Guest Article by Jenna Sherman

How many movies have you seen about people relocating from small towns to big cities? Most of them probably portray the main character struggling to adjust to their new life and eventually finding their way to a happy life. When you prepare before your relocation in real life, however, you can skip a lot of the drama in the middle!

Moving to a big city can open many doors. It can allow you to pursue your dreams, present new career opportunities, and provide new experiences you otherwise would not have. Nonetheless, as exciting as it is, you must plan out your relocation if you hope for it to go smoothly. Here are some tips, courtesy of Susan Newberry Designs!

Rethink “Quality of Life”

Quality of life is a subjective term. Many people from small towns consider free time, outdoor activities, and peace and quiet to make for a great life. People in cities often prefer nightlife, various cultural offerings, and other opportunities. Cities can also be more expensive to live in and tend to be a bit more stressful. Try to adjust your idea of what you want from life so that you can transition smoothly.

Learn About the Housing Market

You're going to need a place to live in the new city, meaning you'll need to thoroughly research the housing market. If you are uncertain how long you’ll stay in the city, you might consider renting an apartment or condo. But if you want to lay down roots, purchasing a house could be a worthwhile investment.

Look into various neighborhoods in your new city by watching local YouTube videos, reading local news, and visiting neighborhoods in person (if possible). Knowing the prices and availability of homes in your desired area will help you plan a budget and minimize financial problems.

Scour the Job Market or Start a Business

You will adjust much more quickly to your new environment if you have a job in place. If possible, find a job that aligns with your interests and experience before you make a move to the new city. But if that's not an option, dedicate time each day to find a job that can support you financially.

If you have a fire to start a business, make sure you can dedicate the time and energy necessary to plan it out. Launching a company in a big city will require you to write a thorough business plan that describes your company and provides details on how you will accomplish your goals.

A business plan not only will serve as your company's roadmap but also help you secure financing and help you start off strong. If you’ve never written this type of plan before, refer to this start a business guide to quickly learn how!

Find a Mover

You probably don’t want to try and relocate all by yourself (talk about stress!). Consider any friends and family members you can recruit to help you get your belongings from A to B. Or, consider investing in professional moving services.

It's easy to connect with local movers who can help you load all your items securely and unload them in your desired rooms in the new home. Research various companies to see if any are offering special deals, and be sure to check reviews before committing to a specific mover.

**ARTWORK BY** **SUSAN NEWBERRY DESIGNS**

Celebrate Your New Home

Once you’ve gotten moved into your new home, it’s time to make it your own — that means decorating. With new spaces to arrange, you will likely need to invest in new window treatments and possibly new furniture. You should also splash by personalizing your new home with artwork from Susan Newberry Designs. This will help transform your house into a home.

Moving into a new home, you may be concerned about protecting it and yourself from financial trouble. You may have asked yourself “is a home warranty worth the price?” The truth is that a home warranty can be critical in helping you avoid large out-of-pocket costs if one or more major breakages occur in your home. You can sleep more soundly knowing that you’ll be protected if an appliance or your air conditioner breaks down.

While you should let yourself get excited about your relocation to the big city, you also need to diligently prepare so you can make a smooth transition. By choosing a location, researching the housing and job market (or even starting your own business), and finding movers, you can learn everything you can about your new city so that you can minimize surprises and problems once you arrive. You'll be settling into your fun new living environment in no time!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenna Sherman hopes to help other parents acquire the skills they need to raise future leaders by providing a collection of valuable, up-to-date, authoritative resources. A mom of three (two girls and a boy) created parent-leaders.com as an avenue for parents who want to make sure their children grow up to be strong, independent, successful adults.

If you would like to write a guest article for Susan Newberry Designs, feel free to contact us.

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