Moving to a New City Alone? Yes, You Can!

Have you ever felt that it’s time for a major change in your life? You have, haven’t you?

It’s that familiar feeling of uneasy restlessness and rising anticipation that will soon set off a series of unpredictable changes in your life as you know it. The signs it’s time to move to a new city are all there and you don’t even have to read between the lines to know that a house move is quietly approaching your doorstep.

The process of moving is about change in general but the people who are moving are also changing inside, so it’s hardly surprising that each and every house move has this distinct feel that makes it totally unique. And if you happen to be moving to a new city alone, then you’d better be well prepared for what’s bound to come your way.

Are you really ready to face the challenges of moving to a new city on your own?

Here’s the deal: before you make up your mind to just pack and move to a new city by yourself, there are a number of important things to consider and do so that you don’t end up regretting your brave decision later.

What to consider when moving to a new city

There are two fundamental questions that you will need to answer as soon as you possibly can and preferably before the move is complete one way or another.

Should I move to a new city?

Sometimes the cliché “You know best!” is not enough to ease your mind the way you want simply because at times you just don’t know if you’re reading the signs right – the signs that are supposed to tell you that it’s the right time to move to a new city for a fresh start.

• Career advancement. It’s clear that you wouldn’t turn down easily a brilliant opportunity to pursue your career in another city in the country, but what about when you’re feeling stuck in your current job but are still afraid to take any risks? Moving to a new city for a job can sometime be a tricky business and it usually takes courage to go and get what you want.

• Money. It’s always about the money, isn’t it? Getting a better job in terms of remuneration and opportunities to grow is one of the best reasons to move to a new city – like London, for example. However, if you find yourself struggling with the disposable income you get, then you may also consider moving to a cheaper city to stay afloat.

• Love. If you’re moving to a new city for love, then you must already know how lucky you are as no obstacle could possibly stop you from being with the person you care deeply about.

• Education. If you plan to continue your studies in another part of the country (moving to a new city for college), then you can rest assured that you won’t stay without friends for too long.

• Escape. It’s possible that your decision to move away to another part of the country has been triggered by your need to escape the place you presently live in. Bad memories stemming from relationship disasters or personal or family tragedies are reasons enough to want to run away and attempt to get a fresh start.

READ ALSO: Is it time to move to a new city?

Can I afford to move to another city?

The right time to move house may have come for you and you may nod affirmatively every time you ask yourself, “Am I ready to move to another city?”. However, you should also double check if you have the financial stability to cover the moving costs and then to live comfortably in the destination city until your first paycheck arrives.

Starting over in a new city alone can quickly become problematic for reasons not always in your power to control, and that is why it’s important to look at the upcoming relocation at all angles. For example, moving to a new city with no money saved up or without a job will definitely put you at a disadvantage even before you have the chance to prove your survival skills. And to make things worse, having no one to share the bills with or offer help in hard times (usually the initial period) will just add extra stress for you.

How much does it cost to move to a new city? First of all, factor in the relocation cost and include a contingency fund as well. Unless you’re moving just across town and have a bunch of loyal friends to be there for you, you will need to find and hire the services of a reputable and affordable removal company. So, here comes the big question: How much does it cost to hire removals? Follow the link to get a pretty good idea about the average costs of moving house under various real-life scenarios and circumstances.

To be mentally ready to move to a new city on your own is important, but to be financially ready for that big step in your life is arguably even more important in the long run.

How to move to a new city alone

If you are moving to a new city on your own, then you will certainly realize a couple of things: 1) the moving process can be rather complicated at times, and 2) you won’t be able to make it without expert assistance.

• Professional removal services. One of the biggest self-moving mistakes is to assume that professional removal services are always much more expensive than the cost of organizing and executing a self-move. Yes, they can be a bit costlier but the multitude of influential factors surrounding your move (move distance, number of items, specialty items, shipment weight, special packing, friends, time, storage, etc.) will actually determine which relocation type is more cost-effective for you. All things considered, the preferred way to move to a new city on your own is to find the best removal company to move your furniture and other belongings to London, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Liverpool or wherever your final destination may be. If you don’t have any good friends to help you out, then it definitely makes sense to hire a removal company you can trust.

• Price estimation. Yes, being well familiar with the average moving costs should provide you with valuable information about your available choices. Still, those approximate removal costs can only serve as reference as they will not reflect your specific needs. Contact affordable removals and request on-site price estimation, or use our moving cost estimator for easier and faster initial contact with top-rated removal companies.

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  Packing up. Not surprisingly, the easiest way to move to a new city coincides with the best way to move to another city – hiring a full service removal company to do it all, including the additional service of packing. That convenience, however, has its price, so if you can’t afford to pay for professional packing services, you should get down to packing up your home on your own to save money. Are you familiar with the best way to pack boxes for moving? Get a quick look at it here.

• Cost reduction.  Saving money is a crucial task that should be your main focus no matter the preparation stage you’re at the moment. Yes, it all comes down to using smart cost reduction techniques in an attempt to pay less for your new-city move. Creating a moving budget, finding a cheap removal company, comparing well your estimates, scheduling your move in a strategic way, procuring cheap packing materials, taking only the stuff you need, selling the stuff you don’t need, and packing all the things you can by yourself – 8 tips for moving on a budget you just can’t do without.

What to do when moving to a new city alone

The moment you find yourself in your home in the new area is the exact moment when a very important phase begins – the post relocation period when right decisions are rewarded handsomely while poor decisions can bring extra damage.

Our brief moving to a new city checklist offers you the top 5 things to do when moving to a new city alone so that you can get your life back on track in no time.

• Concentrate on your work. If you haven’t found and secured a job by the time you move into your new house or apartment, then that is your priority number one. To have steady income is exactly what will give you the peace of mind and strength to cope with moving to a new city. On the other hand, if it was a job related relocation in the first place, then it’s a good idea to focus on your job and find purpose in your work in order to block negative thoughts and save yourself from the dilemma of what to do with too much free time on your hands. As an added bonus, the interaction with your co-workers should lessen the burden of being on your own for the time being.

• Make new friends. Moving to a new city on your own can be a tough pill to swallow but ultimately, it’s up to you to try to change the things that make you unhappy. And seriously, what a better way to feel happy and alive again than to make new friends and spend time with them? It’s great to know how to make friends in a new city but the process does take a bit of courage and patience: introduce yourself to your new neighbours, organize a housewarming party for the folks next door and work colleagues alike, pursue your hobbies, pick up new hobbies and engage with people with similar interests.

READ ALSO: How to make friends in your new neighbourhood

• Get to know your new city. The unfamiliarity of the new place you’ve just moved to can make you feel somewhat uncomfortable and uneasy at first. And even though that sense of strangeness will phase out with time, it won’t help you much while you’re busy adjusting to moving to a new city. The solution is more than evident – get to know your new city better to accelerate the cozy sense of belonging. Start with short walks around your neighbourhood and gradually increase the perimeter of your exploration. Locate the new city landmarks and make a mental note of your entertainment options as well – you’re going to need them.

SEE ALSO: 10 key places to locate when you move to a new city

• Fight relocation depression. One of the greatest challenges of moving to a new city alone is the possible fight with a phenomenon known as relocation depression (or separation anxiety). It’s simply that overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and sadness as a result of what you’ve just lost combined with the fear of the unknown. Follow the link below to learn the symptoms of relocation depression /abnormal sleep, lack of energy, total unwillingness to socialize, uncharacteristic behaviour/, and more importantly – what you can do to escape its dangerous hold and unhealthy side effects.

MUST READ: How to deal with relocation depression

• Be thrifty. Want to know how to survive moving to a new city? Be extremely thrifty during the period right after the move. This piece of advice sounds simple enough but you should also know that many difficulties and problematic situations occur due to people’s initial impulse to sprint to the nearest stores and purchase a ton of things for the new home. If you could somehow fight that strong impulsive crave, then you will be grateful later for not spending loads of money for stuff you will not really need. Be wise with your budget right after moving to another city alone and you should be able to keep the smile on your face for much longer.

Bonus new city moving advice: Unpack like a pro and rate your removal company

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