Moving for the First Time
Things You Need Before Moving Out for the First Time
No matter how old you are when you move out of your parents’ home, it can be scary and exciting. You will have new skills that you will need to develop and learn. You will not have anybody to answer to or tell you what to do. Everything will be left up to you to do and decide.
Whether you are moving out for the first time for college or just to live on your own, there are things that you need to get and do. Below you will find a list of things to do and things to gather.
Things to Do
You have decided to move out of your parents’ home and into a place of your own, here are some things that you need to do to make that transition go smoothly.
Finances: Make a budget of everything that you will need to pay to move into your new home. You will also need a monthly budget to know exactly what it will cost you to live on your own.
Job: Have a job or two that pays you enough to meet all your expenses.
Place: Search for a place that you can afford in the location that you want to live.
Roommate: Will you need to have a roommate, or will you live on by yourself?
Get Help to Move Your Stuff: If you have the money, you can always hire somebody to move your belongings. If you can’t afford to hire a moving company, enlist the help of friends and family members.
Chores: To stay on top of things and keep things clean you will want to make a schedule of when to things like cleaning, laundry, pay bill and buy groceries. It is better to start off doing things from the beginning, so you don’t find yourself falling behind on things. It is a great idea to start practicing these things before you move out so that they will be habits for you.
Ask for Help: Don’t be afraid to ask your parent or friends. They will be glad to lend you a helping hand. Just because you don’t live in your parents’ home doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to still help you if they can. However, nobody will know that you need help if you don’t speak up.
Gather Things You Will Need: You will be on your own for the first time, so you will need more than just your clothes. Below are things you will need for your first grown-up home. Do not break the bank when gathering these items. Take whatever family and friends will give you and don’t be afraid to buy good second items.
Things to Gather
This is your first place, so you will need quite a few things that you may have not even thought of. This list is to help guide and remind you of things that you will need for your first grown-up home.
Furniture: You parents may let you take your bedroom furniture with you. If they do, that will be a huge help. You will also need things like a couch, chair, dresser, table and chair, and something to put your TV on.
Towels: For the bathroom, you will need washcloths, hand towels, and large bath towels. You will also need towels in the kitchen: dishcloths and dish towels.
Bedding: This could be another item that you inherit from your parents. Otherwise, you will need sheets, blankets, comforter, and pillows.
Kitchen: This is a room that you will need lots of things in so whatever people want to donate to you feel free to take it because it will save you money. You will need things such as pots and pans, plates, glasses, utensils, measuring cups and spoons, bakeware, etc.
Cleaning Supplies: There are so many cleaning supplies out there today. It is so hard to choose which to use, but one thing is certain you will need them. There are the normal chemical ones, environmentally safe cleaners, and even diy cleaner. You will want to make sure that you have a good multi-purpose cleaner that way you can use one product on several different areas. You will also need things like toilet cleaner, laundry soap, dish soap and something to control the dust. Don’t forget the vacuum, broom, and mop and bucket.
Toiletries: We talked about keeping your home clean. Now let’s talk about what you will need to keep you clean. You need things like shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, and toilet paper.
Food: You will want to get stuff to sock up your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Don’t just buy your favorite junk food though. Mom won’t be there anymore to make sure that you eat good wholesome foods. You will want to get foods that you can use to cook and make yourself some good home cooked meals.
Decorating: You will want to make your new place feel like home to get some pictures to hang on the wall, flowers, rugs, and curtains. This is your own place. Therefore, you can pick the styles that you like and bring them into your home.
Miscellaneous: These are things that you may forget about but will surely need. Things like: trash cans, toilet brush, light bulbs, plunger, toolkit, and laundry basket.
Survival Kit: This kit will contain everything you need in case of a storm or injury. Be sure to have a first aid kit, batteries, flashlights, candles, and matches.
More Tips on Moving Out
Lease: Even though it may be time-consuming and seem tedious, you need to read all paperwork from your lease. You do not want any unexpected surprises.
Bank Account: If you do not already have one, you will need to open your own bank account.
Documents: Gather all documents together and put them together in a safe place. These are things like your lease, social security card, insurance policy, and birth certificate.
Renters Insurance: Most places that you rent from require you to have renter’s insurance so you will need to purchase this.
Conclusion
Whether you are 18 or 30 moving on your own for the first time is a major life event and can be very stressful. Hopefully, this article has helped you ease some of that tension, and you can enjoy your new home. I wish you the best in finding the new place that you will call home.
Like what you’ve read? Now, you might also want to read the Checklist for Riding Out a Storm [link to the storm article].