There is hardly a person in the world that hasn’t thought about moving to NYC. The culture, the diversity, the opportunities, all there for you to explore. And, if you are a young person fresh out of college, living in New York can be the best thing for you. So, in order to help you out, we’ve come up with a handy newcomer’s handbook for moving to Big Apple. With any luck, it should give you a couple of pointer on how to properly set up your life here.

How to prepare for moving to Big Apple

There is no relocation without preparation. (If someone hasn’t  yet come up with this slogan, we call dibs!) As it is with all relocation there are certain things you have to do in order to make it first possible, and then efficient. So, our first advice is to start preparing for moving to Big Apple the moment you decide to do so. Remember, there is no such thing as doing too much research when it comes to moving to NYC.

Finding the right movers

The first thing you will have to do is to find the right movers to help you. Our advice is to first pick a neighborhood you wish to move into and then find local movers to help you out. So, if you are relocating to or from Corona, Queens, find and hire Corona, Queens movers. But, that is not all. Equally important is that you find reliable, cost-effective movers. Local movers should be your safest option, as it takes them less time and fuel to move you. But, even if you have to look for ones that are further away, don’t stop looking until you’ve found the right ones. Look through reviews, get as many moving estimates as you can and interview movers diligently until you are sure that you’ve found reliable, capable movers to help you out.

Planning

With capable movers at your side, you should start making relocation plans. Now, as you will soon learn, there are multiple factors that go into planning your relocation. Our advice is to be as flexible as possible. The more flexible you are, the cheaper and the more efficient your relocation is going to be. So, while you can move on short notice, try not to put yourself into a situation where you have a narrow time window. Ideally, you want to either move during autumn or early winter. Those periods are usually the cheapest, as the moving companies have the least amount of work. By the same token, you want to avoid moving during weekends. The less demand there is, the cheaper the service becomes.

Packing

Packing is one aspect of moving that you can take care of all by yourself. Start off by getting proper packing supplies. Our advice is to avoid getting cheap, subpar supplies as they can easily put your whole relocation at risk. Instead either buy quality cardboard boxes or rent plastic containers. Whatever you choose, make sure that your items are safe and sound. Also, you will have to get wrapping and padding supplies for the more fragile items.

Make sure that every item is wrapped separately and that it fits comfortably inside the box. A good idea is to make an inventory list before you go shopping for supplies, in order to get the proper size and number. If you run into any trouble during packing, call Little Neck experts in moving to help you out. Know that while you can pack properly on your own, packing is the most important aspect of moving when it comes to safety. So, if you feel as if you are not doing a good job, call a professional to help you.

What to expect after moving to NYC

So, after all the hustle and bustle of preparing and dealing with movers, what is living in NYC going to be like? Well, this is the tricky part. In order to live properly in NYC, there are certain things you need to be aware of. First is that NYC is big. REALLY BIG. And in order to take a bite out of this Big Apple, you need to be aware and awake while you live there.

Moving stress

Even with the best possible movers by your side, and ample time to prepare, you are going to experience moving stress. This is especially true if you are moving to New York from a smaller city. The change of environment, the new apartment, the seemingly endless tasks you will have to take care of… All of them will take a toll. So, what we advise you to do is to relax and give yourself some time to adjust. Remember to unpack properly and set up your apartment before you go out exploring. If you experience any blues of mood shifts, that’s ok. Know that this is an emotional moment in your life and that you should go through it step by step.

NYC lifestyle

Is living in NYC going to be like “Friends” or “Sex and the City”? In a word: no. In multiple words: GOOD GOD NO! People in NYC are hardworking, nervous and in a hurry. They don’t have much time, and they don’t plan on wasting it by being nice to you. So, our advice is to develop a thick skin after moving to Big Apple and to develop it fast. Don’t get us wrong though. There are some truly beautiful, mesmerizing and life-changing experiences you can have in NYC. A lot of people came here to make their dreams come true, and they managed to do so wonderfully. But, if there is one thing that is the same for all of them, it is that they weren’t dreaming while they lived here.