Relocation is always stressful, but it is the inevitable decision that you have to take for a more satisfying life in the long run. That being said, moving to a new city, or a country has its fair share hassles and stressors that one has to deal with.
From the process of packing up from your current location to moving in and settling in a new one, there are thousands of hurdles involved during the whole process. Although some areas are friendly for new movers and settling down could easier there, others can be too crude and unwelcoming. You need to be well prepared for that to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
New York is a dream city for many people around the world. The black limos, the classy suited executives walking around in Manhattan, and the elitist aura of the town is way too appealing for most people. The city is known for its busy and bustling life, cruel routines and luxe lifestyle.
While the whole idea of moving to NYC might seem too dreamy at the outside, the reality can easily be everything opposite. In fact, if you do not have your facts straight and your homework done in advance, you might pull your hair, running into debts and clueless about your direction before you even settle.
If you intend to move to NYC, remember these 5 tips to make things easier for you.
1. New York Exits Beyond Manhattan
Thanks to Hollywood and those fancy tv shows, many people refuse to believe that there are opportunities beyond Manhattan too. For many, Manhattan is NYC and NYC is Manhattan. Therefore they refuse to look for accommodation anywhere else. This is the biggest blunder that you can make.
NYC is a huge city that comprises a well-connected network of many towns. Manhattan is just one of those towns, albeit an elite one. That being said, other boroughs such as Brooklyn, Bronx are as respectable as Manhattan and are very much a part of the famous NYC.
Many people live in Brooklyn or any other town but commute every day to Manhattan for work. Unfortunately, impulsive newbies who cannot resist their NYC dream often hunt for excellent accommodation in Manhattan, which is exorbitantly priced. As a result, they usually end up in debts before they even settle down.
The wisest decision would be to look for accommodation options in other parts of the city and shop around for the most affordable accommodation option that you can find. Everything in NYC is insanely expensive, so if you save up on your rent expense, you will have more cash available for other heads.
2. Accommodation Options
Your friends who have been living in NYC might reside in fancier private homes because they have been earning salaries according to NYC standards and therefore have the better affordability to survive in the city. Since you are new to the town and were earning elsewhere before, you might not have the same luxury and therefore bagging a good apartment deal might seem a daunting task for you. However, if you plan smartly, you can handle this problem quickly.
It would be a good idea to look for a good hostel in the initial phase rather than looking for your apartment. That way you can save up a lot of cash on rentals. Meanwhile, you can work in the NYC for a few months and then look for your apartment according to your affordability.
If you already know someone in NYC, who will let you move in, that would be great. Alternatively, you can look through online platforms for shared living space options. Shared spaces mean shared rentals and that brings down rent costs significantly. If you are still uncomfortable to share your living quarters and are looking for more private yet affordable options, check out Airbnb. Although the platform is meant for travelers and tourists, it has a fantastic rental deal that you can make use of for a temporary period.
3. Social Life
There is nothing wrong in dreaming to live the life of an NYC socialite. Many of your older New Yorker friends might spend their weekends at fancy nightclubs, Bistros, and bars, or explore excellent food options at restaurants. However, remember that you are still in your settling phase and you still have to arrange for a lot of things.
Therefore, do not feel too tempted to follow the suit of your NYC friends. The need to socialize comes naturally, but do that by a casual meet up with a friend or in any other way that will not cost you a fortune.
If you do not plan it out smartly, you can easily lose a good over $200 for a simple weekend party.
4. Commuting
NYC is a massive cluster of different towns connected to each other by roads routes and subways. Unfortunately, most of these towns are far apart. A trip from Brooklyn to the Bronx can easily take over three hours on a subway. Therefore, plan your commuting accordingly.
Account for wait times at public transport and subway stations and travel distances when you need to move around from one part of the city to another. It is likely that after moving to NYC, you might live in one town, but might be required to travel to another one for work. This is common among people who work in Manhattan.
Plan your time and mode of transport accordingly.
5. De-Clutter
It is understandable that you might be tempted to bring in everything from your office in Texas to NYC. However, the bad news is that NYC might not have as much space to accommodate all your favorite office furniture and belongings, your couch, your leaning chair, your large bed, your bookshelf and a huge wardrobe, etc.
It is more critical for you to find comfortable accommodation for yourself rather than accommodating your stuff. This will only make your life more miserable. You will do yourself a huge favor if you manage to de-clutter and let go of everything that you can do without.
Sell the extra items off, and you will not only have more space options, but you can also raise extra money out of it.
