Itinerary for moving to a new country: what to plan for, arranging accommodation, tying up loose ends and how to make move cost effective.
Moving country is an enormous undertaking as well as a major life change, so it is understandable if there is a fair amount of stress and anxiety to go along with the excitement. No matter the reason for the move or where you are moving to, there will be a lot of planning and work that needs to be done so that you can get on with the move and start to settle into your new home. Therefore, it is helpful to outline a few tips that will hopefully make the process much easier for you, so that you can start to look forward to the move and reduce stress.
Carry Out Detailed Research
It might seem obvious, but many people leave researching a new country till the last minute, which can make it challenging to learn everything that you need to know. There will be a huge amount that you need to learn, especially if you need to find work and accommodation out there. A few key areas of research include:
- Career prospects
- Cost of living
- Accommodation
- Local customs
- Transport
- Health service
- Languages
Arrange Short-Term Accommodation
In terms of arranging accommodation in the new country, it is a good idea to arrange accommodation for the short-term, as opposed to making a big commitment before you have even arrived. This can give you some flexibility and allows you to find your feet before a long-term rental or even buying, so you can get used to life in the new destination and then make a decision on where will be best for you.
Tie Up Loose Ends Before Moving
You do not want to be tying up loose ends when you are in a different country and trying to get settled, which is why you need to have everything sorted before you move. This will include jobs such as closing accounts, notifying institutions, paying off debt/informing creditors of your move, transferring money, and seeing friends and family before the move.
Save As Much Money As Possible
It is very hard to budget for a move to a new country as there will be many different costs to face and the amount that each one costs can vary. This is why it is important to save as much money as possible prior to the move, so hopefully you do not find yourself in a difficult situation when you arrive and instead you are free to spend money and start to enjoy your new home. One good way of raising extra money is to sell the possessions that you do not need, and keep in mind that you will be able to buy most items when you get to your new home. Therefore, you can make extra cash and reduce removals costs by selling items such as your car, furniture, kitchenware, and tech.
Use An Experienced Removals Company
Leading on from this, there will be items that you want to ship to the new country. Often, this includes personal and/or valuable items such as clothing, artwork, family heirlooms, and expensive tech. It is important to use a removals company that has experience in shipping items to your new country, and you will also want to familiarize yourself with the country’s customs restrictions so you know what you can and cannot ship. If you are moving to Australia, for example, then familiarizing yourself with Australia customs and finding a top removal company that has many years of experience with shipping household goods to Australia securely will be key for a smooth and stress-free move.
Get A New Cell Phone Quickly
When you arrive in the new country, it is a smart idea to pick up a new cell phone as quickly as possible so that you will be easy to contact and can feel settled. Otherwise, you will be paying huge roaming fees on your old phone, which can add stress in an already stressful time. Or you might want to explore some clever options if you insist on taking your smartphone abroad with you.
Have A Fun Activity Planned Early On
As moving abroad is such a stressful process to go through, it is important that you have a fun activity planned early on so that you have something to look forward to when you arrive at your new home. It is incredibly daunting to move to a new country, especially if it is somewhere that you have not visited before and/or you do not know anyone, so you will want to get out and start enjoying yourself as soon as possible. Although important to have a fun activity planned, it is also a good idea to book an appointment with a recruitment agency if you need a new job so that it does not feel just like a holiday.
Get To Know Your Neighbors
It is always a good idea to get to know your neighbors whenever you move, but especially when you arrive somewhere completely new and do not know the area. In addition to being a friendly face around where you live, you might find that they can help you to settle quickly by letting you know about living in the area and possibly even showing you around—introducing you to their friends and helping you move.
Find Communities Online
Leading on from this, the internet is an excellent resource for finding new people no matter where you are in the world. You should be able to find online communities for your new destination, and find groups of people that you would like to meet up with—if you are into hiking, for example, then there is likely to be an online community so you can meet up with these people in real life and start to build a social life for yourself.
Find Fellow Expats
Similarly, you should be able to find other expats in your new destination, which can be helpful for building a social life and settling in. In addition to making new friends with people who have gone through a similar experience to your own, you might find that they can provide you with insider information, which could help you to settle faster and build the best possible life for yourself.
Stay In Touch With Loved Ones Back Home
You will certainly want to focus on getting settled in your new home, but you should also make an effort to keep in touch with loved ones back home. It is easy to feel lonely and homesick when you move abroad and, although it does get easier with time, it can be difficult. Keeping in touch with friends and family back home can help you to feel connected to them and there are lots of good ways to do this, such as:
- Email
- Video calls
- Sending and receiving care packages
- Playing games online
- Starting a blog
- Handwritten letters
- Sending photo messages
Get Involved With The Community
Another way to settle and start to build a life for yourself is to get involved with the local community. Hopefully, you will be able to make some friends through work but it is also helpful if you have relationships outside of this, and one of the best ways to do this is to get involved with the community. This could involve taking a class, volunteering, attending community events, or anything else that will help you to make connections with people.
Moving to a new country can be an exciting yet also stressful and daunting process, but hopefully these tips will help and allow you to quickly settle into your new home.
