A long-distance move, whether it’s across the country to a new state or new province, perhaps from Calgary, Alberta to Ottawa, Ontario, it takes a lot of work. While you probably already know that, even if you’re excited about heading to a new destination, you’re bound to be exhausted when you arrive.
According to Move.org, about 35.5 million Americans move every year, many of whom are leaving states like Alaska, Illinois and New Jersey, heading to Idaho, Nevada and Arizona. A significant portion are probably discovering quite a few things that didn’t expect as they’re simply not often talked about, including these.
In Many Cases, It’s Easier and Cheaper to Sell Your Things and Start Over
When you move a shorter distance, to another neighborhood or even another city, it’s usually fairly simple. You rent a truck, or even better, use a friend’s, and gather up some people to help. You might get it all accomplished in a day or less. It’s a totally different story when you’re moving hundreds of miles away. While you can bring all your belongings with you, it can cost a fortune to move them. Unless you have some very pricey furniture and perhaps heirloom items, you might be better off selling it all and buying at your new destination, especially if you don’t mind purchasing used. What’s best for you will depend on your situation, but it’s really worth considering both options, totaling up the cost as well as the time and effort each will take.
It’s Not Easy Making New Friends
If you move somewhere you don’t know anyone at all, it’s going to take awhile to make new friends. It’s just not as easy as it was back in college, where there were lots of opportunities to meet and mingle. You’ll need to put in the effort, and you might have to do things alone, at least in the beginning, but it can be a great way to boost self-confidence. Force yourself to go out, perhaps join a club, take a class, or visit the same coffee house every morning to get to know the local crowd.
Friends and Family Probably Won’t Visit as Often as You Think
Your friends and family members will probably tell you they can’t wait to visit you in your new state, but then life gets in the way. Some day becomes some year in the distant future. It’s not easy to travel long distances when there are a lot of responsibilities at home, so if you’re missing them, you may need to plan to spend a portion of your vacation time traveling back home. Once you’re there, you’ll have to decide who is priority only a limited number of days.
Small Tasks Can be More Difficult
Back home you probably receive lots of recommendations from friends and family members for things like finding a new dentist, a mechanic and so on. When you’re in a new area, you may have to rely more on online reviews and the like. At the same time, it also helps you become a lot more independent.