How-To Plan Your Move to Brooklyn

So you want to move to Brooklyn! Chances are if you’ve made it this far, you have some idea of what you’re in for. Tight spaces, lots of walking, bodega sandwiches… All bittersweet facets of life in Brooklyn. But are you fully prepared for the journey? Double check your battle plans with the tips below to avoid many of the common stresses that come with a Brooklyn move.

Everybody tells you how tiny New York apartments are and yet few people do them justice. Despite the constant warnings, most transplants are shocked when they move into a new place and find that they don’t have enough room for half of their belongings. Make sure to store any non-essentials that you want to keep and invest in functional furniture that can hold all of your stuff.

Driving in the boroughs is unlike any other road experience. If you’re not used to navigating Brooklyn streets, a car is hard enough, let alone a moving truck. Skip the headache and find a capable moving service. Not only will it make the whole process much easier, but you might end up saving money in the long run by avoiding parking tickets.

A fair amount of local knowledge can be garnered from the internet. Learn your new neighborhood through services like Yelp and Nextdoor so that you’re not totally out of the loop when it comes to discussing dinner options and goings-on. A bit of base knowledge can go a long way in making your new digs feel like home.

The name of the game in New York real estate is to stretch the truth. A photo of a room taken from the corner can make a small space seem larger than it is. Count on your new place not quite living up to the apartment described in the blurb on the listing. This will make a less rude awakening upon arrival.

Living on a New York budget means relying on free or near-free activities for your leisure time. Luckily no NY location is more than a train or bus ride away from something cheap and mind-blowing. If you’re looking to save a buck, don’t fight for the apartments close to a to-do. After all, if you want to feel like a local, there’s no simpler way than adventuring on foot to find your next great experience.