Moving to a new town is both incredibly exciting – and very daunting. You’ve got to get used to new faces, new roads, and new facilities. You’ve got to relearn your way around, and figure out the best shortcuts to take. Above all, you need to work out what you use in your everyday life and transfer it all to your new location. This can be hard work, but with the right preparation, it’s not as stressful as it seems. Plus, once you’ve got all of this out of the way, you can go about enjoying your new life and your new home.
Address changes
The most important thing to do when you move is to change your address on everything important – from social security to friends and family. If you’re moving to a different town, it’s not as easy to just swing by your old house and pick up mail. Plus, your new location might change certain things with providers like insurance companies.
Mail redirects
Even if you stay on top of changing all your mail, there’s always going to be crossover period, where some mail might end up going to your old property. What you can do in this situation depends on how well you know your old property’s new inhabitants. If you know them well or think they’d be happy to do you a favor, you can ask them to forward on any letters or parcels, reimbursing them the cost. Or, if you don’t want to ask this of them, speak to your postal provider. You can usually set up a redirect service that will automatically send on any post to your new home.
Neighbors and the community
When you move in, introduce yourself to your new neighbors as soon as possible. Getting on with them is incredibly important if you’re going to feel happy and settled in your new environment. Plus, they’ll be able to help you out with any local queries, and advise you on where to get everything from your daily groceries to the best ways to integrate yourself into the local community. Getting on with your neighbor will help you get to know your new town, and with their help, you’ll be able to settle in much faster.
Schools and education
If you’ve got children, it’s vital that you start looking for schools or colleges as early as possible. If you can commute to your children’s old school until the end of term or the end of the year, then you’ll give them a bit more stability and won’t interrupt their grades. However, if this isn’t possible, then you need to make the transition as smooth as possible. Do plenty of research into different schools, and make sure your children can visit a couple of times before the move.
Doctor
Finding a good doctor can be hard work. You’ve probably had your current one for a while, and it’s tough moving away as they know all your background and medical history. So, using a service like DocFindy can help you narrow down your choice, and ensure you pick the best doctor based on independent reviews. You could also try speaking to your current doctor, to see if their practice can recommend anywhere. Knowing what to look for is important, so ask plenty of questions when you look around: these might include anything from how many doctors they have, to whether your children can see a doctor there too.
Dentist
Even if you don’t visit the dentist regularly, it’s a good idea to be registered with one, just in case you need one in an emergency. So, start off by searching online, and then seeing which are covered by any insurance. Similarly, you could also look for one that offers cosmetic services, in case you or your children want any work done on your teeth, such as straightening.
Plumbers, electricians and builders
As you’ve just moved to a new house, or are just about to, this is one of the most important groups of people to find. You need to know who you can call if something goes wrong. Whether it’s a burst water pipe or a blown fuse box, you should have numbers for reputable local tradesmen. You can usually find people in these trades via word of mouth. If not, reviews online will help you pick out the good ones from the bad. Hopefully, you won’t need to use these services, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
New routes
Finding your way around a new town can be stressful, so spend some time getting to learn your new routes. This might be from home to work, including a school pick up or drop off on the way. See which grocery shops you can call in at on the way home, and which will be too hard to fit in. Plus, explore shortcuts! Download apps like Waze or Google Maps, and see how you can avoid traffic, or cross country to avoid any town centers. The more you drive around, the easier it will be to get used to your new routes.
Public transport
You might not ever need to use public transport, but it’s a good idea to know where the nearest train or bus station is. Plus, knowing that you can get to a bigger town or city via public transport can be a relief, just in case your car breaks down, and you don’t have a chance of getting it fixed.
Traffic congestion peaks
Similar to learning new routes, you should figure out when traffic is worst. It’s usually in the mornings and evenings, but some areas can have very specific congestion times: sometimes you can miss all the worst traffic by leaving your home or office just a few minutes early. Once you know the peak times for traffic, you can find alternative routes to avoid the hotspots.
Area facilities
From swimming pools to sports centers, you should familiarize yourself with all the town’s local facilities. This includes everything, including shopping malls, entertainment venues and libraries. This way, you’ll never be stuck searching for something to do, and you’ll be able to help your children pick up their old hobbies too.
Clubs and hobbies
If you had a hobby in your last town, don’t give up on it just because you’ve moved. Find out the nearest club or gathering to your new home, and introduce yourself. It can be quite daunting, but it’s the easiest way to make friends, as you’ve all got at least one shared interest. Likewise, find out when the local sports teams or town band plays. Going along to show your support is an easy way to meet new people and integrate yourself into society.
