Just your average girl with above-average energy, trying to do it all

Moving across the country is a big step but it doesn’t need to be scary. My husband and I moved from California to Florida in 2022 a few months after getting married, unexpectedly and suddenly. My husband had a work opportunity so we made the decision, bought a house, packed up all our stuff, and left – all in two weeks! It was a bit of a whirlwind but we learned a ton.

Do Research Beforehand

1. Look at neighborhoods – Find a place to live (that you will like)
   Figure out where you want to live – look at crime rates, average age of the people living there, population size, school ratings (if you have/plan to have kids), shopping centers available. Use street view on Google maps and “walk” around different areas. How far away is the downtown area and the closest supermarket or airport? Make a list and use it for point #2
   
2. Check out the job market – have a plan for income
   What does the job market market look like in each of the neighborhoods I like? Are you in a big city or will you need to commute to a nearby city that has more opportunities? Do a quick search online and see what jobs are available (and applicable to you) in the areas you liked. Or maybe you plan to open your own business? make sure you can do so easily – do your research and make sure you have a plan to get some kind of income.
   
3. Make friends – join groups/forums and ask questions
   It would be ideal to live in an area where you’ll be able to make friends and form a community! Join some groups and forums online and get information from locals? do you want to live in an area with lots of young families, is cultural diversity important to you – basically, who do you want to be surrounded by? Locals will be able to tell you where to find what you’re looking for
   
4. Find transportation – make sure you can commute easily
   will you need a car or is there public transit you can use? If you don’t have a car, Can you easily find one in the area you’ll be living in?
   
5. Find fun things to do – how will you spend your free time?
   Are there restaurants in the area? Are there parks or a beach nearby? Look up top things to do in the area and see how many of those you like. Maybe there’s not much to do in the area but there are many cooler cities close by for a day trip!

Pack intelligently

1. Purge and clean!
   Go through all your things and get rid of anything you no longer want or things you know that you don’t use. Make sure everything you are bringing with you for your new start brings you joy. You won’t want clutter for your new start in a new place
   
2. Pack room by room
   the easiest way to unpack is room by room so make suer you pack this way as well. Everything that goes into the kitchen, put together in a box (or a few boxes) that are labeled “Kitchen”. LABEL EVERY BOX CLEARLY
   *Pro tip: make a small seperate box that will hold things you will need to unpack first like a boxcutter, a screwdriver, a small drill, maybe keys and flashlights. This is box #1 to open and will hold anything and everything you will need right away when you move

Go in with the right mindset

1. Be positive – you’re starting a new adventure! we all have different circumstances and we may not happy about moving, we may be upset or scared or nervous but try to look at the bright side as hard as it may be. A new place means a new adventure with new opportunities and you never know what may surprise you
   
2. Be open-minded– things may be different than what you’re used to. My entire life, we’ve lived in neighborhoods where neighbors didn’t talk to each other but come our first week in our Florida home and at least 7 different people have rang our doorbell with friendly smiles, small talk and gifts to welcome us. It was strange and uncomfortable for us at first but now it’s reassuring and it’s home.
   
3. Put yourself out there – you won’t meet people if you’re not around people. I’m terrible at small talk and so I generally try to avoid environments will lots of people I don’t know because it’s uncomfortable but moving to a new place where I knew no one, I knew I had to form a new community. Be brave and find ways to meet like-minded people – join a class, volunteer, hang out at the popular spots in town. Make some friends (even if you feel you don’t need friends), you’ll be glad you did!

Good luck! I know we all have different circumstances and different reasons for moving and some of these may not apply to you – you may not have a choice regarding which neighborhood to live in or you may be moving to a place where you know many people – but I hope something in this list will be helpful and will make your move easier. Good luck on your new adventure!