5 simple ways to prepare to move after match

Congratulations! You or your partner matched for Residency! The dream of becoming a physician is becoming a reality. With all the upcoming transitions, it may feel like you have a lot on your plate. Moving to a new area, starting a new job, and finding a new home can all seem like a lot. Here are five simple ways to prepare for your move after the match:

Connect with local groups to get insight on housing options

No one knows the area better than those who already live there. Especially people who live where you will be going and are in a similar season of life. Their insight can give you a leg up on finding new housing, potential job opportunities if you’re in the market, schools to send your kids to, and other community-based decisions you need to make.

I recommend joining Facebook Groups local to your new town. Med Spouse communities, like The Med Commons, can be beneficial. Alum groups from previous educational opportunities can provide tremendous support also. I’ve also joined parenting groups in my local areas like Fit4Mom and Mops, although these in-person groups I joined once I moved to the area.

Review your budget

As soon as you find out where you are moving, there will be pressure to determine your housing situation. Whether you are renting or buying, knowing what you can afford is important. What monthly payment are you comfortable with? Remember to account for moving costs: renting a truck or hiring a company, moving supplies, lodging needs while moving, etc.

You will be one of many people moving to this area for Residency so the housing market may be hot. When you have a pulse on what you can spend on housing, you will feel more comfortable making quick decisions.

Choose a method for moving

Are you looking to hire movers? Or looking to do a self-move or something in between? There are so many different configurations of help you can hire to help you with your move. Hiring movers is typically the most expensive but least labor-intensive route to take. Packing up a moving truck and moving yourself also gives you control over what gets packed, when, and how quickly you move.

While we haven’t used them before, pod-like units are another popular method of moving. A pod gets dropped off at your current home. When you’re ready to move, you pack it up and call the company to pick it up and transport it to your new home.

Start looking at your options now to make reservations for a moving company, a moving truck, a pod unit, or something else. If you need help loading or unloading, but are on a tight budget, hiring local college students is usually a budget-friendly option.

Start decluttering

Moving can get expensive, no matter what method you choose to take. One sure way to decrease the cost is to limit how much you pack and bring. Start getting rid of what you don’t plan to take to your new home. Do you have clothes that you haven’t worn in ages? Time to donate. Do you have kids’ toys that have been neglected? Give them to a local preschool or church. Have you accumulated many coffee mugs, jackets, and picture frames that you aren’t using? Give them away.

Put a donation box in a familiar place at home and put things in it as you declutter. Once every few weeks, drop off that donation box to a local charity. Or share the items with your Buy Nothing Group.

The less you pack up for this move, the less you have to unpack at your new home.

Put together a folder (physical + digital) to hold all documents related to the move after match

Create a new folder in your email labeled “Residency Move 2023”. Put every email you receive that corresponds with your upcoming move in that folder. You can create subfolders like housing, moving, schools, supplies, and new job to make it even more organized.

It’s much easier to reference quotes, notes, and other messages sent through email if you put them in the “Residency Move 2023” folder right away.

I also recommend getting a physical folder to keep any papers you receive related to the move. Like your email folder, having all the documents in one place makes it easy to reference for budget, tax, job, school, or other related needs.

Congrats on this new adventure! Congrats on matching to a Residency program. As you continue on this incredible journey, remember it’s the journey, not the destination, that is the most important. You will go through some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows over these next few years. They will shape you into an even more incredible human being.

Want more guidance with making this move as smooth as possible? Check out the Move Mama Move Relocation Planner where you will find all the checklists, logs, tips, and trackers to help your move go smoothly.