Moving to a New City on Your Own
By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
I am new here (but not for long): 10 tips to tackle the new city
Know before you go
Research your new town by reading local blogs, restaurants, theater, music, museums, and arts reviews. You will get a sense of the scope of offerings, prices, and plot locations on a map, which also provides a visual layout of the city.
Build a budget
Living expenses in your new city and your budget need to adjust to each other. If you enjoy eating out and visiting art venues, ensure you have the money set aside for entertainment.
Say a proper goodbye
Visit friends, family, and neighbors in person and let them know you will miss them and appreciate their kindness. Get addresses, phone numbers, and emails and add them to your digital contact list. You are leaving town, but not leaving relationships.
Where are my people?
Connect with anyone you know in your new hometown with a phone call, text, or email before you arrive. Ask your employer for an introduction to people they know, ask friends from your former hometown for contacts and you can even explore social groups prior to arriving.
Contact the companies serving you
Once you have confirmed your moving date with your moving company, contact the utility companies, cable, Internet, and telephone providers, and the U.S. Postal Service to advise them of the move date and discontinue or move services and forward your mail.
Make moving easier: de-clutter and donate
Simplify your move and your life as you pack by putting boxes aside filled with items you no longer need or use and donate them before you go. It is your last generous gift to your old city.
Lists, boxes, packing materials, and a calendar — it is organized, not chaos
Pack the non-essential items first, such as winter clothes if you are moving in the summer, duplicate kitchen equipment, fancy dishes and glassware, art, books, collectibles, and extra bedding. Label every box by room and contents, and number the boxes, with a matching list in case labels are lost. Place personal documents, such as insurance records, passport, pet information, medical records, financial, and tax documents in a separate waterproof container with a locking lid and plan to transport these items with you. Schedule some packing and cleaning every day, so the rush does not strike in the final week before the move. If you find yourself in a time crunch, talk to your moving company about packing services that they offer.
Create your comfort zone upon arrival
You have made it to your new home, and whether it is the new apartment, condo, or house, make it your own. Rather than unpack until you are exhausted, place a few cherished objects around the space for your first night: candles, photographs, some pottery, glass or steel sculpture, a book or two, and a wall hanging. Your space is no longer new and impersonal; it feels like your home.
Move with the right moving company
A-1 Freeman Moving Group's 45 years in the moving industry provides clients with the expertise for any move, whether local, long-distance, or international. Our experienced team works with you from the initial stages of packing and disassembling large furnishings to storage, loading, moving, unloading, and placing your valued household items carefully in your new home. Our primary goal is meeting the needs of every client and answering every question, regardless of the size or scope of the move. Call us for more information and a free quote and make the right move to your new hometown with us.
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