Moving To New York City Or New Jersey City: What It Entails

The very mention of the word moving is enough to sink your heart rate and increase blood pressure simultaneously. Simply shifting to another place within the same city is a harrowing experience in itself. Moving to a completely new city altogether is another story and when that move involves shifting to places like New York City (NYC) or New Jersey City (NJ), the mere thought is enough to paralyze your mind.

New Jersey City: What It Holds for You

A short glance at the features of NJC is worthwhile once you decide to move there. Situated in the New York Metropolitan area, the city lies close to lower Manhattan. NJC is the second most-populous city in the state of New Jersey and is an important trade, transport and manufacturing center. Downtown NJC, one of the largest in the U.S., is home to areas like Newport and Exchange Place. It is also the hub for shopping malls, residential towers, condominiums, office buildings and schools.

NJC is well-connected in terms of intracity transport. The likes of Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and PATH connect NJC internally and also to other cities in its vicinity. Other means of transport include buses, water taxis, waterway ferries and highways.

In terms of education, NJC boasts of the New Jersey City University and the St. Peter’s College which is located on the West side. Many other state universities are also located at NJC. Public schools serve students right from age three. The Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School was voted the fifteenth best U.S. high school in 2005. NJC has its share of leading elementary, middle and charter schools as well as a number of private and catholic schools.

The shopping districts in NJC are mainly the traditional main streets like Central, Danforth and West Side avenues. Journal Square is the city’s main commercial area whereas Newport Mall caters to shoppers.

The city has a mélange of people from different ethnic cultures including a mixture of Asian, German, Pole, Italian and Hispanic people.

New York City: What It Means to be in NYC

They say that if you stand at the New York City Times Square long enough, you can meet every person in the world and  that’s not an exaggeration. Queen of the New York Metropolitan area, NYC has held the attention and desire of millions of people worldwide. Be it trade, commerce, education or simply the pizzazz of the “rich and famous”, NYC has the charm of an age-old city and the glitz of a new world city.

Home to the United Nations headquarters and the most populous metropolitan city in the U.S., NYC is made up of five boroughs. NYC also holds the distinction of being the world’s most linguistically diverse city. Times Square, NYC, is one of the busiest places in the world and hosts the entertainment industry. The New York skyline proudly displays the world’s best known skyscrapers. The Wall Street, the NY Stock Exchange, Manhattan Chinatown, NY Subway system and the NY University are landmarks that almost everyone on earth has heard of.

NYC is world renowned for having buildings which stand out in terms of architectural supremacy. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler building are merely two examples. It has over fifty skyscrapers and municipal parks and prime beaches dot the fringes of the city.

Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx comprise the five boroughs of NYC. Manhattan being the most populous of the boroughs has the Central Park as its landmark. With its many skyscrapers, financial and commercial headquarters, universities, schools and colleges, Manhattan enjoys greater supremacy when compared to the other boroughs.

The Bronx is home to the Bronx Zoo, the New York Yankees and several places of cultural importance. Brooklyn, or Kings’ County, is on Long Island and is the socio-ethnic, cultural, art and architecture hub of NYC. Queens County holds the distinction of having the highest ethnic diversity. It plays host to the New York Mets and the U.S. Open Lawn Tennis Tournament and has two major airports.

Staten Island is a well-connected tourist attraction of NYC. The iconic Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the untouched lush forests give a unique suburban charm to Staten Island.

New York is unparalleled across the globe for its performing arts couture. Art Galleries, museums, theaters, opera houses and local film industry encompass the entire landscape and a humongous number of tourists visit NYC each year.  New York City is a leading Baseball and Football League giant.

Charter schools, Public and Private schools in NYC make up the largest school system in the U.S. NYC also has some of world’s top ranked universities (Columbia University, NYU, the City University of New York). It also houses some of the major technological research centers in the field of medicine.

The NYC subway, the Grand Central Station, the George Washington Bridge and Amtrak represent the extensive internal transport system of New York and its suburbs. The city subway is the world’s largest rapid transport system. Second to the subway are New York’s suspension bridge, ferries, the yellow cabs, rail network and public buses.

Moving to NJC and NYC: What You must Keep in Mind

Having a bird’s eye view of these two iconic cities of the modern world, it goes without saying that visiting these cities and moving here are two entirely different things altogether. There are a few things to be kept in mind while moving your life, family and dreams to either of these cities:

• Finalize all real estate and rental requirements before you move, at least two months in advance.

• Pick the right moving company. Get quotes from as many as you can and handpick the one that gives you the best deal including a guaranteed price, insurance and packing services.

• Cut down the volume of possessions that need to be moved as much as possible. Give away stuff that you don’t really need, sell off furniture, clothes and stationery which you won’t miss once you move.

• Plan your move in comfortable weather, especially if the weather condition in the city of origin is drastically different from the weather in NYC or NJC.

• Take into account the specific moving needs and challenges of young children and seniors. They will demand a lot of patient handling as D-day moves closer.

• Officially notify change in your address at the Post office, Bank, Insurance Company, Credit card Company, doctor’s clinic, clubs and periodicals at least a month in advance.

• Arrange for a shift of utility providers (gas, phone, internet, cable TV)

• Organize specific moving details for your automobile and pets and arrange for safe transit of valuables.

• With or without the aid of the moving company, pack, mark and label your belongings during the last week before moving day.

• Deal with any left-out payment and settle all credit payments.

• On the big day, start early and inventory all articles with the moving company and sign any paperwork needed by the moving company.

• After all your belongings are packed, clean the house and ensure that the destination house has a phone in working order.

Moving to NYC and NJC: Mistakes to Avoid

Those who are moving to these two specific cities must not get swept away in the fervor of moving to a large city. The most common mistake one can make is not planning and preparing for the new accommodation. Planning every step of the moving process is important. Look for an apartment or house that suits your new workplace and new lifestyle. Find a location close to the kid’s school, your office and other basic amenities.
Talk to the mover’s about the best Moving Insurance plan and prepare a tentative budget for every step of your move. Talk things through with your family, especially children, so that moving doesn’t cause too much emotional stress. Do not get caught up in paper work alone. Work with the movers and don’t delay things till the last moment.

Be Aware:

• Many buildings in NYC and NJC are without elevators; plan the moving a bit ahead.

• Make sure that the street you are moving into has space enough for parking a mover’s truck. If not, chalk out a plan with the movers.

• Many buildings have freight elevators to assist moving heavy articles without disrupting the routine of residents. Find out whether your building has one. Also, find out the restrictions imposed by the building on ‘moving-in’ time.

• Be prepared with an overnight bag that contains things you will need immediately after reaching. Don’t expect to start unpacking as soon as you reach.

• Install the house alarm system as soon as possible and get to know your surroundings.

• Settle all payments with the moving company after ensuring safe delivery and receipt.

Don’t get caught up in the glitz and glory of big-city life. On landing there, take time out to really understand your surroundings and city. Explore the city on your own. Organize things like the children’s school, the commute to your new workplace, places to shop, groceries, new household articles you may need. Above all, ensure the safety of your family till the time they get absolutely used to the new style of life.

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