Tips for Moving to a New City Alone and Growing as a Person

If you’ve never learned how to live on your own, the first month or so will be quite the challenge. However, people are meant to make changes and move forward, meaning that what you’re doing is not only common but recommended. It’s normal to be afraid, but the challenge you face today will be a reward tomorrow.

Is It Scary Moving to a New City Alone?

To answer this question directly – yes, it is scary. You may know that from the rising panic in your mind or body whenever the thought of leaving comes up. You may also understand it if you’re currently residing in a completely different place, free from old habits.

Being unafraid and brave doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through overcoming challenges and facing fears head-on – that’s when the scariest parts also make us see how strong we really are. Every person has demons they face daily, but overcoming them is crucial.

If you think, no, scratch that, if you know relocating alone is what you want, start making the checklist for relocating, research everything you need to rent an apartment, and find some long-distance moving services and cross-country movers to help you with the plan.

Should You Live Alone When Moving to a New City?

For anyone leaving their childhood home or moving to a new city alone without a job, it might not be the best idea to live on their own immediately. You can move out independently, but in ideal circumstances, preparing questions to ask potential roommates might be a great plan B.

If roommates are out of the question, you could move with your pet (or pets) and look for a suitable place to live with your furry best friend. Even having a pet around will be therapeutic and healing and will be a piece of the life you left behind. They provide unconditional love and have a therapeutic effect, so it’s no wonder they’re often used to help people heal.

If you don’t believe pets’ effects on your mental health, check out the video below. And if you’ve been living with a pet for a while and know their impact on you, then it’ll be a nice reminder of why relocating with them is a significant step.

Common Signs That You Need to Move Out and Live Alone

Most people want to be independent and live on their own terms. However, some people need more convincing reasons to move, as some aren’t sure if feeling stuck and unhappy is a valid reason to uproot their life and go elsewhere.

Relocating for a job can be reason enough to start living independently, but if you aren’t so lucky and still need a change – contact a cross-country moving company when you feel or experience the following signs:

• You don’t have any privacy,
• Your boundaries aren’t respected,
• You have a bad relationship with family or one that’s becoming increasingly worse,
• The parents start dropping hints about relocation,
• You constantly have to give updates on your location and activities,
• There’s a lingering feeling of being suffocated or limited,
• Your significant other and you lack space to be together,
• Your schedule and plans are constantly interrupted,
• You spend more time out of the house and don’t like coming back to it.

If you are overwhelmed, limited, or drowned in certain areas or ways, relocating and separating yourself from that energy and environment will be the best choice. There are also more positive signs you should move out, such as:

• Your parents are helping you choose a place or encouraging you to do it,
• You have a nice stash saved up for rainy days or future plans,
• You’re capable of doing essential things on your own,
• You feel ready to become independent.

How to Make Moving to a City Alone Easier – Tips on Coping With Separation From Family and Friends

For those that are a little too attached to their family and friends at home and wondering, “How do I start a new life alone in a new city?” those two situations could interfere with each other. For example, relocating to a college dorm is different from venturing out on your own – you’ll be living with roommates and still be slightly dependent on your family.

You can still be anxious about relocating to another state when you’re going off to college, but there isn’t the same element of privacy or alone time as relocating solo. If you feel ready to leave the house, tell your parents. Instead of using words like “maybe” or “might,” be firm and say that you are ready to handle yourself.

At first, there may be resistance, especially when parents are overly attached to their children. However, the more capable you prove yourself to be, the fewer arguments they’ll have against you leaving. Even if you do not know how to do some things, independence will teach you.

Leaving the Old Home Can Make You and Your Parents Anxious, but Ask Them for Help Anyway

To ease the nerves everyone must be experiencing at this point, you can always ask your parents to participate in getting those first apartment essentials. Maybe you and mom can put together an apartment shopping list and head to furniture stores for some shopping therapy.

If your dad is a handy guy, ask him to do apartment tours together and what he thinks of the electricals or structure. Maybe he can assist you by putting together shelves and other items around the house. Both parents can help make an apartment feel like home and see where and how you’ll be living.

All parents want is to ensure their children are happy and safe. Overbearing mothers and fathers could have a hard time letting go and suffer from the empty nest syndrome. If you look at the signs and symptoms of this and worry one or both of your parents might develop this, talk to them and ask them to get help if necessary.

How to Move to a New City Alone if You Don’t Have a Good Relationship With Loved Ones

If reading the things above seemed a little too alien, you probably do not have a great relationship with your parents. You likely already considered how much money to save to move out and other aspects of relocation, but something is preventing you from taking that first step.

Being afraid of change despite needing it like oxygen is a tough situation. If you want to move away and start over, here’s advice on defeating the fear of that:

• Plan a time and date to leave – this way, you will look forward to it like it’s a trip. It is, in many ways, just not one with a return ticket. This includes a flight ticket, booked relocation services, or a confirmation from a landlord across the country (or all three).
• Write pros and cons lists for relocating – by now, the pros may be more obvious. Go into detail and write how and why living alone will turn you into a better person.
• Contact friends to help you move out – ask for their assistance and encouragement. Open up about the real reasons for relocating, if possible. This is advisable because friends are the family we choose – if you are close to them, they’ll want what’s best for you.
• Research the other town and area – open Google Maps and take virtual walks around the neighborhood you plan to live in. Get acquainted with the area that way, so you can feel more comfortable and speed up the process of adjusting to a different town.
• Browse forums for advice, suggestions, and support – online platforms such as Reddit are filled with various topics where folks share experiences and advice, generally helping those who participate in feeling less alone. There are dangerous parts of such forums, but Reddit’s policies are strict and will take you to relevant pages when you write what you are interested in. There are likely many tips on leaving a toxic household behind.

Is Moving to a New State Alone a Good Idea if You Do Not Have Support?

Relocating from a small to a big town can seem scarier if no one’s there to support you in it. However, remember that hardships are lessons. Every hardship we go through shows us our resilience, courage, and strength. Trust that process and allow it to teach you more about yourself.

Being worried about making friends in another place if you do not have many right now is legitimate, but as soon as you get a job or move in, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet others. It’s OK if you are shy – there will be neighbors to meet, colleagues to hang out with, and maybe taking up a class for your favorite hobby could lead to fresh friendships.

Not having support only seems detrimental, but it doesn’t have to be. What truly matters is you knowing that relocation is the way to go and that attitude will beat even the strongest adjustment insomnia and anxiety.

The Best Way to Plan Your Move Is to Contact Long-Distance Movers Near Me to Handle Things

Another way to encourage yourself to leave is by scheduling cross-country moving services. Professional movers can assist you with packing services and offer flexible relocation plans. If you contact a long-distance moving company, the event will be verified, and you can look forward to relocating to another state alone.

Many relocation companies also offer car shipping services, so you don’t even have to drive or worry about your car.

Whether you have support from family or not, professional movers will be there to assist you. If you relocate without a confirmed rental agreement, you can take advantage of the storage services that most movers offer and take the time to settle in town before unpacking everything.

Those services can be another supportive pillar in your relocation plan. Leaning on professionals to help you move out and begin again will likely turn an anxious event into a highly anticipated one.

Being Nervous About Relocating Alone Is Common, but You’re Stronger and More Capable Than You Think

Hopefully, you are more confident to relocate and leave the past behind. It’s OK if you aren’t entirely sure how to move and begin again, but any knowledge you may have taken from this is enough to take the first step.

There may be some depression after relocating and the urge to move back in with your parents, but remember why you chose to be independent. Write encouraging post-it notes and put them around the house. Whatever you do, allow yourself to be proud of making monumental and meaningful changes.