Moving to a new place is turbulent. Like a kid going to a new school, you can’t help but wonder if you are going to fit in. Will you need a new job? Will your coworkers be fun? And where exactly did you put the instructions for your build-it-yourself furniture?

There is a lot of stress and anxiety that goes with leaving the life you know behind and building something new. Whether it’s trying to make new friends or finding out which hole-in-the-wall restaurant is going to be your lunch time go to. There is a lot to do and it can be overwhelming.

But that’s why you’re here. You need a Navigator.

Public Transit

The first time on a new city’s public transit system feels a lot like trying to write a math test in a fever dream. Everything that can go wrong, will. Especially if you have to juggle the schedules of streetcars, subways, buses, walking distance, and more. So why not drop the stress and pick up an app that can get you from A to B without a second thought?

Some apps you might want to consider are:

• Transit App: It has a simple, easy to use interface that sets departure alarms and lets you know about service disruptions ahead of time.
• Moovit: Supports over 50 Canadian cities and boasts an interesting cross platform account synchronization.
• Google Maps: Perhaps the most familiar transit app with the most real time data. However, it is also harder to find departure times on this platform than the other two.

Make Sure Your House Is A Home.

Often, moving necessitates that you have to settle for whatever housing option is available. Sure, the apartment you are in right now may have seemed nice in the online advertisement. The photos were well-staged, the location was fine, and -most importantly- the price was right.

Maybe it happened as you unpacked. Maybe it was while getting a glass of water at 3am. But it happened. You spotted the first cockroach. It’s fine. Everything is fine. It could just be a coincidence, right? But it isn’t. And that’s how you know it’s time to get in contact with a real estate agent.

A real estate agent is a valuable resource in a new city. They know where the best laundromats are, they understand the value of on-site parking, and can make sure your house is a home. Think of where you live as the most current iteration of your home – it doesn’t have to be the last.

Home Insurance / Tenant Insurance

When compared with any number of life’s perils, sometimes a cockroach or two actually sounds like heaven. Through no fault of your own, disaster can -and does- strike. For example, if the previous occupants of your home didn’t clean out the oven before they left, you could be facing a grease fire. The important thing is to make sure that you and your property is protected. When tragedy strikes, you don’t want to be thinking about whether or not you run back into your burning residence to save the TV you’re still paying off. And the best part is, tenant’s insurance is cheap – for a few dollars a month you can have one less thing to worry about.

Wouldn’t Be Caught D.E.D Without ‘em.

Moving to a new city means you lose three of the most important people in your life. Your doctor, your esthetician, and your dentist. All three of these people are intimately familiar with the personal details of your life. Of the three, we would recommend getting a doctor first – in many communities you are going to spend a good deal of time on a waitlist. Your family doctor is also the first line of defense between you and chronic health problems.

Whether you have dental benefits or not, taking the time to establish connections with a dentist early on will position you advantageously when teeth troubles come knocking. Especially if you are someone who loves contact sports or drinking out of glass bottles. It’s best to just accept the risk and set yourself up to be ready for the worst possible scenario.

When it comes to esthetics – whether that is an esthetician, barber, or hairstylist – you want to make sure that you get someone that you trust. When you’re in a new place, meeting new people and making first impressions, you aren’t going to want your confidence hampered because you chose the wrong person to hold a pair of scissors. Before spending your money at a new place, make sure that you check out their google reviews.

Update Your Mailing Address

Even if this is your first time moving, you’re probably familiar with the experience of receiving other people’s mail. If you are vacating your residence you absolutely need to make sure that people know where to send you mail. If you don’t update your mother or the CRA on how to get in contact with you, you can be in some serious trouble. It is surprisingly simple to do, and it is often overlooked. Take the time. It isn’t worth the risk.