11 Smart Tips for Moving to a New City

Ready for something new? Moving to a new city is a totally life-changing experience. It can open your eyes to new sights, new experiences, and new ideas. You’ll grow, change, and learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. It’s something every person should try once in their life.

Nonetheless, moving to a new place can be an overwhelming experience. Between packing, finding a place to live, making new friends, and so much more, there’s a lot of work ahead.

If you’re prepping for a big move, read on for our 11 favorite tips for moving to a new city.

Tips for Finding a Place to Live

Finding a new place to live in a city you’re unfamiliar with can feel a bit overwhelming. If you’re struggling to secure a spot, allow us to guide you through the process with the following tips.

1. Start by researching neighborhoods in your new city. Otherwise, you risk securing a beautiful home in a less-than-ideal local. There are plenty of sites out there to help guide your search. Location is everything, after all!

2. If you need help, consider reaching out for assistance from a local broker or real estate agent. They’re professional experts on your prospective neighborhood and will have a lot of valuable insight.

3. For renting, consider signing a shorter term lease on the property you choose, such as a 6-month or even month-to-month lease. That way, you won’t be locked in long term to a home that doesn’t work for your needs.

4. If you’re opting to go the roommate route, be sure to set up meetings with your potential roommates by phone or video chat. Never choose a roommate based on their description, alone.

Tips for Moving

The actual “moving” part of moving to a new city is the most logistically challenging piece. It takes a lot of smart planning and hard work to do it right. Here’s our best advice.

5. Before you start packing, carefully go through all of your belongings to determine which should be kept and which should be gotten rid of. Not only is this a great way to minimize your moving boxes, but you can also recoup some of the cost of moving by selling your unwanted items. List them for sale on resale sites like Craigslist, OfferUp, or Facebook Marketplace, or host a garage sale to get rid of them in one fell swoop.

6. If you’re managing the move yourself, be sure to carefully label or color-code all of your boxes for easier unpacking on the other side—in addition to this, you may also find it extremely helpful to create a comprehensive moving checklist—that way, you’ll be able to efficiently move belongings directly to each corresponding room, creating a more organized and stress-free move.

7. If you opt to utilize a moving company, make sure to choose a reputable one. Whether you’re looking for New York City, Los Angeles, or Bay Area movers (or anywhere in between!) you should be able to find reviews on popular review sites like Yelp or the Better Business Bureau.

8. Book yourself an Airbnb or hotel room for the first night in your new city. There’s nothing more important than rest at the end of a long day of unpacking. The last thing you want is to find yourself in a house full of chaos without a bed to sleep in.

Tips for Making New Friends

Let’s face it: making friends is hard as an adult! Depending on your job, you may be able to socialize at work. If not, find your new crew with these tips.

9. Try to become a regular at a local coffee shop, cafe, or bar. These types of places are full of staff and customers who probably live right in your own neighborhood. Strike up a conversation with the person behind the counter and see where it takes you.

10. Find a local group, such as a book club or social justice group, that’s in line with your interests. You’ll be connected to plenty of new people, and you’re sure to instantly have a common interest and something to talk about.

11. Take a local class like an art class, cooking class, or workout class, Remember how easy it was to make friends in school? It’s easy to build connections with people when you see them every single week. Plus, if the class offers multiple levels, you’ll likely have some longevity with your new acquaintances.

With these 11 tips, you’ll have a positive moving experience and acclimate to your new city in no time.