Moving out on your own for the first time is a pretty big step. There are so many things to do and plan, and as a result, the process can be very overwhelming. It is a time in your life where everything is seemingly changing at once and you wish there was just a magic fairy who could help you out. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible.
Having moved out ourselves at one point or another, there are lots of things we wish we would have done differently. Instead of our children, friends or family members making the same mistakes we did, why not offer them some tips? With that in mind, here are some great pieces of advice we would give to our future children when they move out for the first time.
1. Spend what you can afford
One of the biggest problems, when people move out for the first time, is that their eyes are bigger than their wallets. Many people want to live in a luxurious apartment on the top floor of a modern building, but that simply isn’t realistic for most peoples’ first move. Instead, you should do research on just how much you can afford and then once you have that number, only look at apartments in this price range. If you get an apartment that leaves you poor, you shouldn’t be living there.
2. Don’t settle for an apartment
That being said, you shouldn’t just settle for something you aren’t happy about. Spending less on an apartment is great, as long as you like the apartment. Spending near the upper limit of your budget is also okay if you are excited about the place you are living. Simply put, while you shouldn’t spend too much on an apartment, spending too little and cheating yourself out of an apartment you love is equally as depressing. Is it really worth it to save a couple of dollars every month to live in a more dangerous area or in an apartment in a terrible state?
3. Having savings is important
While we recognize not everyone can save up before their big move, having a beefed up savings account is a great thing when moving out for the first time. There are lots of things to buy, and plenty more than you will have forgotten to get, even a month later. Also, what if something happens? Say you get in an accident and can’t work for a while or your car breaks down? If you spend all of your money on the move, on furniture or on anything else, you will be in a bad position to deal with life’s many twists and turns.
4. Make sure you’re insured
While many landlords and companies require their tenants to have renters insurance, this doesn’t go for everyone. However, even if it isn’t required, you should purchase renters insurance. Oftentimes, landlords have insurance on the actual building or unit you are staying in, but not the contents of that unit. So if there is a fire, flood or other issues, and your contents are damaged, it’s all on you to replace them. Renters insurance often costs around $20 a month, so it is a no-brainer to purchase it.
5. Read your lease inside and out
While most landlords and rental companies are honest and straightforward, some might have something to hide. In order to make sure to catch anything that was thrown into the fine print of your lease, you should make sure to read it over at least a few times before signing it (we mean really read, not just skim over like you do on notes before a quiz). Your lease will have important information and rules on everything from if pets are allowed, to quiet times, roommate policies, and what is your responsibility vs. what is the landlord’s responsibility. To avoid any confusion and to make sure you know the rules, it is important to read the lease in full.
6. Be organized when packing and unpacking
Packing up to leave is by far one of the most stressful parts of a move. What should you take? What should you leave? How should you organize and pack your things? All of these are fair questions and ones that you will need to consider. When it comes to packing, you should start early as opposed to doing everything on the last day as you are more likely to forget things, and have your packing job be “less than organized” an organized packing job will ensure you know where everything is and will help to unpack be a quick process, and not a month-long headache.
7. Shop around
Outside of a few other decisions, the choice to move out on your own for the first time is one of the biggest in our lives. As a result, it isn’t something you should rush into without taking your time. You should visit many different properties and consider different areas in your town before finally deciding where to move to. The place you choose will likely be the place you live for at least the next few months, so it is worth shopping around for. If you just take the first place you visit, you never know what you may have missed out on. Also, make sure you are ready to move out before doing so. No need to leave the house at 18 when you’re not ready just because a classmate did.
