Since 2020, the number of people who have relocated to a new city or even a new state has skyrocketed tremendously. As remote work has become more normalized, people now have the freedom to live where they want and take advantage of a lower cost of living and a better lifestyle elsewhere.
But as much as moving to a new area has its fair share of benefits, getting settled can be quite overwhelming. According to Craig Van Lines, Movers in Northern VA, “there’s many parts to the process, first you have to deal with leaving where you used to live, pack up your entire life, hire long-distance movers, arrive, unpack and get settled. All this makes it a very challenging transition, but there are simple steps you can take to get settled in your new city, and before you know it, you’ll feel right at home”.
Here are a few things you can do to make the relocation easier.
Get Established
One of the things you’ll miss about your old neighborhood is how well-established you were there. For example, you knew where you got pizza every Friday night, you had your local grocery store, your favorite coffee shop, a family dentist, your gym, and all the other services you needed. As overwhelming as it may sound, you’ll have to establish this again. Luckily, there are ways to make it easier.
First, reach out to someone who has a lot of local knowledge, like the real estate agent who helped you get your home. A local real estate agent would know all the best services and restaurants and give you recommendations. They might also have social media groups you can join which will help you start building a social network. Create a list of the services you’ll need like a doctor, dry cleanerhousekeeper, gym, dentist and anything else you’ll need. Many of these will have experience with relocated people so they can help you, and even get your old files from the people you worked with before.
Once you’ve compiled your list, it’s time to start filling it. If you know anyone in the city, ask them for referrals and recommendations. You can also use resources like Google Local Business to start looking in the area. What’s great about this is these listings will have reviews so you’ll know very quickly if it’s a business you can trust.
There are other practical matters that you’ll need to take care of after moving to a new city, such as transferring your driver’s license and registering to vote. Your insurance policy will definitely be tied to where you used to live, so make sure you’ve made the necessary disclosures to your insurer. Make a list of these tasks and tackle them one by one.
Find Your Way Around
It can be overwhelming to navigate a new city, especially if you’re not familiar with the layout. Get a map or use a navigation app to help you find your way around and become more familiar with your new surroundings. One easy thing you can do is to establish the route you use to work or your local shopping center. Getting familiar with the route and things like traffic patterns with Google Maps or Waze will make you feel more like a local.
Explore Your New Neighborhood
It’s time to take advantage of one of the benefits of moving – exploring your new neighborhood and enjoying what it has to offer! You can walk or drive around to see all the attractions. Restaurants are a good place to start – you can commit to trying out a new one every weekend. You can also check out the parks in the area, which would also give you a chance to meet the locals. If you live in an area with restaurants, many of them host events like open mics and themed nights, this is a great way to meet new people and put your face out there.
Moving to a new city can be a big adjustment, and sometimes you’ll feel like you’ll never feel like you’re at home. But with time, intention and effort, you can get settled and start to enjoy the spoils of your move. Remember, you did it to improve your quality of life, so take advantage of that. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help and talk to the locals, and take the time to explore and get to know your new home.
