Moving long distance can be an exciting time in your life. Such a huge step into the unknown comes with lots of different things to discover: new people, new hangout spots and, hopefully, some new favorite taco spots, too! But what are the best ways to discover your new neighborhood? We know that this can be a daunting process in your life and so we’re here to help. As your long-distance Dallas movers, we have put together these top tips that’ll have you feeling like a local in no time at all!
Sort Out the Essentials
To make your new move as comfortable as possible, you should seek out the essentials as soon as you know your new address. Now, when you hear the word essentials, you might be confused about what we’re talking about. Do we mean the toothbrushes, knives, and forks? Well, not exactly. As important as these things are, we want to take a second to talk about something else.
And that is: the essential places you’re going to frequent in your new neighborhood.
For most people, these hotspots include the nearest supermarket, post office, branch of their bank, gas station, and any public transport hubs. But, of course, there will be a few places that are specifically special to you. Need that monthly mani-pedi? Get to reading the reviews of the nearest nail salons and choose your fave! Can’t miss Friday night date night? You know you’ll want to locate the closest movie theatre. Or maybe you live for Wednesday pizza delivery night? Find the place with the hottest offers and put that number on speed dial!
Think about all the places that you love to visit in your current neighborhood and make a list of the replacements in your new one.
Thanks to the Internet, you don’t even need to wait until the big move to do this. Let Google come to the rescue right now instead of delaying! Simply use Google Maps to search for these places – and you can even view reviews for them on Google as well.
Get to Know Your Neighbors
As technological as our world has become, the classic approach of getting to know your neighbors still can’t be beaten. Why? There’s nothing better in this world than friendship and good old-fashioned human contact. Your neighbors are the window into your neighborhood. Talk to them, find out where their favorite places are, what events are happening in the area, and what the community’s like. If you can tap into the community straight away, it’ll be even easier to discover great places in your new neighborhood.
To break the ice with your neighbors, we recommend bringing ’round a small token gift to say howdy! This could be something notable from your old neighborhood that you can use as a talking point, or something universal like home baking or nice coffee beans.
Because, let’s face it, nothing opens people up like cookies and caffeine!
Host a Housewarming Party
Having a housewarming party is a great way to ease into your new home as well. After you’ve become acquainted with your neighbors, invite them over for a night of nibbles, laughs, and maybe a few cold ones, too. After a night of camaraderie, you’ll begin to feel like you’re exactly where you belong in no time at all. And you’ll probably have a few insider suggestions, too – or maybe even a new friend to show you around.
Help Your Children Settle
Even if your kids seem like the most resilient lil’ creatures on the planet, a big move can have a huge effect on them. Help them settle in by researching fun clubs that they can join, speaking to other parents in the neighborhood to organize a playdate, and checking to see if their school can organize a buddy system for them to take part in during recess. Happy children make happy homes!
Be a Tourist in Your New Neighborhood
You know when you go on vacation and everything seems exciting, shiny, and new? Why not recreate that feeling in your new neighborhood? Yeah, we know it’s where you’re going to be working, eating, and sleeping… but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun before everything becomes the usual. Especially since doing all the tourist things will familiarize you with your new surroundings.
Check out TripAdvisor and see what the top things are to do in the area – then round up your family and go on an adventure. We want you to take advantage of that honeymoon period and use it to create memories that’ll last a lifetime.
If you’re looking for extra tips, speak to your long-distance Dallas movers – we’re happy to clue you in on some great things to do in your new area!
Get Back into a Routine Quickly
Moving to a new neighborhood can play havoc on your routine and completely delay that “settled-in feeling.” Maybe you always went to the same spin class in your old neighborhood and then came home and prepared a big old casserole for dinner. But, now that you’ve moved, you find yourself spending more time trying to remember where you put your plates. We know how frustrating this can be and that’s why we recommend following your old routines as closely as possible. By doing this, you’ll be one step closer to feeling at home in your new neighborhood.
We hope these tips have helped you feel more confident about moving long distance. Discovering your new neighborhood is a fun and exciting time that we hope is memorable for you and your family. If you’re preparing for a move, get in touch with Delicate Moving today to find out what our long-distance Dallas movers can do to make your move as smooth as possible. We want to take the burden out of moving to a new neighborhood so that you can dedicate your time to feeling like a local!