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Dimeji Akinkuolie

about 54 years ago

Our Start to Finish Guide for Moving to a New City

Category: Tips and tricks

Our Start to Finish Guide for Moving to a New City

Category: Tips and tricks

Famous for its thriving jobs market and one-of-a-kind night life, Newcastle pulls in countless students, graduates and young professionals alike from around the country.

Regardless of who you are, moving to an entirely new city is a nerve racking thought, but a strong game plan can help save precious time and energy while reducing stress. To that end, we've put together a check list of all the things you need to consider, taking a sizeable chunk of the hassle out of your big move!

Before the Move:

Getting settled into the hustle and bustle of a new city is a daunting prospect, so learn about the neighbourhood you'll be living in ahead of time to take some weight off your shoulders. There's no better way to get to know your new neighbourhood than by 'meeting' it in person, so try to pay a visit before you arrive. This is a great opportunity to get to know your local supermarkets, shopping centres and restaurants or get registered with a local dentist and doctor's practise.

Taking a trip to another city before a move isn't feasible for everyone, so dig online as well! With student blogs, Google reviews, sites like The Student Room and everything in-between, you'll have no shortage of resources to get the lay of the land. If you're moving to Newcastle, then 'Get into Newcastle', the 'Official NewcastleGateshead City Guide' app, Campus North and The Chronicle are also worth a look.

Naturally you can't move if you can't afford it, so ensure you aren't pinching pennies when you arrive at your new city by creating a realistic budget and sticking to it! The best way to do this is to calculate the cost of living in your new home and compare it with your expected income, that way you won't spend more than you're making. It's always a good idea to start keeping an expenses list early on and save a few months living expenses for a rainy day ahead of the move.

You'll also want to notify any necessary organisations of your change of address to avoid any nasty surprises. This would include HMRC, all bank accounts, the electoral register and your employer if necessary.

Guide to Smart Packing:

Far more time consuming than anyone usually expects – packing is something a mover rarely looks forward to. To keep stress to a minimum, it's important to start early and keep an eye on everything involved. You can make this less intensive by downsizing on all your non-essentials. Doing this before packing will drastically reduce the workload and storage space you'll need.

A solid packing list also plays a major part in a good move, creating it in order of priority can help you avoid leaving anything behind. Start out with your least important items and finish with your essentials, as you'll need to have quick access to them for at least your first night while you get settled in. If you're stuck for ideas on how to make a packing list, The Student Room has put together a comprehensive one for University, and Skyscanner has an excellent holiday packing list that you can re-purpose.

How you make use of space when packing is another important point, so avoid leaving dead spaces and take advantage of solutions like vacuum packing to maximise the mileage you get from your bags.

Those of you moving internationally will have a bit more to take into consideration, with various costs and external factors coming in to play. Specialist moving companies such as Santa Fe Relocation and AGS Worldwide can significantly lighten this load, offering a range of assistance and relocation services to make your move a success.

Getting Settled In:

Once you touch down in your new city, the prospect of getting to grips with it may leave you feeling lost. Consulting the internet is a great way to get started exploring on the right foot. Google Maps is an obvious first choice for inding your way around, but if saving data and battery life are priorities for you then Maps.me is a great offline alternative. When it comes to finding the best food, entertainment and hang out spots you can't go wrong with Yelp and Foursquare. Even location based games like Pokémon Go can help you learn the ins and outs of your new neighbourhood!

Availing yourself of transport apps relevant to your city can also make a huge difference to how you traverse the area. Planning a commute becomes much easier once you know when your next bus or train will arrive, so be sure to download Arriva and Next Metro if you're moving to Newcastle.

Chances are you're bound to have someone in your network who is familiar with the area, so don't forget the value of seeking advice from people. Whether you field your questions over a cup of coffee, or crowd source your answers from social media, there's no better way to get acquainted with a city than to ask one of it's natives!

Rebuilding your social circle from scratch can be one of the hardest parts of moving, especially if you're naturally shy. One of the best ways to meet new people is being proactive, so why not try eating or working in public spaces? If you're approachable this can let you strike up a conversation that you wouldn't have had ordinarily. This approach isn't for everyone though, so if you'd rather start with something familiar use meetups and forums based around your hobbies and interests to get acquainted with likeminded people. For students, your University will most likely have societies with that goal in mind that are often free to join. Don't forget you can also leverage social media to track down friends of friends who might be in the area!

Have any other moving tips that have helped you? We'd love to hear from you, so share them with us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

If you're a student or young professional looking to move to Newcastle, why not get in touch and book a viewing for one of our stunning studio apartments via hello@urban-study.com or by visiting CRM Students?