A Millennial Checklist To Consider Before Moving

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Moving day. An ordeal of finger cramps, stubbed toes, and strained muscles where you are ultimately rewarded with a six pack of domestics and a few slices of pizza. It’s a chore, but sometimes a necessary evil if you start a new job or finances dictate an upgrade or downgrade to your living situation. Whether you’re moving into your very first apartment, changing apartment complexes, or making the full-adult transition to being an independent homeowner (you know “independent” aside from the bank, that landlord you still pay rent to but who doesn’t fix any of your shit), a lot of thought goes into moving.

Obviously, the price is a big consideration when moving. So are things like location, amenities, proximity to shops, work, or public transportation. Schools and community activities might be a consideration for those with young children. However, for those of us single 20-somethings who just need a place to crash after a long day at work or stumble back to after a long night at the bars, there are a few other considerations that we must consider before signing a new lease.

Uber Traffic

Walking a mile home from the bar after last call is a tradition that dies once you graduate college. Out in the real world, when you have a little extra scratch, a long, drunken walk home when you can ruminate on the massive hangover that is coming is basically the worst thing imaginable. Other than taking a cab, of course.

When you’re evaluating a new apartment, you need to get a lay of the land vis-a-vis Uber availability. You don’t want to move into a new place and on your first night out realize that most Ubers are congregating in the neighborhood ten minutes away. If your new place is a long distance from where you’re usually going to hang out, or if there are no easy, traffic-free ways to travel near you, those Uber rides can start to add up. And if your place is very out of the way, you might have a hard time getting quick and cheap UberPool options.

The best idea before signing the lease is to pull up the app and see what the average ride is going to run you and how far away most of the Ubers in the area are. And if you can slip over at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night to get a lay of the land for when you’re typically going to be using the app, even better.

Proximity to Bougie Exercise Classes

Pure Barre. Soul Cycle. City Surf. Whatever kind of yoga is trendy. While I do not personally participate in any exercise class, primarily because I don’t need someone to teach me how to ride a bike, do a pull-up, or stretch, I am currently dating someone who loves these classes. In the even things get serious, this is a consideration that was not-so-subtly dropped when I mentioned the possibility moving.

If you are in a relationship with someone who is obsessed with hot yoga and needs to have a studio nearby, make sure it’s within walking distance. You don’t want to make your girlfriend schlep two stops on the subway to meet her friends at the nearest Soul Cycle class. Remember, even though this is for the lady in your life, it’s also for you too. That Pure Barre class is an hour of respite for yourself, when you can lounge in bed, set your fantasy line-up, and creep on hot Instagram models without looking over your shoulder. Make sure her work out spot is close enough that a light rain won’t deter her from going in for a workout.

Oh, and if this place happens to be near the Gold’s Gym/Equinox you have a membership at, all the better.

Food Delivery Options

Along the lines of Uber, your new place is going to have a limited array of options when it comes to places that deliver. This is easy enough to check, just log into Postmates, Doordash, Seamless, GrubHub, or whatever, then enter in your maybe-new address and see what options exist. But, if you’re living in an apartment building, you should also check during the tour to see what your place’s policy is regarding the deliveries. Do they stop them at the door, making you come all the way down six floors to accept your delivery? Or do they just let the delivery people in, giving you unease about how safe the building is from burglars dressed up in a Jimmy John’s shirt?

These questions also apply to those who participate in the meal delivery services like Blue Apron, or those that get grocery deliveries from services like PeaPod. Make sure that you’re not going to miss your delivery of farm-fresh veggies because the doorman isn’t at the front desk for eight hours a day.

Work-From-Home Distractions

While you want all the amenities possible to have that nice, cushy lifestyle, there can be too much of a good thing. If you have a job that allows you to work from home a significant amount of the time, you need to make sure your home will be a place you can stay focused and hard-working.

This doesn’t just apply to your space itself, having a distinct area for work, good internet connections, and the like. It also applies to the neighborhood. While a nice walk to clear your head and refocus can be good for productivity, if you’re walking by a dog park, two brunch/happy hour spots, an outdoor concert hall, and an ice cream shop, you’re going to burn a lot of hours indulging instead of working. The best scenario is if your place is near a low-key coffee shop or library, where you can quickly and easily move to get more work done if there are too many distractions at home.

Your “Spot”

It might be your favorite dive bar, with dollar domestics at happy hour. It might be a brunch spot that makes a mean chicken and waffles. It might be a raging club where you and all your friends get turnt every Friday and Saturday night. Whatever the place, you have a spot that fits your style and personality. It’s the place you and your gang always default to when you want to hang out but don’t have anywhere to go. It’s your Paddy’s Pub. Your MacLarens. Your Cheers. Or your Central Perk if you’re going to be a bunch of lame 20 somethings who apparently never drink. It doesn’t matter what your favorite spot is, make sure you’re living close enough that you can be there at a moment’s notice when a friend has some life-pressing conundrum they need help resolving. .

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Josh T.

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