Moving To London
When I take a step back and reflect on the last ten years of my life, I like to think of all the milestones - I left California for New York to pursue a career in finance/ technology, started a blog that would launch me into a entirely new career trajectory; I eventually left the corporate life behind to pursue blogging full-time before exploring a niche and consulting for brands in digital and social media; got a dog, went through a few breakups, made new friends, and the list goes on. Though I've dedicated the last four years to focusing on business and the many shifts within the industry have been rewarding, I’ve always believed in the importance of trusting your gut and pivoting any part of your life that needs to see change - there enter London.
For starters, my decision was pretty easy when my landlord decided to raise my rent by over twenty percent. I had been researching moving somewhere new for nearly two years anyway but could never pull the trigger out of fear, but when this, along with a string of other events happened at the beginning of the year, I knew it was time. As cheesy as this may sound, it was time to take a chance, explore the unchartered waters, and not worry about the outcome. So if you’re feeling stuck, make the change — give up the job that’s not providing any sense of fulfillment, the relationships that drain you, the lifestyle that no longer serves you. And if there’s one bit of advice I could give anyone looking to do this, it’s to never leave with any emotional trauma. Sort out your life because when you return, you don’t want any of that to be there.
Like I said, I spent nearly two years researching ways to move to London, but each time I came up empty-handed — initially, they required animals to be kept in quarantine for six months - this is no longer the case - then, there was the issue that no apartments within my budget allowed dogs, and the list went on. I was just about to give up my search when I received an email from Airbnb with an offer for a Notting Hill apartment within my price range. I reached out to the owners and within minutes we were securing my stay for October - January.
Step one was committing to the idea of living somewhere new and simply embracing that the idea wouldn’t always be easy but was going to be worth it. When I look back at my move, I remember separating everything into general categories so that I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.
First order of business were the logistics of having a pet. Now, if you have a pet, I recommend you read my tips for moving your pet to London, and if you don’t, things are far simpler.
Understanding your limitations. As a U.S. Citizen you’re allowed to stay in London for a total of six months without any restrictions as a traveler - this simply means you’re not working in the UK which works great if you’re consulting for US clients or able to work remotely, or have enough saved to not work at all. Also something to note is that this six months doesn’t reset if you leave, it continues upon every entry into the U.K.
Finding a flat. I personally recommend Airbnb as the best short-term solution. This will give you the freedom and flexibility to also travel in and around Europe. Imagine, you can secure a month-long stay in London and take an affordable weekend in Venice. Exciting! Anyway, do your research in terms of neighborhoods - East, West, Central. What’s in your budget? Where do you have friends? Some additional resources for finding a flat include:
Book a ticket. Once you’ve done your research on securing a flat, you can set a date before signing any lease or paying for anything. I know this seems like I’m working backward, but that’s exactly what I like to do - make sure all my ducks are in a row before pulling the trigger on anything.
The logistics. The next and last step seems easy enough but it’s where the real work begins - the logistics. I’m sure it goes without saying that a checklist comes recommended. Here was my consolidated to-do list:
Sell and donate as much as possible - furniture, clothes, anything you won’t miss.
Rent a storage unit for the remainder of your things.
Set any bills to auto-pay.
Open a P.O. Box to receive mail and packages - luckily my storage unit had this built in so it was really convenient.
Pack only your essentials and set a limit - 1 suitcase? 4 suitcases? Does your ticket accommodate extra luggage - if not, then what’s in your budget? Anything that doesn’t fit, doesn’t go with you.
Setup a phone service. So I purchased a Vodaphone plan for a spare phone to hotspot my everyday phone from. However, you need someone who is a UK resident to do this (I had my cousin). So if you don’t have anyone who is willing to do this, I recommend buying a Vodaphone internet hotspot or order a TEP Service which I’ve previously used and like.
Don’t forget to see your friends and family!
Anticipate any hiccups, create a plan B. I always prepare for the occasional what-if moments. Luckily, after the above checklist there weren’t many things that I had to worry about, but just in case, here are some additional things to keep in mind.
Research a local general practitioner
What do you need that they don’t sell in London? Pack additional over-the-counter items that they don’t have readily available in the U.K. - this included my eyedrops, contact lenses, etc.
And just like that, you’re ready to go. I know it seems like I’m grazing through everything but I think once you’ve done it, you look back and realize how much of the unnecessary dramas could have been avoided. I actually went through my to-do list with easy and found that to be most helpful starting point. I sat down, jotted down every single thing I would need to do and went from there. I dedicated a week to transitioning my life and committed to the idea that anything that happen, was meant to happen and is out of my control. Actually a really liberating mindset.
Anyway, I’m really excited to share this new journey with you and hope this provides some sort of guidance for anyone looking to take a chance at something new.