Moving to Chicago: A 2026 Checklist

Moving to Chicago is easier than moving to most American cities — the airport is cheap to get out of, the trains run on time, the rent is human. But there are a few things that are easier when you do them in the right order. Here's a checklist we've tested with the residents who've moved through NomieRest's homes.

Four weeks out

• Sort housing. If you haven't yet, browse residences and book a tour. Lock in a move-in date.
• Figure out renter's insurance. Required at NomieRest; about $10–$15/month through Lemonade, State Farm, Progressive, anyone. Email the policy to your property manager so you're not chasing it on day one.
• Update your driver's license / state ID address if you're staying long enough to want one.
• Set up direct deposit / ACH for rent. We'll send you a portal link after you reserve.

Two weeks out

• Map your work or class commute. Run it during rush hour using Google Maps' transit option — Brown Line vs. Red Line vs. Pink Line trips look identical on paper but feel different at 8 a.m.
• Buy a Ventra card ($5, refillable). Tap-to-pay with your phone works on every bus and train, but a physical card is faster the first week.
• Forward your mail. Free at usps.com.
• Pack your suitcase, not your apartment. NomieRest rooms are fully furnished — bed, linens, desk, lamp, storage. You don't need movers. (If you're shipping a few boxes, the resident portal has a package room policy in it.)

Your first week

• Day 1: Walk through the house standards with the property manager. Quiet hours, cleaning rhythm, guest policy. Sign nothing you don't understand.
• Day 2: Stock the basics. Whole Foods (Halsted) for River North homes; Mariano's (Halsted) for the West Loop home. Don't buy a full pantry the first day; you'll find better stores in the second week.
• Day 3: Open a local bank if you need one. Chase has the most branches; Wintrust is the local-feeling option. If you're staying under a year, your existing bank is probably fine.
• Day 4: Take the lakefront path. From any NomieRest home it's a 20-minute walk or short bus to the lake. Run it, bike it, or just stand on it for ten minutes. It will reset your sense of where you live.
• Day 5: Meet your roommates. We try to get the household together for a dinner or coffee in the first week. Show up.
• Day 6: Find your coffee. This is more important than it sounds.
• Day 7: Plan one thing for next weekend. A museum, a show, dinner with someone you knew before. The first weekend is when most people start to feel at home or actively miss the place they left. Tip the scales.

A small note on the weather

If you're moving in the summer, you'll be told often that "the winters are brutal." They're cold, yes. They're not as bad as the warning. Get a real coat by November and you're fine.

If you have questions about any of this — paperwork, transit, the kitchen at Wabash — we're easy to reach.