If you’re interested in a look behind the scenes of a cross country move, this is where to start! Our process started with doing online research, learning the area we would soon call home, and preparing ourselves financially. Before any box is packed, or lease is signed–this is where we begin!

My Friend Gave Me Emotional Support

I was lucky to have a friend who was also moving and planning her move at the same time as ours! Having this bond allowed us to connect on things that we couldn’t with others such as swapping stories on how we plan to make friends, get out of the house, discover new places and things to do. This served as a form of emotional support because I felt like I wasn’t alone in the process (which I wasn’t in the first place) and had someone with commonalities who I could vent to get ideas from. We discussed some of these ideas:

• Re-indulging in the arts
• Finding co-working spaces and social events to meet people
• Deciding on active hobbies to keep in shape and explore our new neighborhoods
• Identifying potential businesses to replace our former staples like hair supplies shops, yoga studios, movie theaters, grocery stores, etc.

Initial Research Tools for Seattle Living

We started out with NerdWallet which helped us compare our cost of living and what salaries we needed to have to maintain our lifestyle. Our course Google and YouTube were other great resources to learn about neighborhoods, things to do, what to expect, and city drive videos.

Moving with a Relocation Company

Our move gave us 9 full weeks to do a lot with our relocation coordinator. Although that was not optimized for us this time around, these are some of the benefits our company provided and you can also expect a similar case for relocation through a company:

• Assistance with finding a new apartment or home
• Shipping your household goods and cars
• Paying for your final move and temporary housing
• Reimbursement for some relocation related expenses

If you are moving on your own, here are some relocation budget considerations:

• Shipping
  • Household Goods
  • High value items
  • Cars/Motorcycle
• Donations/Move out sale
• Home cleanings
• Lease break fees
• Packing supplies/services
• Movers
• Final move expenses
• Application fees
• Security deposits and rent

Final tips and suggestions for moving

Try to travel minimally and sell what you do not need. We used Facebook Marketplace for household items and plants, Stock X for unused streetwear, and Poshmark for other clothing. This went right into our savings and expense fund for moving.

Have more savings than what you think you’ll need to cover emergency expenses. Similar to when moving with a relocation company, you may need to cover certain expenses upfront that normally are paid in the future.

Save your PTO with your current company leading up to the move. The extra time off to prepare for the move will be helpful instead of juggling everything at once. Many companies cash out unused PTO to employees when they resign. We were able to take advantage of this and add those funds to our savings as well.

Are you vibing with the golden nuggets ✨ I’m dropping in these episode? Binge the full podcast at bchicu.org/podcast, and don’t forget to review it on Apple Podcasts so we can reach more people!