Moving out of Home for the First Time

You may move out of home into a house share.

You may be moving in with a partner.

You may be heading for University.

Whatever the reason, moving away from home for the first time can be daunting: exciting and frightening, leaving what y ou know for a new stage in your life.

Here are our ten top tips to make the transition smoother:

1.       The most basic thing is having somewhere to go! Take a look at what you can realistically afford, and don’t go outside of your budget. If you can’t afford it, is there an alternative, like some kind of house share or a different type of accommodation?. Parents and guardians can sometimes be  great for helping with this, and by asking them for help budgeting, you are getting them used to the idea of your move as well. They’ll want to give you advice beyond the financial, of course. Just remember your move is often as much upheaval for them as for you,but the decision is often note theirs. Listen to their advice, accept help where appropriate and remember that simply listening to advice doesn’t mean you have to take it.

2.       Did we say budget? It’s really important to see that you can survive financially, so again, ask parents, guardians, friends and more to ensure that you’ve thought about all of the costs from food and heating through to council taxes and transport.  There is nothing more guaranteed to send you home with your tail between your legs than not being able to cope financially. For the same reason, it pays to know what items there are  in the place you’re moving into, and don’t go mad buying too much before moving. The shops will still be there when you move, and you’ll buy better when you know exactly what you need.

3.       Don’t underestimate the emotional side of moving out both for you and those you’re leaving behind. There will always be a good side for everyone, more freedom all round, but it’s also a big life change. Be prepared for your bedroom to become a guest room or be filled by someone else. It doesn’t mean you're not loved or missed. It simply shows that your family have accepted your move on to the next part of your life.

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4.       Moving out is physically as well as mentally/emotionally tiring. Make sure that on the day or days you move out you have planned well for food and rest breaks, both for you and for anyone helping you move. (Accept any help offered!) Plan and prepare well, but give yourself a break if things don’t come out exactly as planned. (Indeed, it will be a miracle if everything DOES go exactly as planned.)

5.       Try not to ‘burn your boats’. Big moves/changes can be wearing on everyone, including the people you are leaving behind. Try hard to smooth over any disagreements and forgive any short tempers. You want to be able to maintain relationships and maybe even, at some point, return home if you need to.

6.       On the subject of maintaining relationships, try and remember to call home roughly weekly, but don’t always make it the same day and time – the day you’re busy, or forget, they’ll worry. A friendly voice at the end of the phone may well, at some point, be very welcome. How often you plan to return in person will depend on how far away you are, but make a plan from day one and do your utmost to keep it. (At very least, going home may be the best meal you have in weeks!) Don’t abuse your welcome. Taking home your laundry whilst you’re waiting for your new washing machine to arrive is one thing. Expecting family and friends to constantly put up with your dirty washing is taking the mickey!

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7.       On the subject of which: do you know how to do your own washing, clean a home and cook?. If not, now’s the very best time to learn, whilst you’re still at home. Don’t get carried away. We all love a good British roast, but try that every day and you’ll very likely be broke within a month and be clogging up your arteries.

8.       Exercise! Join a gym if you haven’t already. Getting into good habits from day one is important, and exercise is good for mind as well as body. If you do have the blues or feel lonely, taking it out in the gym helps.

9.       Ask before taking. Your bed is in your room, and it’s yours while you’re there. But unless you bought it – or whatever you’re taking with you – it belongs in the home you’re leaving. Asking to take it will help reduce the chances of fall outs (see above!), and also give you a clear idea of what costs you may have on moving out  - if you need to buy a new bed, for example.

10.   Prepare your packing well. Know what’s yours and what you’re taking. Decutter! Pack whatever you can in advance. Get plenty of boxes in, ready to move with, don’t forget to mark what’s inside, and use the right tapes (Look at the easyStorageBoxes blog for packing tips!) When you move in, you may well be exhausted, so keep a suitcase with clean bedding, clean clothes, bathroom cosmetics, toilet paper etc to hand – everything you need for comfort, a good bath or shower with achy muscles, and somewhere clean to sleep. If you give priority on arrival to making up your bed on arrival – even before grabbing your favourite drink before bedtime -  you’ll get a better night’s sleep and life will seem easier when you wake up with lots still to do!

And of course if you, or the family you’re leaving behind, need storage space for things that won’t fit, or which you’re not sure you’ll need but want to keep, you know where we are! easyStorage.com