Moving to a New City Alone | Challenges and Tips

Planning Before You Move

In-depth planning before moving to a new city helps reduce confusion. Try and plan the stuff you’ll take with you, items to buy, places to visit, the rooms to rent, and more.

Planning prevents complexity and makes it easier to focus on what you want to do. One crucial point about planning is to make it flexible because you may be disappointed if things fail to go as planned.

Living With Housemates

Shared flats are a great option while moving to a new city, especially if you have a limited budget. While most people shy away from living with people they don't know, there are many benefits to sharing a flat, as long as you have a private bedroom.

Private rooms for rent in shared flats are usually furnished and all amenities are provided by the leaser. Invoices and other expenses are typically included in the price, which allows you to save money.  

Another advantage of shared flats is socializing. You can quickly mingle and become close with your housemates, which will make it easier to learn about the city and expand your social circle there. These aspects of living with housemates will also ease your adaptation process.

Getting Friendly

Living in a new city can be complex in many ways: Learning everything from the beginning, trying to adapt, and loneliness can wear you out. However, gathering people around you whom you can trust will enable you to cope with all these more smoothly.

People always need others to communicate and share their troubles and joys. Being open to meeting new people saves you a lot of trouble when you move to a new city, as well. Finding new friends will provide you with the company for your favorite activities: going for a walk, having a cup of coffee, seeing a movie, and most importantly relieving the emotional burden of the move.

Reach out to your new neighbors, get to know your co-workers, and build your social circle. There's no point in getting lonely: It’s always good to have a friend around! 

Packing Light

Packing every single item is a challenge when moving to a new city, and it increases the shipping costs. It also takes a lot of time to unpack. Don’t waste your time and money transporting suitcases and packages.

The biggest favor you can do for yourself while moving to a new city is to leave your furniture and unnecessary belongings behind. You can rent a furnished house in the city you’re relocating to. This way, you can also sell your furniture to make cash for the costs of your new life.

Taking only the crucial belongings and leaving the rest behind will save you from a lot of stress and waste of time. You can leave the rest of your stuff with a trusted friend or family member and pick them up later.

Exploring the City

The thought of adapting to a new place may sound scary, but try to reduce your stress levels. Looking at the glass half full, you have a brand new city to explore!

When you start living in a new city, you need to get to know the city to chart your way and find places you’ll like to spend time. Strolling the city streets occasionally also helps discover shortcuts to work.

It's always easier to explore alone. You can hit the road whenever you want, and you don't have to set a schedule with anyone. Prepare a list of places you want to see and make room for coincidental walkabouts because the most interesting things usually come our way very randomly.

Taking the Time for Yourself

Yes, exploring the environment and meeting new people in a new city is very important during the adaptation process. However, constant socializing can be tiring even for the most extroverted. To avoid getting overwhelmed, stop and take the time for yourself now and again.

Spending time alone in a city to which you are a stranger may sound a little daunting, but it’s crucial for you to feel rested and renewed. It also allows you to balance your relationships with new friends and acquaintances. 

Sometimes being alone, even while having a drink, makes you listen to yourself. Reading, watching TV, cooking, exercising, or doing any activity you like alone will help you establish healthy relationships and make them sustainable. 

Building Your Budget By Taking Extras Into Account

It’s in your best interest to start planning your budget as soon as you decide you're moving to a new city. If you have an emergency fund, that should cover you for a while but still, you should be prepared for unexpected extra expenses. 

Accommodation, utilities, food, transportation, health expenses, eating out, and socialization activities are the main subjects you should take into consideration as you plan your budget. Planning and cutting back are very important if you want to avoid financial inconveniences. 

Keeping in Touch With Your Family and Old Friends

You don't necessarily have to leave behind your old social life after moving to a new city. Many people assume that when they move away, they will be cut off from family and friends forever. But it certainly doesn't have to be like that!

It’s entirely up to you to maintain your relationships and other aspects of your life back at home. Knowing that you’ll always have loved ones who support you back home gives you the strength to build a new life somewhere new.

Moreover, your friends and family can visit you in your new home, and you can show them around the city. You can visit your hometown from time to time, as well. Maybe your move will even become an enjoyable and exciting process for you and the people around you, strengthening your relationships.

Starting To Date

If you're single, flirting is one of the best ways to socialize and make new friends! Dating helps you socialize and explore the city simultaneously.

Don't feel weird about going on dates; instead, feel the excitement and try to have a good time. Of course, going on a date in a foreign city can feel a little uncanny. However, if you simply use common sense when you’re dating, you may get to enjoy it without coming across inconvenient situations.

Your date can be someone from work or your new circle of friends. Dating apps are another solid ways to meet new people nowadays. Just go out there and try dating, enjoying the city while getting to know someone is fun! And who knows, maybe your soulmate is somewhere in the same city as you are, or maybe it is the city itself. 

Turning a House into a Home

It makes perfect sense to first move to a shared home if you’re changing the city you live in. Shared flats are cheaper and good alternatives for social networking.

Renting your flat after a while, however, improves your connection to the city. You start bringing your belongings from your old house and decorate your house according to your tastes. Creating your own space gives you a sense of belonging and turns your house into a cozy home. 

You don't have to rush and buy everything at once to make your home look great. You gradually complete your deficiencies, and you can establish your order in time. The important thing is that you feel at home, which makes adapting to where you live much easier.

Walking and Using Public Transport To Get Around

Walking is the best way to explore a place. You will come across new venues, parks, cafes, shortcuts, and paths as you walk.

If you’re feeling a little lazy to walk, you can use public transport to get to know your way around the city. This way, you can see different places you do not know that are not on your list.

To familiarize yourself with a city, wander its alleys and streets. Mingling with the crowds in squares will help make you feel at home in a shorter period.