How to Feel At Home in a New City After a Move

At Two Small Men, we’ve completed countless long-distance moves over our more than 30 years in the business. One thing we often notice about our long-distance moving clients is their apprehension or uncertainty about a new city. Most people are, understandably, at least a little bit scared to move to a brand new city far away from the things and the people they’re used to.

We’re dedicated to making sure every aspect of our customer’s move goes as smoothly and stress-free as possible, even the “post-move” process. So if you’re planning a move to a new city, we’ve created this list of ways to feel more at home in your new home.

Ways to Feel at Home in Your New City

Go on a City Tour

It’s hard to feel at home in a place you don’t know anything about. Getting lost when you’re trying to find the grocery store, park, or a good restaurant can be extremely frustrating when you’re just trying to get settled. Yes, everyone has their phone or a GPS these days, but feeling like you have to rely on that technology to get around your home city is equally frustrating.

That’s why we recommend going on a city tour shortly after you arrive. Not only will this help you figure out where things are, but driving around and looking at various neighborhoods can also help you get a feel for your new city. You’ll be able to figure out which areas of the city you might want to spend more time in by looking at them.

Become a “Yes Man”

Maybe don’t take things quite as far as Jim Carrey in the movie, but try to say yes to as many things as possible after you move to an unknown city.

You might not like every activity or prospect you agree to, but if you don’t cast a wide net, you aren’t giving yourself the chance to find the best opportunities. Whether it’s an invitation from your neighbors, a flyer for a neighborhood group, or after-work activities with co-workers, say yes to as much as possible when you first move, and you’ll be sure to find something that you want to keep doing.

Find a “Place” of Your Own

Something that will always make you feel at home in a city is having a place outside of your house and/or office that feels like your own. It can be a coffee shop, a bookstore, a park, a walking trail, a gym, or a variety of other places. Just as long as it’s somewhere you enjoy being that you can go to frequently.

A place like this can help you feel like you belong in your new city. Plus, you’ll feel less like you’re trapped inside your house when you have somewhere you can go that doesn’t feel strange or new.

Give Yourself Some Time

No one can get settled into a new city immediately. Everyone needs some time to get adjusted to being in a new, unfamiliar place. It’s important to remember that everyone has a different adjustment time. So don’t worry if your friend who moved a month ago seems to have their life totally settled and you’re still feeling like a stranger after two months.

But, if after six months you still don’t feel at all adjusted to your new city, you might want to revisit and research some of the strategies for adjustment. Don’t just accept that you’re going to be an outsider forever because you don’t have to be.

Let Two Small Men Help You Settle

Two Small Men might not be able to make moving to a new city less scary, but we can help make it less stressful. When you book your long-distance move with us, we’ll make sure to get your belongings to your new home safely and efficiently so you have one less thing to worry about when adjusting to your new hometown.