Guide to Moving to Philadelphia From a Small Town

A lot of people fall in love with big city lights at some point in their life. And while some of them always keep it on the distance, others decide to make some changes in their life. Moving from a small town to a bigger city is almost always exciting and ends up being a wise choice. Although the idea sounds amazing at first, you should know that there will be a lot of things to do and explore before actually doing it. Moving to Philadelphia from a small town should be planned and of course, try to start planning on time. If this is your first relocation, here is a useful guide that will help you along the way!

Moving to Philadelphia from a small town

Deciding to move to Philadelphia is good for countless reasons. Not only this city is huge but will provide opportunities, especially for young people. Reaching the final decision may take some time, but just like all good things do, take s long as you need. This will be the beginning of a new chapter in your life and it is extremely important you do it right! Before you arrive at the point of hiring Philadelphia movers, there will be some other things to do and focus on. The main goal is to prepare for leaving and avoid making double trips, cultural shocks, and speeding things up.

Get to know Philadelphia

Of course, your first step is getting to know the place you will be calling your home. Visiting it is the best option but sometimes that isn’t enough and there is always a chance you don’t have enough time for it. Before moving to Philadelphia from a small town, you should combine a couple of methods to get to know this place better. Rely on Internet browsing, visiting the place, meeting residents, and much more. This way you will get a clear picture of this city and everything that is waiting for you there. Here are some of the most important things you should know about Philadelphia!

The cost of living is affordable

One of the main reasons people move to Philadelphia is the balanced cost of living. This city provides good and stable life to its citizens and the unemployment rate is very low. Depending on your job, you can enjoy all wonders of this place no matter if you choose downtown or the suburbs. The cost of living is noticeable as soon as you look at the real estate market which is offering good places for a good price. If you start looking on time, you may catch a one-of-a-kind offer for your new dream home. If you are living just outside of Philadelphia, movers Collegeville PA will take care of your relocation with an amazing price that fits anyone’s budget.

The education system is amazing

If you have kids, this will be one of your priorities as well. Moving to Philadelphia from a small town may be stressful for them, especially when they know they must change school as well. Luckily, Philadelphia has some of the best schools in the state, and your kids will adapt quickly. You can choose between public and private ones and teachers will make sure the transition goes well. Before you officially move, prepare your kids for this step and take them to see their new school in advance, if possible. 

Communities in Philadelphia

You will have to focus on finding a good neighborhood before moving to Philadelphia. This totally depends on you, because this city is huge and there are countless communities you can pick. Try to find one that suits you best and that has the same interests as you. Apart from South Philadelphia, the most popular ones include Old City and West Philadelphia. For those who want to start or raise a family, the suburbs could be the best option. It is quite safe and will provide your kids with an amazing childhood. 

Weather

If you are not used to snow, prepare for lots of it during winter. Philadelphia is a perfect example of a city with all four seasons. You will have hot and sunny summers and snowy winters which offer a chance for different activities. It is extremely important to choose the right season when moving to Philadelphia from a small town. If you are in the area, movers Downingtown PA can guide you so you don’t catch extremely high or low temperatures in the middle of relocation. Probably the best option is spring or early fall, as you will avoid heavy rains and windy weather. 

The process of moving to Philadelphia from  a small town

Now that you know more about the city you will be calling your home, it is time to start making a relocation plan. It is highly advised you start with preparations on time, as this will be the safest way to do it. Even though some people claim that the moving process is difficult and stressful, it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a set of rules you should follow to have a pleasant moving experience and the amazing thing about it is that is super easy to do. Here are the essential steps to focus on: 

• Preparing to leave your town
• Finding a moving company
• Packing your inventory 
• Gathering paperwork

These four steps may seem like a lot to handle, but keep in mind that hiring reliable moving services PA can take a lot of work from your back. If you rely on professionals during this time, the experience of moving is completely different and much faster!

Preparing to leave your town

If you are in Philadelphia, leaving your town will be relatively easy. All you need to do is make some preparations and make sure you will not have to make double trips. Start with gathering your documents that should include medical records, and cancel memberships and subscriptions. Don’t forget to link your mail to the new address or simply link it to your mail account. Since people in small towns have tight bonds, say goodbye to your friends and family on time. You can organize a small goodbye-party, or include them in your relocation process. If you want to spend even more time with them, leave some of the relocation tasks to movers Conshohocken PA and don’t worry about finishing everything on time.

Finding a moving company

Although this is optional, make sure to consider it. People who move for the first time do not have the experience of handling everything at once and things may go wrong quickly. During relocation, you should save not lose money and time, and it is best to leave it to experts. Movers East Norriton PA could be in charge of transporting and packing your items, which will be a real lifesaver. Moving to Philadelphia from a small town is usually over quickly and you can be in your new Philly home in no time. 

Packing your inventory when moving to Philadelphia from a small town

Once you reach packing, things may get complicated quickly. Even though you know every corner of your household, packing everything is always a challenge. Packing services PA could take care of everything in a very short period. This means you will not have to move, clean, and prepare items for packing, which will save huge amounts of your time. On the other hand, if you are willing to try, follow the plan and don’t forget to: 

• Choose good packing materials: Packing boxes in different sizes, wrapping material, tape, and markers should be on your list.
• Pack one room at a time: This method will speed up the process and the chances of forgetting something will be small.
• Label your boxes: Labeling will make unpacking much easier as you will know exactly where each box goes.
• Leave things you don’t need: Since you are moving to a different place, you don’t have to take literally everything with you. Feel free to leave all those items, give them to people in need or find another solution. This will make your new place much more spacious and you will have a chance for buying some new stuff.

If you really can’t say goodbye to some of the items and there is not enough space for them, storage could be a good idea. People use storage units every time they need some extra space and it is a great way to find a proper place for them. Portable storage units can take up a lot of things, so feel free to store furniture, clothes, and everything else you own. Your items will be close to you and you can keep them for as long as you want, just make sure to inform the employees about the exact period.

Gathering paperwork when moving to Philadelphia from a small town

Apart from gathering personal documents, there are more things you should have before moving. As you probably know by now, making double trips and waiting in line will just waste your time and money and you will not be able to enjoy your relocation to the fullest. If you are in the area the city of Philadelphia will not have some special requests but they will require basic paperwork. Make sure your kids have every document for transferring to a new school. You can request these from their old school and try to do it on time. Pets must have certain documentation as well that their vet can provide quickly. Keep documents close to you s you never know when you will need some of them. For additional safety, it is best to keep them in a folder or scan everything and keep them on your computer drive. 

Things to expect and avoid when moving to Philadelphia from a small town

With a change this big, you should arrive prepared and know exactly what to avoid when moving and arriving in Philadelphia. Moving blogs always provide some great tips on what to expect and how to deal with living in a new place, so try out some of them. Here are the things that come hand-in-hand with every big city:

• Learn to live with noise: Yes, you will feel the difference almost instantly. Let the time do its things and don’t resist embracing the change. Big cities are loud and soon enough you will start loving it!
• Avoid using your vehicle: Streets tend to get extremely busy during the entire week so make sure you learn how to use public transportation in Philadelphia quickly.
• Get ready for diversity: Although there won’t be huge cultural shocks waiting for you, make sure you are ready for diversity. You will meet a lot of people with different backgrounds and personalities and it will be much different than what you are used to.
• Don’t be afraid: Since big cities are loud, always busy, and never sleep, you may feel terrified at first. Try to get rid of that feeling as soon as possible. This is your new home and you should never fear to live your life to the fullest. Go out, explore the city and take everything it has to offer.
• Try new things: This includes food, new activities, and a different lifestyle. Now that you have a chance to change things in your life, try to do it for real. Stay active all the time and always look for things you never had a chance to try out. Philadelphia is huge and exploring every corner of it will become one of your favorite things to do.

Bottom line

Now that you know exactly what to do, start setting things in motion. Moving to Philadelphia from a small town will change your life for the better so make sure you enjoy it from the start. If things seem too difficult for you to handle, rely on moving professionals to do it for you. You should arrive in Philadelphia with zero stress and as a result, your first day in the new home will be a day to remember!