A long distance move is often tied to a great opportunity, whether it's a step up the career ladder, starting a new life together with a spouse or enjoying a well-earned retirement. No matter why you decide to move far away from your current home, there are some unique factors to consider. From finding a new favorite local restaurant to meeting your neighbors and making sure everyone who moved with you is handling the change well, you need to approach living in a new place with the right attitude and priorities in mind.
Finding fun after moving cross country
"A long distance move is often tied to a great opportunity."
Getting situated may take a few days, and finding the basics - like a new grocery store, doctor and many other considerations - can take time. You'll want to have fun around your new home, though, and getting to know your neighborhood and the surrounding town makes it that much easier to relax and enjoy.
Lifehacker pointed out one major advantage that didn't exist just a short time ago: The power of the internet and highly integrated data available in online searches and mapping tools. Whether using a mobile device or a traditional computer, you can find the location of restaurants, museums, gyms, bookstores and many other places where people go to enjoy themselves. Perhaps more importantly, you can quickly check ratings and reviews as well as information from the business itself to make sure it offers what you're looking for.
What about meeting people with similar interests? Websites like Meetup help you connect with local residents who share your hobbies and passions. VolunteerMatch offers opportunities to truly join your new community through service. You can start searching and visiting these sites long before you move in to your new home, another major advantage.
Of course, you can also break the ice with a new neighbor or co-worker by asking about a good place to eat, see a movie or exercise after you arrive.
When it comes to meeting people in your new environment, the old standby of knocking and greeting your new neighbors is a great start. Even if you don't become close friends, it makes good sense to know their names and have a congenial relationship. You won't have to worry much about your kids - in most cases, they'll organically make friends through school, sports and similar activities as well as other kids in the neighborhood.
Adjusting to a new place to live
Moving across your state or from one side of the country to the other means uprooting many parts of your life. Besides possibly having close family members with you, it's a completely new environment. You and your spouse and kids might miss old places, faces, traditions and the simple familiarity of an area they know.
One of the best ways to address these concerns is to recognize them early on and have conversations with yourself and your family. Tell them you understand certain parts of the move will be difficult and make sure they know they can come to their parents for help talking through any issues, fears or reservations they might have. Don't avoid having this conversation with your spouse, either. Adults can have similar feelings about a big move, and discussing the issues is the easiest way to understand and successfully address them.
Moving to an entirely new area is a big decision, but Atlas is here to help you make the trip. To learn more, get a moving quote today.