or even Reddit and Quora to see how residents themselves feel and write about their neighborhood.

It’s also important to have your priorities straight when getting into this search. For example, you might be someone who likes to go to sleep early, so you don’t want to live in the city center where the noise is the most prominent. Or, if you are relocating with a pet, look into the proximity of dog parks. Sporty people should look at how available jogging routes are, and if your main reason to move is a different job or an office move, you might decide on a nearby neighborhood so that you don’t spend hours in traffic every morning.

A neighborhood with beautiful buildings
Finding a town that suits you won't mean much if the neighborhood you moved to is inadequate

Research the Job Market, Living Costs, and Plan Your Moving Budget Accordingly

The next thing on your to-do list when planning a move to a new city is to figure out the financial aspect of the move. That means, first of all, making sure that there is a job market for your specific branch of work, in case you don’t have a job lined up already. That also means you might want to have a few interviews in line, as well as be ready to ask employers questions regarding your salary.

Also, you’ll want to look into living costs, including average utility prices, median rent or price of housing, food and amenities prices, transport, as well as how expensive restaurants and entertainment are. All of this will help you sketch out a budget that will ultimately determine your house-hunting process.

Start Online Searching for a New Apartment as Early as Possible

Once you more or less know how much you can spend on housing, you should start the search immediately. A lot of people think they have to be in the city to be able to look for a new apartment, but that is a complete misconception and the most common relocation mistake.

Actually, there are so many websites you can start your search in, and only go to the city to see a place you really like. And get ready to be patient – this may take a while. That’s why it’s crucial you start your search early on, and besides, it will increase the chances you’ll find something you really like and at a normal price.

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Save Money on Rent By Getting a Roommate

If you have to move out in the cheapest possible way, the best way to do so is to find a roommate. You might want to move in with someone you already know, or if you are relocating alone, turn to websites and social media. You might find someone who already has a place you can move into or get a helping hand with house-hunting.

Whatever the case is, you can rest assured your rental fee will be twice as low, and so will utilities. And if that isn’t the biggest relocation hack for those on a budget, we don’t know what is. For more tips on how to save money to move, check out the following video:

Once You’ve Figured Out Your Future Residence, It’s Time to Pack

Once you are done with these meta parts of organizing your move, like figuring out where and with whom you’ll live, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty parts. One of the biggest and most difficult tasks a person will have to do to move adequately is packing all of their belongings. Our recommendation is not to leave it for the last minute, but rather to start slowly packing up your things one by one a few weeks before the move.

This is totally doable because you’ll start the process by boxing up the non-essential items such as artwork and decorations and then slowly move to more utilized things as the relocation day approaches. And if you find the job too stressful, consider investing in professional moving services such as the packing service.

Before You Pack Your Things, Declutter Everything You Don’t Need

However, before you throw your things into boxes, ensure you’ve decluttered your entire house inventory. A move is a new chapter of your life, and as such, it requires space. So, to create some, you should get rid of the things that no longer serve you.

Pile up everything that is old, destroyed, or uninteresting, and then sort out these piles into the following categories: gift basket, throw-away bin, and donation pile. Try to donate toys, books, and clothes for the homeless rather than throwing away usable items.

A person packing their shoes
Packing requires a lot of work, so start the process slowly multiple weeks in advance

Don’t Forget to Deal With Bureaucracy in a Timely Manner

About two weeks before the big day, you should have your bureaucracy figured out. You will first have to contact the USPS to change your address and then the IRS and tax agencies. After you transfer utilities, call up the insurance providers, medical services, educational institutions, or employers.

Your bank and credit card companies should also be notified about the move. After these are done, all you have to do is cancel or update your subscriptions, and you can call it a day. To make this entire process easier, we strongly suggest creating a relocation checklist to keep track of all of these instances since they are too important to let them slip your mind.

The USPS sign on their building
The USPS is one of the most important institutions to notify of your move

Try to Make Connections Through Friends Before You Move

Once you’re done with most of the heavy lifting (of course, the relocation day is the largest weight to lift), you should start making your nest. And by that, we mean creating or at least starting a social circle in your future city.

It’s important to have at least a few connections, both because of your own inner peace and social needs, but also because it would be really helpful to have someone show you the ropes. So, before you relocate, ask your current buddies whether they know people in your future neighborhood and see if they can connect you with them.

Join Online Communities to Make Friends And Meet Like-Minded People

If you can’t start new friendships through old buddies, you might try to make friends online. Many people still have a problem with meeting people online, but in the era of Tinder and Grinder, how strange is it actually to meet folks you’ve never met in a chat room? And while you can use these dating apps to start friendships, we have a different route to propose.

Actually, going onto blogs, forums, and Facebook groups where people who share your interests meet might be a better way to go. Here you might meet folks who share your passions and start a new friendship circle of like-minded pals.

women-sharing-earphones
The use of online platforms can be great when creating a fresh social circle

Don’t Wait Till the Last Minute to Hire Long Distance Moving Services to Help With Your Relocation

Cross country moving is difficult and is made much easier with the help of professional movers, not to mention much less stressful. However, don’t wait till the last minute to hire a long-distance moving company to help you with your residential move.

Planning the relocation is much more convenient when you have your free quote and know how much cross-country movers cost. So, be certain you research ”long distance movers near me” a few weeks prior to your move. Contact a reputable moving company to check if they are available on the dates you planned your relocation day for, and start the process today.

Lucy Lucas

Born and raised in Miami Lucy is a content writer with a love of moving and packing. She is an expert at making sure everything fits into her suitcase.

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