New Yorkers absolutely love New York, there’s no question. There’s something to be said for being able to survive in one of the toughest cities to live in across the world. Maybe it’s pride, maybe it’s plain hard-headed stupidity, but we love braving the strenuous and often laughable conditions and just making ends meet.
There comes a day in every New Yorker’s lifestyle where the thought pops into our heads. What if we moved to a nice neighborhood outside the city? You know, had a family, a comfortable place to live, maybe take a step back from the daily hustle and grind?
It’s a tempting thought, and it’s certainly not without it’s perks. While we won’t be living in the heart and soul of the greatest city on earth (don’t judge our opinion!) we can still be close enough that we can go to work there, visit on the weekends, and have general accessibility to the conveniences and luxury of the city. More importantly, by moving out of the city we can get more out of our hard-earned dollars and live a more relaxed lifestyle that’s a bit more heavy-handed on comfort.
Look, it’s not for all of us. Some of us are just too die-hard. There are benefits to consider though. Here are some of the big ones:
You Can Actually Have A Yard
It’s so cliche, but there’s a reason that cliches exist. There’s something to be said for having a white picket fence and a nicely groomed lawn where your kids can run freely, play games, and enjoy the open outdoors. This is something you simply can’t achieve in the City, both because it’s financially nearly impossible and also because there are simply space limitations that severely inhibits the amount of undeveloped space within the city limits. Pretty much every available square foot is built up as much as is allowed. By moving out of the city you’ll have a place to host barbecues, sit out in the sun, and maybe even have your very own pool. It may not be the motivating factor for you but let’s face it, it’s a motivating factor for many.
You Can Have Your Own Garage
In New York City you basically have two options for parking. You can either pay an exorbitant rate to rent a parking spot (what most people do) or you can seriously duke it out with the world every time you need to leave your car. We’re talking all out brutal, cut-throat war. At a certain point your bound to ask yourself, is it really worth it?
By moving out of the city you can find a place with your very own garage. Better yet, can even have a garage door opener so all you have to do is drive up, watch your garage open, and drive on in. No more dealing with snow and hoping your car doesn’t get crashed, broken, or stolen.
Your Neighbors Won’t Live On The Other Side Of Every Single Wall
If you’ve been living in New York for a while – or in the more extreme case, if you’ve been living there your entire life – you may not even realize how just noisy it is to live in an apartment surrounded other tenants. You grow to drown out the noises of their lifestyle into the background because if you didn’t you simply wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Have you ever taken a trip to a remote destination and realized how deafeningly quiet it is? I hate to say it, but this silence can be healthy. If can help you live a less anxious and distracted lifestyle. There’s even some science behind the many ways that noise pollution can have a negative impact on your life. It’s worth looking into because it sure seems like a real thing.
Considering all this, should you pack up your bags and embrace the suburban life? That’s going to be up to you. If you absolutely love New York City and you can’t imagine living a boring and dull life in the suburbs, I wouldn’t recommend packing up your bags and relocating. If all of this sounds appealing to you, you might be the kind of person who could benefit from it most. Kick the idea around in your mind a bit, it may just be the next move in your playbook.
Roland Hanna is a native New Yorker. He lives just outside the city with wife Marie and two kids and their dog, Harper.
A mattress pad is simply that extra layer of comfort for your bed. It fits similar to that of a fitted sheet, except it’s pure elastic wrapping around the bed rather than cotton and elastic. Mattress pads are great for comfort, but they are even better for older mattresses. If you have an old bed that’s not in the greatest shape, a mattress pad is definitely cheaper than buying a brand new mattress. Maybe the mattress you have is just too firm for your taste, and you just need it to be a little softer. It’s also an alternative for a mattress protector.
Mattress protectors are an entirely different story, but still similar. Not necessarily used for the purpose of comfort, a protector is what helps keep your mattress from aging quickly. Most mattresses come with protectors, because a bed is where we lay every night. It wards off bacteria, allergens and irritants, like dandruff, mold, and bedbugs. (Many use protectors solely for the fact of keeping ugly stains off the bed.) You can clean mattresses yourself but without a protector at the very least, your mattress is susceptible to any kind of bodily fluids. It puts your mattress at immediate risk.
All of these are highly recommended when moving to and/or visiting New York City, or any large city. Comfort is a huge factor, if not the only factor, that most consider purchasing a mattress pad/topper/protector. When you live in a large city like New York, chances are you’re in an apartment complex. By not properly caring for your mattress, you’re not only putting your entire apartment at risk for bacteria and fungi, but you’re putting anyone else in your complex at risk for same said bacteria and fungi. Think of 