Finally here

And here I am, plopped down right in the middle of the concrete jungle in my quaint apartment on 65^thStreet. Alex and I moved in yesterday and hustled to get all of our things in place in order to make our apartment seem more like home. His must-have bicycle currently resides in front of our “fireplace,” but other than that decorating faux pas, our place is really shaping up!

If anyone needs advice for moving to the city that never sleeps, this is the place to find it. Coming straight from a first-timer that has lived in the city a total of 48 hours, here are the must-dos/don’ts and the best advice I can offer when moving to Manhattan.

First things first- do not attempt to move your stuff. Yes, this may seem odd, but having Alex’s company professionally move all of our items out here in order to simply catch to flight to meet the movers in time to unpack was a blessing. Why? Because, this isn’t just a move where you shimmy your truck right up into the driveway and unload. This is Manhattan. Busy streets bustling with people and traffic, not to mention a way of life that moves so fast that even Usain Bolt couldn’t keep up. So, save up the bucks and have someone else do the dirty work. I promise, it will be worth it.

Second of all, you might want to measure the space between your couch and your entertainment center before purchasing a 55” inch flat screen. Yes, when you are moving in with Mr. Technologically Advanced it may be hard to settle for anything less than the best, but keep in mind that space is limited. Perhaps a smaller TV would work for the initial move and that could be moved to the bedroom to make way for Papa TV in the living room when you move into a bigger space. Our 55” works well, luckily, and I think we will be the go-to friends when our neighbors want to see the newest movie out on Netflix.

Last but not least, do not forget the wine opener. After two long days of unpacking and decorating you will be more than ready to settle down with a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon. Do not resort to using a drill and pliers like Alex and I had to do. Bring your opener, hit up the local liquor store and enjoy your first calm night as a New Yorker.

I have embraced the city wholly with my first experiences and loved every minute of it. I can only hope I will grow to love it even more.

Different space, different place.