5 questions to ask yourself before making a big move

my exact top is from Beehive Ft. Worth – similar available in white here.

Moving to a new city is an amazing adventure. It’s exciting, terrifying, empowering and exhausting all at once.

And, if you have the chance to do so, I would recommend it. There are so many lessons to learn, new places to discover and people to meet when you step outside your comfort zone. Before I moved I made sure I had the logistics taken care of: apartment, job, car and gym. I didn’t think much past organizing these, as the move happened quickly and I didn’t think totally think it through. So, from my personal experience, here are 5 questions to ask yourself before making a big move:

1.) Will this help me achieve my goals?

A question I definitely didn’t ask myself because I wasn’t sure of my goals. Looking back, traveling and exploring new places is a huge goal of mine, so moving to California for a year allowed me to travel to places I probably wouldn’t have living in Michigan.

2.) Will I be able to find a job? And if I have already secured one, does it seem like a good fit?

Again, something I didn’t ask myself. I secured a job, and figured I would see how it went. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well. Make sure the company values align with yours, the corporate culture is a good fit for you, and the actual job duties are something you can (at least) tolerate.

3.) How will my commute be?

A big question for me when moving to Southern California. Luckily, we lived in a spot where my commute averaged 25-30 minutes – which is not bad for the area. But, compared to my 8 minute commute prior, it was tough to get used to. Twenty extra minutes of driving, plus a start time of 1.5 hours earlier, led me to have to adjust my sleep schedule (and start drinking coffee).

4.) Can I afford my current lifestyle in this new city?

Before moving I looked up sales tax rates, rent prices, average gas prices, closest grocery stores, gym membership costs and more. I knew what items were non-negotiable for me, and what I could do without, and wanted to make sure I could afford the most important ones. But, remember to add “saving for emergencies” into the non-negotiable list, because you never know when your tire will fall off your car.

5.) How will I meet new people?

Are you moving with someone? Do you already know your co-workers? Do you have any family in the area? Will you join any adult sports leagues?

For the first 7 months, my entire office was all men, and I lived with two men. (So I was in need of some girl time). Luckily, I hit the jackpot when Katie (a high school friend) coincidentally moved out there 3 months later. Together we joined a beach volleyball league, be-friended trainers at the gym, and went on girl’s adventures. Making friends post-grad can be difficult, especially when your options are VERY limited at work, and you’re kind of over the “get sloppy at the bar” scene. I did use have the app Meet Up, and went to a handful of fashion events as well.

Asking yourself these five questions should help you decide whether or not your potential move will work well for you. One more thing to remember – how far will you be from your family? and will you be okay missing holidays/special events?

Are any of you looking to make a big move soon? If so, let me know in the comments below.

Happy Monday!

PS. Gingham is everywhere this spring/summer and my gingham loving heart couldn’t be happier 🙂

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