Guide for moving to Berlin from NYC

Deciding to leave the beautiful New York City is never an easy decision to make. Although, if you are planning to move out of NYC and leave it for another place, you might as well do it for Berlin – one of Europe’s most magnificent cities. Now, we know that the process of moving from USA to Germany will inevitably come attached to many different challenges. But that’s okay because we are here to make it easy on you. Our guide on moving to Berlin from NYC is designed with one goal in mind – to remind you of the most important moving tasks that are ahead. It goes without saying that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all those things you have to do. But it’s a good start.

Create a moving budget at the start of the process

Moving is rather expensive – that’s something most people already know. However, moving across the ocean is completely different than moving within the same city or even continent. You should be ready for the fact that the process of moving furniture overseas will cost a pretty penny. Of course, there’s no telling just how much your relocation will cost as that depends on many different variables. But mostly, it depends on how much you can afford.

Before you start tackling any other moving tasks, sit down with your moving companions, take a good look at your financial affairs, and decide how much you have to spend. And remember – creating a moving budget means nothing unless you plan to stick to it. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s see what else lies in store for your move to Berlin from NYC.

Hire reputable movers when moving to Berlin from NYC

While local moves can oftentimes be handled in the good old DIY style, the same cannot be said for international relocation. We here at Transparent International NYC have a first-hand experience of just how difficult this process can be. That’s why a reliable team of international movers is a must when moving across the ocean. Luckily, these days you have a plethora of options when in need of relocation professionals. However, we do suggest you look for a few key traits that we think your perfect moving company should possess.

• Years of experience/experienced moving professionals
• All the necessary qualifications (licensed, insured, and bonded company)
• A plethora of different moving services
• A good ranking on Yelp/BBB, and a lot of positive moving reviews

Of course, it goes without saying that the company you decide to hire should specialize in international moves. Unless a company has a special service titled international relocation (or something similar), feel free to continue with your search.

Don’t lose track of easy-to-forget moving tasks

Like previously mentioned, relocation is a process that is going to present you with numerous challenges and tasks. Those tasks will range from creating a moving budget to finding a new school for your kids. However, when moving from NYC to Berlin, the truth is that you will be so swamped with paperwork and all the necessary preparation, that it will be too easy to forget about an extremely important task. That’s why we suggest you make a moving checklist where you will create a separate entry for all the things you have to do before your move. Only some of the things to include in your checklist are the following tasks:

• Gathering the necessary paperwork for your move
• Finding a new physician in Berlin
• Transferring your child’s school records
• Informing everyone about your relocation
• Buying the plane tickets for the entire family

Clearly, this will just be the beginning of your moving checklist. We are sure that you will manage to find many other tasks to put in your moving to-do list. We do suggest that you think of your checklist as an essential part of your relocation. So make it sooner rather than later.

Learn as much as you can about Berlin – your new home across the ocean

Chances that you have visited Berlin before your relocation are high. That’s why you might think that you already know what to expect. But you shouldn’t let such thoughts fool you into thinking that your international residential relocation will be anything like your short trip. The culture shock is a real thing and you can rest assured that you will experience it after moving to Berlin from New York City. Let us tell you right away that this is a completely natural reaction for the big change you will be going through. While you might not be able to prevent a culture shock, you will definitely be able to minimize its effects. 

So go online and research all the things you have ever wanted to know about Berlin. Read some articles about the local culture, cuisine, important events, etc. It’s good to know what’s in store for you once your relocation is finished. Because then the real hard work will begin – adjusting to your new life as an ex-pat in Berlin.

The process of moving from NYC to Berlin is bound to be followed by some challenges…

…but you have to believe that you will be ready to surpass all of them. After all, this is a huge change you are signing up for, but there’s no reason for this to be anything short of an exciting event. By moving to Berlin from NYC, you’ll get to experience an entirely different world. In our opinion, all the problems you might go through to get there will be totally worth it. Hopefully, you’ll think the same once your move is finished.