Relocating to a new city can be an exciting adventure, but it can also be intimidating. There are several things you can do when you relocate to a new city that can make settling in a little easier and your transition a little smoother. Read on for 8 things to do when you relocate to a new home.
Get connected. Literally. Get your utilities, phone, cable, and internet connected as soon as you can. Depending on where you’re moving, you may be able to do this before you actually move into your new area of living. Having these things nailed down not only helps alleviate stress from realizing something is not connected, but it makes it easier to take care of daily tasks that involve the internet or phone service.
Transfer your medical records and prescriptions. You don’t want a hole in coverage, especially if you take a daily prescription or are being monitored for a chronic condition. This is another thing you may be able to do before you make the physical move, depending on what your health insurance and job situation is. If you can’t do it beforehand, make it a priority to take care of this within the first week in your new city.
Change your address. Submit a forwarding order with the post office before you move so that you don’t have important mail get lost in the shuffle. Then dedicate a block of time to going online and changing your address anywhere you can think of — credit cards, bank, Amazon account, you name it. Sitting down to do it all at once lessens the risk of forgetting something important.
Find the closest grocery store and drug store. Figure out where these essentials are in relation to your new home. If you’re staying in temporary housing like a hotel while you find a permanent home or wait for it to be ready, find the ones closest to where you’re actually staying. Having ready access to places to get the basics is a huge relief when you’re trying to figure out the lay of the land in a new city.
Update your driver’s license and vehicle registration. If you’re moving within a state, this is generally pretty painless. If you’ve moved out of state, however, you may have a bit more of a hassle on your hands. You may need to get your vehicle inspected, take the driver’s license exam, or otherwise deal with some administrative hurdles. Most states give you 30 days to update your license, but it’s best to get it out of the way as soon as possible so that you’re street legal.
Update your voter registration. You may be able to do this at the same time you update your driver’s license. Make sure to update your registration as soon as possible. Registration deadlines vary by state, and you don’t want to find yourself unable to vote in the next election.
Figure out your commute. Give it a dry run if you can before your first day, so you feel more comfortable. If you’re going to be using public transit, check out the routes online, figure out how to buy a ticket or a pass, and locate the nearest bus stop, train station, or park and ride. If you’re going to be driving, spend some time looking at various routes you could take. Find out about parking, tolls, and peak traffic times during the day.
Give yourself time. Moving to a new home is a big thing, and it’s going to take time to adjust. Allow yourself to settle in and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Think about the things that are important to you — a spiritual home or place or worship, a gym, people to pursue your hobbies with, outdoor activities, what have you — and slowly start to find these things in your new city. You will be in place to call home home in no time.
