Top Tips If You Are Moving Out From Your Parents

20/03/2017
Ellie Ford-Elliott

Moving out soon? Nervous? Ellie has ten handy tips to make the transition easier.

Whether you’re going to university or just vacating your parents’ house, moving out for the first time can be really difficult, both emotionally and practically. It’s a big change, and when I did it there was a lot I didn’t know about the big wide world. These are my top ten tips for moving out and living on your own for the first time ever. Because there really is nothing better than a stranger on the internet telling you how to live your life.

1. Unpack

Unpacking your things and making your new place feel like you as soon as possible is really important when you move out. The first time I flew the nest I waited nearly a week before unpacking everything and as a result, felt a bit alien in my new room for longer than I needed to. When I finally set everything up, my room became my own personal sanctuary because I finally knew where my hair straighteners were.

2. Make The New Place Your Own
Print out pictures, create handmade decorations or buy some fairy lights to instantly personalise your new room and give it some magic.

Printed pictures are a great way to remind yourself of good times, handmade decorations feel super personal and fairy lights are just absolutely amazing, end of.

3. Look After Your Money
It’s important to create a budget that works for you.

This could mean determining how much you spend a week, or just being mildly aware of your outgoing costs. Either way, you need to know how much you’re spending compared to how much you have and keep track of it on the regular, or you’re going to end up having something like ten pairs of new shorts and a massive panic attack a few months in (totally not taken from personal experience).

4. Learn To Cook

You can roll your eyes at this one but I cannot stress enough how great it is when you can have your mum’s home-cooked chilli whenever you want – cooked by yourself. Amazing. So proud of you.

5. Don’t Worry Too Much About First Impressions

You’re almost guaranteed to make friends in a new place, especially at university. Even if you’re like me and you worry what people think of you constantly, try not to waste extra time worrying about first impressions. It’s usually awkward for everyone and has no bearing on the forming of friendships. You’re gonna be okay. Just try to, you know, not insult them or punch them in the face.

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6. Educate Yourself On Independent Living Costs

This means finding out which bills are which and how much on average people pay for them, and how much you’re paying for them. It also means spending unnecessary time trying to figure out what agency fees are and how they can possibly so expensive. I mean, apart from filing a few papers, what do they do? Don’t get mugged off.

7. Figure Out What Works For You When You Get Homesick

Some people Skype their parents, some people get a train home for the weekend and some people spend time with friends to take their mind off it. Personally, I stalk the Facebook pages that me and my brother made for our cats when we were younger. Everyone has something.

8. Get Into The Routine Of Maintaining Your Space

In a house, this means making sure the lights and oven are turned off, making sure the front door is locked and making sure the bins are out. Keeping things clean is probably a good piece of advice too. I don’t usually dish it out if I can’t take it – dish being the operative word – but don’t be like me. Do your washing up.