Wiregrass Blues Society

Moving Out of London: What to do?

Living in London can be amazing. This is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and it has an incredibly rich history. The English capital is home to the most important museums and galleries in the United Kingdom, the most expensive tech hub in Europe and the oldest surviving music hall in the world. If you are reading this then you too probably call the English capital “home.” Well, if London is such a great place to live in, then why do you want to move out of it? Surveys show that you are not alone. The number of people who are relocating outside the UK capital has reached staggering levels. It is estimated that more than 290,000 people move out of London every year. They all have different reasons for that:

• The high property prices in London

• A desire to escape the city hassle and bustle

• A search for a better life quality

• To start a family

We are sure that you too have a good reason to leave the capital. But moving out of London can be a demanding and time-consuming task. Here’s what you need to do if you want to relocate out of the Big Smoke.

Pictured: An aerial view of London Bridge Station & The Shard

Choose your next destination

We have already determined the fact that you want to leave London and that this is perfectly okay. The next step that you have to take is to decide where you want to move to. You have several options – relocate to some of London’s commuter areas, to a more faraway spot in the UK or even outside of the country. Wherever you choose to go, do not go there on a whim or without having been there at all. For example, if you have set your eyes on a specific town, go a spend a weekend or even a whole week there. Get a taste of the local life and the type of people who live in the area. By doing so, you will see whether or not you truly like your destination of choice. Don’t panic if the city or the neighbourhood of your dreams fail to meet your expectations. At least now you will now that you need to search elsewhere.

Where do ex-Londoners prefer to go?

Pictured: Victoria Square in Birmingham

Put your London home on the market

Once you determine for sure where you want to move to, start preparing for your upcoming move. If you own a home in London, contact a local broker or a real estate agency and put in on the market. If you are living as a tenant in the English capital, carefully go through your rental contract. You may need to notify your landlord in great advance that you will vacate the property or you may need to wait until your lease expires. Unfortunately, moving out of London is something that you need to plan months in advance. Also, unless your job allows you to work from home, you may need to find a new job position in your new area.

Get ready to multitask like a pro

Relocating to a different city or country can be expensive. A great way to reduce your moving costs is by getting rid of items you have not used in a long time. Declutter every room in your home so that you would have fewer things to move. Only then should you start packing your possessions. Invest in some quality packing supplies and durable cardboard boxes.

At the same time, you will also need to start the hunt for your dream home in your new dream city. This can sometimes take months. Therefore, arm yourself with a huge dose of patience and be ready to make compromises, especially if you are on a tight house-hunting budget.

It sounds like you have a lot of work to do? Make things a lot easier on yourself and book an insured and trusted man and a van company, hire qualified helpers in Ealing, London or contact an organised home removal company. In that way, you will be able to focus on your search for good property offers and other key tasks, while the pros deal with the details of our relocation.

Have a backup plan

No matter why you decided to move out of the English capital, if you have spent your entire life up until now in Ealing or another part of London, such a transition may prove to be quite challenging for you. As a matter of fact, there are many people who leave the capital only to return a few months later. That is why when you move out of London, you don’t simply change your address, you also change your lifestyle. For instance, many commuter towns located close to the UK capital lack many key amenities. Also, don’t be surprised if the local shops in your new neighbourhood close at 5.30 pm. And while the public transport network in London is one of the best in the world, some UK towns such as Peterborough, Milton Keynes, Wigan and Colchester cannot say the same thing. To get around there, you will need a car.

When you are planning to relocate out of London, always have a Plan B. It will be best if you play it safe. For example, instead of moving all your possessions to your new town or selling all your furniture, have them delivered to a local storage facility in the capital. Ask your man with van moving company whether they can provide you with a secure storage service in London. Keep some of your possessions there for at least for a few weeks. In that way, if things don’t go as planned and you release that you miss your own life, you can quickly and easily move back to the Big Smoke.

What are you waiting for? Planning a relocation, especially one that will take you to a different city or a town, requires a lot of time. Be an early bird and prep for this upcoming transition in advance. That will make your relocation experience less stressful and more inexpensive.

Video on What it costs to live in London