What No One Tells You When You Move Out
Whether at eighteen, thirty, or sixty-five, we all move out. Moving out is scary for everyone regardless of if you have been counting down the days or dreading it. It comes with a new independence and for most people is their first form of adult-ing.
I remember moving out and thinking that this was the beginning of my adult life. I was so excited: I personally felt trapped by my hometown and was waiting for a change, so this seemed like the perfect solution for me. Having said that I definitely wasn’t prepared for everything this newfound independence had to offer me.
I was moving out for university, so I, like so many students, had not only moved out of my parents’ house but also at the same time had gained about twenty other university students in my building. My accommodation was, in a sense a, big corridor. I had my own room, but I shared bathrooms, kitchens, and a common room. After a year of living like that, I then moved out with three friends I had made, and we now live in a flat. As someone who is only twenty, I don’t know everything. That said, I will tell you what I wish I knew before moving enough.
Budgeting is both the best and worst thing. I cannot stress this enough. Since I had never lived on my own, I never really considered how much money it would take to sustain my life. Being given a student loan feels like you are given a golden ticket--it is a sum of money that is yours to spend however you wish. Sounds exciting right? It is, until you spend all your money on clothes, alcohol, or takeout and end up having to live off of instant noodles for the rest of the term. Having your own money really makes you think and what you need and what you want in a new way. Everyone I know has had at least one bad spending spree and then have crawled to a relative or friend asking to borrow money. Trust me it’s embarrassing, but it does happen. Budgeting doesn’t mean can’t do fun things. It’s just about making sure you can go to the Zoo and still afford to eat. My advice is to keep your receipts from your food shopping and to add that up to see how much money you then have spare. I personally like working my budget out weekly to see how much wiggle room I have. I will assure you there are some weeks you will spend more and others less. After a while of doing this, you will get the hang of making sure your money lasts. It’s all a learning curve, and you will mess up, but it’s not the end of the world.
Don’t settle for the first place you see. Even if you think it’s perfect. Unless you look extensively at multiple apartments and flats around the area, you will not know what you value in a new place until you see multiple places. Compromising when searching for a flat or house is essential, but it doesn’t have anything to do with who you live with this advice. You can live on your own and you still need to compromise. If you want say a double bed you may get that, but maybe you won’t have a bath. You may want a place by the park but then you don’t get the garden that you wanted. You need to prioritize what you want in your accommodation because it’s very unlikely you will get everything.
Ask about the CAP. I didn’t know this until our current landlord told us. In a place where are bills are included in your payment, there is a CAP on them. This means that we have electricity, water, and heating but there is a certain amount of it that you will be allowed to use. ASK. Every place has one, and a lot of the time they will not tell you.
Cheese and pillows are expensive--just a side note.
Lower your expectations with your place. It won’t instantly be your dream home. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a lovely space regardless.
When viewing a flat or house, look everywhere. The landlords and agents want you to live here so they will try and sell it to you. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things wrong with it. Look for mold, cracks, etc.
Neighbors will make or break a place. Just like the film Bad Neighbors, even if you don’t like them, try to have some sort of peace with them. Establish a good relationship with them, or they will not hesitate to call the police if you’re having a party, whereas they could be partying with you. Honestly, just make an effort to be civil with them or become their friends. I have had the same scenario happen twice with different outcomes. Our flat was having a Mama Mia night, in which we were drinking alcohol: one set of neighbors joined us, while the other called the landlord and described us as a “nuisance.”
Moving out is scary, but your hometown isn’t going anywhere. If you don’t like a place you can always move back, but it’s that initial leap of moving out of your hometown that will do wonders for you. Especially if it’s on your own.
You will have a whole new appreciation for your parents and everyone around you once you move out. You will finally get a glimpse at what your parents have been sheltering you from for years.
Once you are out of your siblings’ space 24/7, you may find out you like each other more. Now you don’t live together, you will spend time with them when you miss them, not because they are in the room next to yours.
Do not sleep with your flatmates. It always gets complicated or awkward, and then you’re stuck with them.
Do not buy everything for your house right away. For example, furniture takes time to gather. Space out your spending on them, and dedicate a bit of money each week to put towards that coffee machine you want.
Moving companies will cost more on the weekend, try to book it for a weekday if possible.
Take pictures as soon as you move into a place. If your landlord tries to talk to you about a mysterious crack in your wall, you can show them that it was there before you got there. It can be the difference between you earning back your deposit or not at all.
Learn to cook! Too many people move out and realize that they cannot cook. Even if it’s learning five quick meals to make when you’re tired and had a long day, they’re still extremely beneficial to know. You can pick up recipes online, but make sure you know the basics. Someone thought I was a Gordan Ramsey level because I knew how to peel a potato. Don’t be that person.
Ask about security cameras and locks on your door. We had someone try to get into our house, and we asked the landlord to check the security cameras only to then find out they were fake.
If you want to make friends with people around you, I suggest a house-warming party or going door to door introducing yourself. This leads back to what I said about neighbors.
Moving out is great, and I truly love living with my friends. When you’re on your own, it means no one can tell you what to do. That said, don’t be afraid to ask for help: the world can be scary and I’m sure there is someone out there willing to guide you.
Petition of the month!
“This petition is for Chunky the Chihuahua who was attacked for hours in what the RSPCA called one of the most disturbing cases of animal abuse they had ever seen. Chunky was, over a period of hours, beaten and drugged, his neck was broken, he was set on fire and finally he was dumped and left for dead. Despite serious injury, and against all odds, Chunky lived. The people who committed this abuse were only banned from keeping animals for five years. As an animal lover, who once owned a dog just like Chunky, I found this story highly upsetting. What shocked me is that these abusers and others like them will be able to own an animal again one day. There’s nothing to prevent them doing this again. I'm asking that anyone who abuses animals, regardless of their age, be placed on an Animal Cruelty Register which would follow them for life.”