Welcome to my first post on moving! Whether you’ve been planning for months or just realized you’re going to be moving it is definitely overwhelming. There are so many things to figure out and random details of life to coordinate. Today I want to do a quick introduction to this series and what I’m hoping to share, as well as some quick tips I’ve been using. Here are some questions my husband and I considered right away when we found out we were moving – I would consider these first steps before going any further!
Learn About your New City
Where do people your age live? Where do most people work? Where are there fun restaurants, shopping, or parks? If you’re moving somewhere you know these questions might not be necessary, but since we’re moving to a totally new place (Lexington, Kentucky) these questions matter to us! We got a feel for the city when we first visited and drove around, and by doing some more online research we’ve been able to narrow in on what we want.
Research Neighborhoods
Once you know what there is you can start to narrow in on where you want to go. My husband didn’t want a commute longer than 20 minutes so that dictates where we could live. I want an area where I can walk outside and enjoy the neighborhood without having to worry about safety! (Which is something that is a reality living in St Louis)
Rent Vs Buy
Hopefully you have an idea of what you’ll do, but before you move to a new place is definitely the time to firm up if you’re renting or buying! We had assumed we would buy but did some research into rental costs to just confirm what we were thinking. Look at houses online to see if you can afford what you need and want before making any decisions. I love Realtor but have friends that love Zillow or Trulia.
Timing
When are you going to move? I’m guessing you have a specific date but you probably don’t want to show up in a city a day before you start your new job or school! Knowing how much time you have will also dictate how fast you need to move to find where you’re going to live. Give yourself some time to unpack, settle in, and figure out where the nearest grocery store is. Being organized will make the transition easier and less stressful!
Don’t Forget to Enjoy This!
Once the reality of moving set in I realized that we had a LOT to figure out. Moving hundreds of miles in a few months time is no easy task! There are a lot of loose ends and a lot of unknowns – and those can be very stressful. What I try to tell myself is that this is a fun new adventure! All the work and stress will be worth it once we are settled in our new place!
This post is definitely a broad overview of some first questions you should ask yourself to start. Future posts have more specific topics and should be more in-depth! I have more specific topics to cover that I will share as the weeks go on, so be sure to come back 🙂
