Maybe you have lived in the same West Coast town your entire life, but have always wanted to live on the East Coast. Maybe you finally have the means to move into your dream home, but it requires you to move a few towns away. Maybe pursuing your dreams means moving to a new town that will give you new opportunities.
Once you’ve decided it’s time to move, how do you choose where to go? How do you narrow down your choices to find the perfect place for you? Follow this handy guide to pinpoint the destination of your next move.
Reasons to Move
First, it’s important to understand the reasons why you want or need to move. These underlying reasons can help you determine your next locale.
Health – If you or a family member need to live somewhere warmer, less humid, or less crowded to improve your health, that will be a big factor in which state or even country you move to.
Family – Perhaps you want to live closer to family that just moved. Or maybe you need to buy a bigger house so your mom can come live with you and the kids.
Career – When you want to move up in your career, or even switch careers completely, location is key. You may need to move to a more metropolitan area to increase job opportunities. Or your new career may take you to a remote area of the world.
Adventure – Many people these days are choosing to give up the lives they have built to chase adventure. No matter how old you are, you can also sell your home and move to a new country simply because you crave adventure.
Finances – If you want to buy more land, you may want to move to a less-populated area where land is cheap. Or maybe your current home is too expensive and you’d like to move to an apartment and spend more money on experiences.
All of these factors should be considered when you think about moving. Keep these in mind as you learn about how to choose a place to live.
How to Choose a Place
Start Big – Now that you have thought about why you’d like to move, it’s time to narrow down your choices. No matter how crazy it seems, think big at first. Envision moving anywhere in the world. If you’re going to move, you might as well move somewhere that truly makes you happy. This could include an area you’ve never considered before.
Make a List – If it helps you, make a list of all the places you could live. Write them down in order of how much you want to live there, or print out a map and physically black out areas that don’t make the cut.
Prioritize Your Reasons to Move – Next, rank the reasons you want to move. Which reasons are most important to you? If your top priority is health, for instance, cross off any places that won’t improve your health.
Take a Trip – Once you’ve narrowed down your potential new home to a specific country, state, or town, take a trip. Experience the place you’ve always dreamed of living in. You may find it completely enchanting, or surprisingly underwhelming. Notice how you feel in this new space; do you feel at home, or do you feel anxious? Listen to your feelings as you make your decision.
Visualize Your Life – Now, visualize the life you’ll lead in this new place. Can you see yourself pursuing your dreams, keeping up your hobbies, and living a happy life here? Envision a regular day in your new home. You’ll still have to complete chores, deal with bills, and go to the grocery store here.
Make Your Move Easier
Use the tips listed above to find a place where you can thrive. Once you’ve figured out where you want to move, hire a moving company to manage the logistics of your big change. Let them take the hassle out of moving so you can focus on life in your exciting new location.