Three Factors to Consider When Moving into Your Seattle Apartment

Moving in to your Seattle apartment will be a very exciting time. Seattle is a wonderful city to live in, but there are several factors that can affect your move, possibly making it frustrating in the blink of an eye. Prior to your move, it is wise to consider the three factors listed and explained below.

1. Your Budget

Okay, okay, we know that in any move you must set a budget, but the higher than average cost of living in the city is not something to overlook. Seattle has been reported to have about a 30% higher cost of living than other states, meaning that practically everything will cost you more.

These increased costs include the cost of your movers. Always beware extremely low-cost movers as the company could be a scam, unreliable or at the very least bad at their job. It is extremely wise to make a budget prior to your move. Your budget should include the costs of moving supplies, any necessary storage and the amount you anticipate or quoted by your moving company.

2. The Seattle Weather

As is widely known, it rains most of the year in Seattle. Rain makes any move much more stressful and lengthy. Not only will you have to analyze how raindrops might ruin your furniture, but you must also find out whether the movers will even move your belongings in the rain. Because they are responsible for any damage to your property, the company may be willing to take the risk of what the rain will do to your belongings. This could delay delivery of your belongings several hours or even days. Discuss with the moving company’s representative the course they plan to take should it begin raining during your move. Reject any suggestions that you feel are unsafe, such as carrying your belongings up a weather-exposed staircase, and do not settle for a simple denial that the rain will present any problem at all.

Planning and anticipation of rain is the best way to prevent this problem. Act as though rain is expected on the day of the move and insist that your furniture made of fabric be wrapped in plastic prior to being loaded onto the truck. Wood furniture can be covered in blankets as its absorption of liquids takes longer and presumably you would be able to dry it off prior to it being truly damaged. Paintings and photos should also be wrapped in rain-proof materials for their protection.

3. Your Income Needs

While you most likely have employment in Seattle, you may plan on finding a job after you move to the city. Unfortunately, Seattle has a very high unemployment rate and, currently, negative job growth. While the unemployment rate is still lower than in other parts of the United States, with having such a high cost of living, not being immediately employed could present even difficulty than anticipated. As such, if you are not already employed, make sure your budget can support several months of you not bringing in an income.

Seattle is a fabulous city, but is also one that presents several serious issues that could make your move there more difficult. Because of the high cost of living, it is extremely wise to have employment prior to your move or, at the very least, an intricate plan for finding work. But most of all, enjoy your new city, as its culture and dedication to the arts is claimed to be unmatched by any other United States city.