Make no mistake about it, California is a big state. The third-largest state in the United States, driving from the Mexican border in the south to the Oregon border in the north is 15 hours without traffic. Therefore, a state with such expansive borders has a diverse set of places to live. While you might not be leaving the state, going from one area to another — even within the same metropolitan area — can be similar to moving to a different area of the country.
With that said, here are some things you can do to make your move within California a stress-free process.
Figure Out the Cost of Living
Just like with any move, you need to figure out what you can afford before you move. Even though you might be staying in the same state or metro area, not doing this research ahead of time might give you some headaches later. For example, according to this cost of living calculator, simply moving across the San Francisco Bay from Oakland to San Francisco entails a 20% cost of living increase. And if you are moving from the less expensive Central Valley communities of Sacramento, Fresno or Bakersfield to San Francisco, that increase bumps up more. If you are looking to live in a more exclusive area, such as Beverly Hills or the beach communities in Los Angeles rather than downtown or the San Fernando Valley, another cost-of-living bump will take place.
So before getting the moving process started, figure out how much it costs to live in the area that you want to move and budget accordingly. Some simple research now can prevent stress later.
Check the Weather
Because of its unique geography and the way oceans, mountains and valleys are woven into the landscape, California has several different microclimates, many occurring within close proximity of each other. For example, a July afternoon can see temperatures struggling to reach 60 degrees in downtown San Francisco. Meanwhile, the temperature an hour away in San Jose is in the mid-80s and balmy, while temperatures in an inland suburb such as Livermore will be nearing 100. The Los Angeles area exhibits similar behavior, as 70-degree temperatures in Santa Monica and Venice Beach will quickly turn into a 100-plus-degree heat wave in the San Fernando Valley, which is a half-hour away without traffic. Even less populated areas such as San Luis Obispo in Central California have this dynamic. Check out all of the moving services offered by Student Movers.
Because of this, the climate difference where you live and where you work can be highly variable. So figure out exactly what climate you want to live in and where you need to live to get the desired climate. Otherwise, you might have to buy a whole new wardrobe.
Pay Attention to Traffic
With 38 million and counting, there are a lot of people in California. That means there’s traffic everywhere. And while Los Angeles gets most of the press for heavy traffic, traffic can be found in nearly every metro area in California — and sometimes randomly in the middle of the state as well. When planning your move, schedule it around traffic patterns. You don’t want to hit Interstate 405 in Los Angeles or Interstate 880 in the Bay Area during rush hour. So plan ahead and check traffic on your smartphone or on websites such as this.
Let The Student Movers Help You Out
Once you have the logistics of your move figured out, let Student Movers get you where you need to go. The Student Movers is a 5-star moving company that services the entire state of California through careful, top-of-the-line service. The Student Movers will load your stuff up, get it where it needs to go, and unload it with the necessary care. So when you are looking to make a California move, take a look at The Student Movers.
