Moving, no matter where you go, is always a pain. It takes a lot of work to pack up everything that you have, haul it over, and then do it all over again. The worst is if you end up hating where you now live.

Those moving within their own city have a leg-up than others in that regard. It’s easy to know which areas to focus your search when you know the neighbourhoods and what they have to offer.

However, those moving to a new city don’t have that luxury. That’s why if you’re moving to a new city for work or any other opportunity, you’ll want to use this guide to help you do it successfully.

Start By Reading Up On Your New Home

The good news is that there are so many resources online that you truly can learn what a city is like, which neighbourhoods fit your bill, and even the best public transportation links to park yourself next to online. You don’t need to take a day out to go and scout the place out yourself. Instead, you can read up on everything there is to know about living in cool cities like Bristol online from the comfort of your own home.

You can also go to social media. Start pinning spots you want to visit and go to on a map (Google Maps is great for this). Add where you’ll be working, and look at the public transportation lines. The areas where you have:

• Things you like to do
• Businesses you want to visit
• Good connections via public transport

Are great places to start. For the best quality of life, however, you’re going to want to focus primarily on places where you can get to work within 30 minutes or less. If you’re driving, try to find somewhere closer to 10 to 20 minutes away. Cutting down your commute gives you back hours in your day, saves you money, and is important for your mental health.

Finding Somewhere to Live

While there’s always an option to live in that sweet spot between work and local amenities, these may not always be within your budget. If your work is in the downtown area, for example, but rents in the city centre are out of your reach then choosing an option with great connections and its own little hub is the next go-to.

You also have options in terms of where you rent:

• Private renting: you rent someone’s property, either with the landlord directly or an agency.
• Association renting: you rent an apartment in a purpose-built rental unit. These usually have additional amenities like communal spaces and a management team on-site.
• Short-term renting: If you aren’t 100% sure about where you want to rent or don’t yet have a job, consider short-term renting instead. For example, you can rent out Airbnbs for a month straight at a discount or look at short-term let options.

If your goal is to buy, however, it’s so important that you visit the area first. You need to see the homes in question in person, walk the neighbourhood, see how the light hits your place at all hours of the day, read up on crime reports in the area, and so much more. Whatever research you do for renting, triple it if you plan to buy. You may even find it useful to short-term let in the area while you’re looking for places to buy.

Packing Tips for a Smooth Move

Once you know where you want to live, and have a great rental or new home up your sleeve, it’s time to pack up.

De-Clutter As You Pack

Before you start shoving everything in a box, stop. Now is the perfect time to finally go through and actually deep de-clutter your space. You can also make back some of those moving costs by selling what you don’t need or want before you move.

Sort Your Packing

Your boxes should be packed up by room. They should also be packed by theme. Then, you’ll want to label what’s in each box by writing on them (make sure to note which ones are fragile). So, once a box is sealed up and taped down, you’ll have:

• Which room it belongs in
• What’s in it

With these two key details written on the box you and your moving team will be able to easily unload your belongings, where they belong.

Hire a Well-Regarded Moving Company

You do not want to skimp out on costs here. You need a team that’s trusted, insured, and, most of all, dependable. You never want to wake up on the day of your move to find your moving team just never shows up. By starting with a well-rated (and insured!) team you can avoid a lot of stress from the equation.

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