How to prepare to move out of your parents’ house
Like most people, you probably want to shake off the trappings of childhood and find a place to call your own. Even if you’re an independent and domestically savvy person, living on your own is bound to surprise and challenge you in unexpected ways. Preparation will help you avoid spending too much time worrying about the basics and leave you in a better position to deal with any of the unexpected stuff that comes your way.
Here’s what you need to do to make sure you’re ready to move out of your parents’ house:
Save, save, save
Money is the first thing to start considering when you think about moving out. That’s a good thing. Financial health and stability are huge parts of moving out of your parents’. The amount of money you have plays a big part in determining where you end up living. You also need money to decorate and furnish your home. You might have to get a new bed or couch -- and those are often a little pricey. Save up for some of those costs before you even start looking at specifics.
When it comes to how much you should save up, it’s probably best to have at least two or three times the average rent to pay for security deposits or the first and last month’s rent. Most landlords require extra payment up front. If hope to buy, you need to save up a sizeable down payment, which is harder than getting what you need for rent. It can also be good to have extra savings to prepay your renters or home insurance premium for a whole year as many insurance providers give you a discount for paying it all at once.
Find a good place to live
You’ve heard it before: location, location, location. Apartment or house hunting is all about finding a location that fits your wants, needs, and budget. Everyone values different things when looking for a place to live, and everyone has different budgets to work with. However, there are some things that never crossed my mind until I began looking for a place to rent. I took a lot for granted with my parents’ house. Little things like having laundry machines in your unit or making sure the water pressure and heating work well are considerations that may not occur to you.
If you’re living with roommates or neighbours, make sure your lifestyles are a good match for peaceful cohabitation. Is the housing close to a grocery store or restaurants? Is your school or workplace nearby? Test your daily commute at least once so you understand the implications of your location with relation to where you work.
Even if an apartment gives you all the good vibes in the world, don’t sign anything until you get it thoroughly inspected. Once you get it okayed for any pre-existing damage or pests, sign those papers and get ready to move into your new place.
And now for the adulting
The hardest part of getting by on your own is the absolute avalanche of things you are now responsible for. This is what it means to adult. Kind of.
When I first moved out, my actions were a better reflection of animal behavior than adult human behavior. The amount of time I passed on doing chores in favour of partying or just sitting around watching TV was crazy.
If your parents are anything like mine, chances are you’ve slowly been practicing adulting for years now with household chores. Cleaning everything, doing laundry, and picking up stuff from the store are all skills you need when you live by yourself. You need to plan grocery shopping around your budget and remember to get everything you need. Start thinking ahead about what to eat so you can prep meals and buy the right supplies. You don’t want to be stuck with fast food and frozen dinners all the time.
Take care of your safety and health by stocking up on first aid supplies and going to the doctor regularly. Wrap your head around the basics of how taxes work. Learn to budget. Find out how to manage your household supplies.
There are countless aspects of adulting that one learns as time goes on. Luckily we don’t have to rely on parents to teach us everything these days with sites like How to Grow the F*** Up (explicit language) and LifeHacker around.
Getting your own place is exciting, but it can be challenging, too. Minimize the challenge with these tips and you’ll be throwing an awesome housewarming party in no time.