Somerville Movers – 10 Things to Know When Moving to Somerville, MA

What to Know About Somerville from a Somerville Moving Company

Looking for a moving company serving Somerville? Great! The city is a popular spot for a lot of reasons. If you’re a music fan, you’ll never out of things to do. Every summer, Porchfest, a decentralized music festival sponsored by the Somerville Arts Council, takes over the city. The event features musical acts from genres ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to alt-country to gospel to comedy acappella to sea chanteys to Balkan Fusion. The bands perform on residential porches throughout the city. The event is a great way for neighbors to meet other creative neighbors.

And, if you live in Somerville, you will definitely have creative neighbors. In fact, according to the city’s website, only New York City has more artists per capita than Somerville. In fact, it’s New England’s most densely-populated city overall.

Without further ado, here are few things your favorite Somerville movers think you should know:

1. Most Somerville Movers Move on Wheels!

About 8 percent of Somerville’s 80,000 residents commute using a bicycle. That figure places the city fourth nationally in what’s called “mode share,” or the percentage of trips within a city made using a bicycle.

With plans to expand its already-extensive network of bike lanes and Hubway bike rental stations, that percentage is bound to increase. Since there are so many cyclists in town, and the starting point of the beautiful Minuteman Bicycle Path so easily accessible, it’s no wonder the city has a bicycle shop on almost every corner. In fact, biking is so popular in Somerville that a few shops, like the Somerville Bike Kitchen in Davis and Union Square’s Somervelo, specialize in maintenance and repair services only.

Don’t have a bike? No problem! The MBTA’s Green Line Extension project should arrive at some point in our lifetimes. And while we wait, Somerville offers easy subway access via Sullivan Station and Assembly Square on the Orange Line. Red Line access is available at Davis Square and Porter Square.

Driving usually isn’t too difficult, either, with easy access to Interstate 93 from Sullivan Square. Parking, of course, in a city so densely populated, can be an issue. So before you move to the city, you may want to look into getting parking permits for your moving truck, or having your movers acquire and post them on your behalf.

2. Try to Make Going Out Part of Your Budget

We all know how economical and healthy it is to cook food for yourself at home, and of course you can’t go out every night. But if you wanted to be a homebody all the time, why even bother moving to the city? Grocery stores are everywhere. (Union Square’s Market Basket offers the best return on your investment in that department.)

From great local lunch spots like Vinny’s and Taco Loco on Broadway, to Beacon Street’s Dali Restaurant and Bergamot, Somerville simply offers too many wonderful restaurants to ignore. (We’re also big fans of the Peruvian Chicken at Union Square’s Macchu Picchu, the German sausages at Bronwyn, and Highland Kitchen‘s famous fried chicken.)

But remember, you’re living in the city now — there are more reasons to leave the house than a simple dinner date! You can take in a comedy show at Aeronaut Brewery, see the newest blockbuster or independent film (they have both!) at Somerville Theater, see the latest in local rock ‘n’ roll at PA’s Lounge, laugh at the comedy at The Armory on Highland Ave., or see a play at Davis Square Theater. Somerville has something for everyone, almost every night of the week.

3. You’re expected to create

So there’s a lot going on in Somerville. We’ve established that. The reason, of course, is because the city’s people are always creating new places to go, teams to join, and art to see. From Broadway’s new Winter Hill Brewing Company to the longstanding community of comic book enthusiasts at Comicazi, Somerville is brimming with creativity from bottom to top.

If you’re looking to learn an instrument, try stand-up comedy, or invent a new kind of cupcake, Somerville is definitely the place to be.

4. Know the bus routes

We’ve already talked about the fabled Green Line Extension Project and the popularity of bicycling in Somerville, but every major destination around town has a convenient bus stop. In Union Square alone, you can catch the 85 to Kendall Square, the 86 to Sullivan or Harvard, the 87 down to Lechmere or up to Teele Square, and the 91 to Central Square.

You can use the MBTA’s handy “Service Near You” tool to find the closest routes to any place in the Boston area.

5. Get a split box spring

Seriously, you’re gonna need it. We’ve posted about taking beds apart before, but in a city as old and as built-up as Somerville, there isn’t space for wide and easily navigable stairwells. So if you have a queen-sized bed or larger, a split box spring is the way to go. Many of the stairwells in Somerville can’t accommodate a queen box spring. On the other hand, a mattress has some give and can be safely squished up or down staircases. You can find a split box spring at any furniture store or you can just search Amazon.

6. Your vote matters

As an old New England city and the former home to President Barack Obama, Somerville encourages its citizens to be engaged in public policy. Look at all these meetings! Most of them are open to the public. Think your street’s bike lane could use a fresh coat of paint? Or that the crosswalk leading to your nearest bus stop isn’t marked as clearly as it should be? Mayor Curtatone and the rest of the City leaders want to hear your voice on the matter!

7. Meeting People is Easy

As mentioned above, Somerville is one of the most densely packed cities in America. Other people are everywhere. While this can make parking an issue (be sure to get your permits squared away before moving!), it also makes meeting like-minded individuals a pretty easy thing to do.

8. Meeting Dogs is also Easy

Have a dog? Somerville is the town for you. The city dog parks in almost every neighborhood. In our view, Somerville deftly combines its priorities of urban arts and culture with a vigilant maintenance of the open space that our canine companions need.

9. Somerville has a Proud History

Somerville has a proud and active history. From revolutionary times (when it was an escape route between the battlefields of Charlestown and the English-loving Tories of Cambridge) to the Industrial Revolution to the invention of Fluff, Somerville has played a large role in building this country.

And the tradition of remembering the past remains strong in the city. From our friends at Union Square’s High Energy Vintage, to Buffalo Exchange, to Somerville Grooves and beyond, the habit of reliving history is a Somerville pastime. It’s definitely the best town in the Boston area to pick up a sweet 70’s jacket or a rare Blues record.

10. There’s always a party just around the corner . . .

Porchfest might be only one day, but festivals are an almost weekly occurrence during the summer months. Of course, we at Safe Responsible are partial to Starlab Studios’ Starlabfest. (We we and our friends at High Energy Vintage are major sponsors of Starlabfest.) We also love the famous What the Fluff? Festival (here in the birthplace of the Fluffernutter), the HONK! Fest featuring marching bands from all around the world, the Somerville Arts Council’s ArtBeat Festival, Somerville and even the self-explanatory Somerville Dog Festival.

Think you’re ready to make the move to Somerville? Great! Get a quote from Somerville Movers today!  We’ll make your transition a piece of cake (or a piece of a donut, as it were . . .)

Featured Photo by Draper [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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