When I moved to Northwest Arkansas, I knew it was the best decision I could have made. With plenty of job opportunities, breathtaking nature scenes, and countless amenities, it is the best place to live in America. If you want to relocate to Northwest Arkansas, you’re probably wondering how to do it.
Here are 6 tips on how to relocate to Northwest Arkansas:
- Find a short-term rental.
- Reserve your moving truck.
- Learn about the different activities.
- Get a bigger truck.
- Join some Facebook groups.
- Take two trips.
The rest of this article will discuss these tips in more detail. Read on if you want to learn more!
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1. Find a Short-Term Rental
The first thing you should do when relocating to Northwest Arkansas is find a short-term (2 to 3 months) rental. This will give you some time to look for a home without having to commit to a year-long lease. When I first moved to Northwest Arkansas, I rented a house through Airbnb for three months, and I recommend you do the same because it gave me the chance to find my perfect home without having to make any long-term commitments.
You can go to the Airbnb website, but you can also receive short-term rental updates from me if you go to this rental updates page. That way, I can email you whenever there are new rentals in the area.
Another great way to find a three-month rental is to join Facebook groups. In these groups, landlords and homeowners often post available rentals. From there, you can message them asking if it’s possible to stay in their rental for three months rather than a full year.
Of course, they won’t always be willing to give you the property for three months, but it’s worth trying. It can be easier to find a rental through Facebook than on Airbnb!
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2. Reserve Your Moving Truck
Once you start looking for an Airbnb, the next thing I highly recommend is to reserve your moving truck. Getting this organized sooner rather than later is essential, especially if you’re moving from a high-exited state. For example, California would be considered a high-exited state.
Other high-exited states include:
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Minnesota
If a state is high-exited, that means fewer trucks are going into the state versus leaving.
Therefore, I highly recommend organizing your truck as far in advance as possible. Two to three months before the move is an excellent time to book a moving truck. That way, you’re locked in and ready to go once the moving date arrives.
I’ve had some clients coming from high-exited states trying to reserve a truck two weeks ahead of time. They soon realize that the truck company doesn’t have any available trucks because the truck companies already have so many vehicles leaving the state.
Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:
https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas
3. Learn About the Different Activities
Learning about the different activities you can do in Northwest Arkansas is also essential. To help you out, I made a three-day itinerary, which is perfect if you’re someone who’s into any of the following:
- Sports
- Adventure
- Food
- Culture
- Arts
The itinerary is also helpful if you have kids, so check it out if you’re looking to entertain the entire family! It includes activities across different regions in Northwest Arkansas, including:
- Fayetteville
- Bentonville
- Rogers
- Springdale
- Eureka Springs
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4. Get a Bigger Truck
Another recommendation for when you start relocating to Northwest Arkansas is to get a bigger truck than what you anticipate. Technically, this recommendation isn’t specific to Northwest Arkansas: It applies to any move, no matter the states involved.
When moving to Northwest Arkansas, I had to book a small truck because they didn’t have any bigger ones available. So, I was forced to get a smaller truck because of the number of trucks leaving Illinois.
Since the truck was small, I had to get rid of a lot of the stuff I was planning on bringing. This ties back into making sure you reserve your truck ahead of time. But even if you’re getting the truck ahead of time, make sure you book one bigger than you think you’ll need.
I ended up leaving some stuff behind in Illinois because of the lack of space, which I didn’t want to do!
5. Join Some Facebook Groups
Another thing I highly recommend when you start relocating to Northwest Arkansas is to get into Facebook groups and find ones you might be interested in. Generally, there’s a Facebook group for almost any hobby in Northwest Arkansas, so it’s worth a try.
But it’s not just limited to Facebook. You can also check out other social media platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp. You can even connect with people before you arrive in Northwest Arkansas!
For example, I did a lot of running before I moved here. So before I moved, I found a bunch of people on Instagram from Northwest Arkansas and asked them questions about the area. I was able to ask them what it’s like down there, and I discovered more about the different running and hiking trails. I’d already made friends before I even set foot in Northwest Arkansas!
Once I moved, I could meet up with them, go running, and do other fun activities. So, contacting people online is an excellent way to become a part of the community and make you feel at home right when you arrive.
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6. Take Two Trips
If you’re moving with kids and pets or you have a lot of stuff to move, I would highly recommend making two trips. That’s what I did, and it was worth it! Around two months before I moved here, I moved all of my major, bulky stuff. So when I made the final move, it was super easy, stress-free, and faster than it would’ve been if I only made one journey.
If you have the opportunity to take two trips, I would seriously recommend it! Two months before I moved, I rented a storage unit to keep my stuff stored away while I was still in Illinois. I could bring all the heavy, bulky things during that first trip, meaning I had space to bring all the essentials on the second trip.
Doing it this way made the second trip enjoyable, and it’ll make yours enjoyable, too!
Conclusion
Relocating to Arkansas is exciting, but it can be stressful if you don’t plan accordingly. Following the steps in this article will help prepare you for the big move without experiencing any significant issues.