We’re seeing more and more people relocating to Nashville and our surrounding areas for various reasons – for more land, to be closer to family and a change in scenery, to name a few. Moving isn’t always easy, but relocating to a new town can be exceptionally hard, even though you are excited about your next chapter in life.
To help make the logistics of your relocation as smooth as possible, here are some things to keep in mind throughout the process.
Get Organized
Start to organize your belongings as soon as you know you’re moving. Make a plan for anything (sell, donate, toss) that you don’t want to take with you.
Collect used packing materials. Start stashing away those amazon boxes, bubble wrap, newspapers and plastic shopping bags which all make great packing supplies, to reduce what you need to purchase.
Pack items you don’t use daily. Things like family mementos, holiday decorations, books and décor accessories are easy things to pack up early.
Locate your important papers and ID’s so you know where they are at all times.
Save all your moving expense receipts. If you are moving 50 miles or more from your old job to start a new job, your expenses may be tax deductible.
Get Familiar
Visit your new town, if possible, and arrange a driving tour with a real estate agent that can show you different neighborhoods, shopping centers, and the locations of hospitals, schools, churches, and recreational facilities or parks.
Once you know what school district your children will enroll in, visit the schools your children will attend to meet the principal and tour the grounds.
Join Nextdoor or the neighborhood Facebook page to keep abreast of what’s happening. You can introduce yourself and begin asking for referrals or questions that come to mind.
One of our favorite resources to share is Nashville Guru’s “Moving to Nashville Guide.” It covers each of our many growing neighborhoods and who it’s most ideal for.
Get Estimates
Get estimates from moving companies and schedule a tentative date with the one you choose.
If your company is offering relocation services, make sure you know all the terms. Often, they will cover items you might not think about, like the cost of shipping your car or professional organizers to help you unpack. They may also be negotiable in what they cover.
Transfer or Terminate
Make a list of services you need to terminate in your old town and services you need to initiate in your new town. These include things like your utilities, cable and internet providers.
If you have a doctor, dentist, veterinary, or hair appointments scheduled ahead of time, call and cancel them.
Remember to transfer subscriptions for things like magazines, food deliveries, and mail-order prescriptions.
Change your delivery address on your Amazon, Target, Shipt, or other shopping accounts so you don’t accidentally ship items to your old address.
Schedule an appointment to transfer your automobile registration and driver’s license if moving to a new state.
Transfer your voter’s registration right away, especially if your move if close to a major election registration deadline.
As locals from the area, we can provide plenty of referrals for services you will need for relocating to Nashville. Ask us for our personal recommendations for hotels, restaurants, child care, and more while you’re get settled.