Having a home office is one of the biggest benefits of working from home. It is an ideal place to work and make a great first impression on your clients or customers. You can have the freedom to work at whatever time you want or schedule appointments for various times. This article explains what goes into creating a good home office environment so that you can get more done.

The Sooner the Better

Subway systems can be confusing for newcomers. Thankfully, the public transit in London is user-friendly: with multiple train and bus lines available at most stations and five of the world’s ten busiest subway stations located in this city, it’s never hard to get from point A to point B.

But while mastering the transit system might be easy, finding your way around a new city isn’t always so simple. While you’re still deciding whether you’ll make your move long-distance or if you want to go all-in and relocate permanently, having some flexibility is essential. The more time you have before your big day arrives, the more certain a decision you can make that will leave both you and your loved ones content with the results.

Using a website like Numbeo to measure the cost of living can help give an idea of how far your money will stretch while exploring potential neighborhoods or apartment complexes in London (and different neighborhoods may suit different budgets). But don’t just consider rent—also factor in commuting costs by checking out sites like Transport for London (TfL) for up-to-date information on public transportation fares and timetables throughout the city. Once you’ve found places to live that meet those criteria, take advantage of what local resources are available by visiting each location during business hours or reaching out to real estate agents and landlords who frequently check up on their properties.

These interactions are important because they will help you determine the neighborhood’s appeal before making such a drastic move; even if they aren’t exactly what’s pictured online or what was seen on popular travel shows like “MTV Cribs” ten years ago, there should be something about them that really speaks to what kind of lifestyle appeals most to each person involved with this big life change. If not? Do some more research until something clicks.

2 to 6 Months Before Moving is Ideal

How soon should you start planning your move to London? That’s a really tough question that usually reveals the impatience of the person asking.

A more appropriate version of this inquiry would be: how long should you plan for your move to London? The answer depends on what you’re looking to accomplish, although two months is typically the minimum amount of time needed to prepare for a move overseas. If this isn’t enough time for you, it’s still wise to book a trip well in advance and spend the extra days trying to organize your life so that it fits into one suitcase (or ten).

To help give yourself some perspective on how far ahead you should book your flight, consider these circumstances:

• What are your goals? Are you moving abroad purely for work, or are other factors at play? If work is not entirely motivating you to relocate, an additional two weeks will probably do. But if career advancement is driving most of your decisions about moving, four months might not be enough. Look at it this way: if you were going through a job interview process with a company abroad that wanted their new employee in place in two weeks’ time, would they really hire someone who wouldn’t even have all his or her affairs organized at that point? You can bet they wouldn’t.

Relocation to London is Quite a Complicated Task

A relocation to London is a hectic time in anyone’s life. The sheer number of things you have to do—and the fact that many of those tasks are completely new to you—makes it necessary to plan ahead. You’ll need plenty of time and foresight in order to complete tasks like getting your visa, finding an apartment, and securing a car.

The more planning you do before arrival, the less stressful this exciting, but also challenging time will be. If you’re looking for help with planning your move, there are several services available that can take care of all the details for you.

When deciding which service you want to use, consider how much guidance and hand-holding you need on the day-to-day details. A step-by-step service may be best if this is your first major move or if you’re not sure how everything works, but if you feel like this should be something that doesn’t require much assistance from someone who’s familiar with moving internationally (and we think it should), then a general relocation service might be better for your needs.

The Perfect Timing for Your Relocation to London Depends on Several Factors

Deciding when to make your move to London is a decision that only you can make. Some factors affecting the timing of your relocation include:

• When you want to be in London, and what you’re hoping to get out of it (work, career change, lifestyle change, etc.)
• How many people are moving with you
• The cost of living in London (rent/utilities)
• Whether you’re bringing pets and children
• What type of accommodation you’ll be living in

If you have pets and children, it’s best to plan your move a few months prior to the actual date.

It’s important to plan ahead when relocating overseas. Taking on a new city can be exciting and daunting at the same time, but there are a number of factors to consider before giving your two weeks’ notice.

What are you hoping to get out of living in London? Are you looking for a better job or more career opportunities? Do you want to study abroad or take an extended vacation? Are you in the military and simply assigned an overseas position?

Regardless of why you’re moving, make sure to leave yourself enough time prior to the move date—ideally three months—to accomplish everything that needs to be done before settling into your new life overseas. This includes finding schools for your children of their respective ages, finding housing big enough for your pets (if applicable), getting all necessary documents sorted out (passport, visa if applicable, etc.), and finding employment if that’s a concern.

When it comes down to it, there really isn’t a “wrong” time during the year to make a move. Some people prefer summertime because they’re able to start fresh with school right around the corner; others choose to fall or wintertime due to improved weather conditions, and then some people just pick any given month because they don’t care about stuff like taxes or daylight savings time. Do whatever works for you.

A short-term accommodation might be needed to help you get started in London.

When most people relocate to London, they do so expecting to live their lives there permanently. However, a small percentage of new arrivals will instead end up needing short-term housing while they find their place in the city.

If you’re coming to London on a vacation, you might be one of these people looking for temporary accommodations during your visit. If that’s you and you haven’t already arranged an apartment or other living space once you get there, finding short-term housing when you arrive can be slightly complicated. In this case, it is essential that time be taken ahead of time to plan for your stay and ensure that it goes smoothly.

Recommended Reading: Our Other Most-Read Guide

• 5 essentials that will make moving house 100x easier in London
• Moving house? Here’s what you need to do before you move out of your old home
• How to declutter your home for a move
• 5 Smart Ways to Make Moving House As Efficient As Possible
• Moving House:5 Things You Need To Do
• The Ultimate Guide To Moving House At Short Notice
• Moving Into A New House-When’s The Best Time To Start Planning?