There comes a time when a huge opportunity presents itself in your life that you just can’t resist, but there’s a plot twist—it consists of you moving away. You may hesitate, or may even jump right at it and accept, but either decision you choose will still be a huge change. Moving out of state for your career is becoming more of a norm and even more encouraged to do. If you are deciding to move, or in the preparation steps, here are a few things to do and remember.
Create a checklist
The first thing you should do is to get organized. Moving to a different state is a lot of work and you don’t want to leave one place unfinished before you get to your new home. Creating a checklist of everything you need to do will help you ease your nerves and keep you on top of everything. Your checklist may include: changing your addresses, informing your current place of residence that you’re moving and the many things you need to pack and buy. Following your list will help you stay on track, but you still may run into bumps in the road along the way. When this happens, it’s important to stay calm and have a backup plan just in case.
“I made a checklist of the legal items I needed to do once I arrived in Canada. These things included registering my car, applying for my health card, and surrendering my US license for a Canadian one,” says Alyssa Howard, graduate of University of Texas at Austin. “While I knew what was required for each of these processes in theory, it was far from smooth to get the necessary paperwork for each of these things. I tried my hardest to plan in advance, but had to contend with what felt like an endless number of curve balls.”
Make a budget and start saving
Even though the cost of living is different everywhere you go, you will still have to be able to afford the change so you can live comfortable and be able to handle your bills responsibly. Having a savings account is a necessity not just for every day living, but definitely needed in your preparation for moving. Your lifestyle will change and you may or may not be able to do the same things once you move. Making a budget and a savings plan will help with a smooth transition and keep it continued even after you arrive to your new destination.
“Budgeting is going to be key to not getting into debt and staying on top of all your expenses including the price of the move, shipping things, driving and tolls; everything adds up,” says Marie Delage, Director of Community & Partnerships of FindSpark. “If you’re looking to live in a new city, do your research and make sure to read reviews of the owner’s/ building management and neighborhood you’ll be living in.”
Make a things-to-do bucket list
Now that you’re ending one journey and starting anew, you may not know when you can come back and visit. Making a last minute bucket list could be a fun way to leave your old place with a bang. If you run out of time to complete your list before moving, creating one for your new city is definitely a must and will also help with learning the area. Make sure to talk to the people in your new area and ask questions to get a feel of the lifestyle.
This new journey is scary, a huge change in life, but an opportunity that will bring many new doors. Keeping yourself organized, saving your money and getting out of your old comfort zone before you leave will definitely help you as you move to your new state.