Do Your Research
Researching your new home is always one of the foundations of a successful move, so make sure you learn more about the weather after Googling schools and shops.
Don’t assume because you’ve visited your new home that you have a handle on what the weather does. Most tourists travel in the peak season, when weather conditions are their most favourable. Your research should give you a picture of what typically happens throughout the year, whether it’s heavy rain or high humidity or snowfalls.
Getting a more complete picture of local weather patterns will help you decide what you’ll need to bring. There’s no point taking a heavy winter coat if the mercury never drops low enough to use it, or bringing your swimmers if your new home never has beach weather. If your move is only temporary, you may like to put some clothes you won’t use in storage.
Donate or Sell Unneeded Items
Moving house is always a good time to downsize by donating or selling the items you don’t need anymore. However, this exercise is even more important when you’re moving to a significantly different climate, especially if you intend to stay there long-term.
A woman living in Cairns is likely to find she doesn’t get the use from an extensive collection of sundresses after moving to Hobart. While she may find they suit the odd occasion, she might pare back her collection before the move. Perhaps she could sell them, especially if they’re designer apparel. Facebook is full of buy, swap, and sell groups focused on brands like Cue and Review. Any money she makes selling these items could be put towards buying clothes that suit her new home once she arrives.
Anything that can’t sell can be donated. It’s not as lucrative as selling, but it will help lighten your load to reduce moving costs, freeing up more money for new purchases on arrival. Donating is also good for karma!
Get Tips From the Locals
The people who live in your new town probably have a few tips for dealing with the weather conditions you’ll face, so don’t be afraid to hit them up. Ask any friends or family members you have in the area or the co-workers at your new job if they have any special tips.
If you don’t know anyone in your new neighbourhood, that’s OK. The Internet puts a bunch of virtual contacts at your fingertips. Join Nabo, a social network designed to help neighbours connect, and any Facebook groups for residents of your new community. Ask the members how they deal with the extreme heat, cold, or weather phenomena like blizzards or flooding, and wait for the advice to roll in.
Speak To Your Doctor
If you have health complaints, if you’re a senior citizen, or you’re moving with young children, it’s worth consulting your doctor about your climate concerns. He or she should be able to give you some sound medical advice. Your doctor may also want to change any prescribed medication, as some can interfere with your body’s ability to handle temperature changes or affect your skin’s tolerance of ultraviolet rays.
Take Your Time Once You Arrive
Don’t expect to have everything figured out before you arrive in your new destination. While you can prepare for your new weather conditions, it will take some time to really acclimatise.
Once you’re on the ground you can figure out whether you need wear sunscreen when you go out or if you should keep a pair of gloves in your pocket to prepare for a cold snap. You’ll be able to decide whether it’s too hot or cold to take a lunchtime run and shift your exercise schedule or move it indoors. You’ll figure out how long you can stay outside without the weather taking a toll, and the optimum time for running errands.
Acclimatising is a process, so be patient with it and know that in time you’ll figure it all out.
Focus on the Positives
Attitude is everything when it comes to adjusting to new conditions. Approaching your new climate with a positive outlook will help make it easier for you to adjust. For example, it might be easy for a man from Byron Bay to bemoan the loss of his morning surf after moving to Thredbo. However, if that man adjusted his attitude, he’d soon see the opportunities for new leisure activities in the snowfields, like snowboarding and skiing. Keeping your attitude sunny, even if the weather outside isn’t, is one of the best ways to acclimatise in your new home.
Adjusting to the new weather conditions of your new home can be challenging, but these tips should help you make an easier transition.