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Getting your own place and moving out can be a very scary prospect for some people. Even though they might have finally become an adult and now is the time to leave their parents’ home, they still might not feel completely ready to do so. Or perhaps they are still quite young but they are about to embark on a new adventure at college and have to move to a completely new city. Either way, getting your very first place on your own can be both scary and exciting at the same time.
One reason why some people find the prospect of moving out so daunting is that they don’t think they will be able to cope with all the responsibilities that come with having your own place. After all, you will need to deal with any breakages and repairs, and you’ll also need to make sure that you keep on top of all the cleaning and other household chores, doing home improvements such as painting and putting up wallpaper, and more. One thing is for sure, living on your own will certainly come with a lot more work that needs to be done! But I’m sure that you will agree that it is worth it all for the extra privacy and independence that you will get with your own place.
There’s no need to worry quite so much about moving out into your very own place, though. Here are a few dos and don’ts that will make it work for you.
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Rush Finding The Perfect Place
First of all, it’s important that you don’t rush trying to find the perfect place. Deciding on a new house or apartment is a huge choice, and one that you should spend plenty of time mulling over. You need to weight up the pros and cons of all the ones that you see, and then use all of this information to see which is the best option for you. Of course, knowing the monthly rent or mortgage repayments will be a huge factor in this decision as you will need to make sure that you can afford wherever you move into.
Do Give Yourself Time To Settle In
You will probably feel a little strange for the first week or so in your new place. This is to be expected though as it will be the first time you have ever lived on your own – you won’t be used to not having someone around all the time! You just need to give yourself a little time to settle into your new life. Before you realise it, you will probably wonder why it took you so long to move out into your own place in the first place!
Don’t Neglect Doing A Budget
It is essential that you plan a budget once you have moved out. This should help you to manage your money better and will prevent you from accidentally slipping into debt. In the budget, you will need to include your regular monthly outgoings, like your rent and regular bills. Deduct these from your take-home pay and you should then see how much you are left with to spend on other essentials throughout the month. It’s a good idea to set yourself an amount to move over to a savings account as well as soon as you are paid. You’ll then find that it is quick and easy to establish an emergency fund for yourself.
Do Secure The Property
It’s necessary to add a little extra security to the property when you live on your own. Once you are out of the house or apartment, there’ll be no one else in it to look after it. One of the first things you should do is update and replace the locks on the main doors if they look quite old. Adding a burglar alarm and CCTV camera system will also ward off potential intruders. Another great tip is to move all your valuable items so that they aren’t visible to anyone walking past the property. If they are too big to move, like your TV or desktop computer, it will be a good idea to close the curtains whenever you are out so that there is nothing visible that could attract the attention of burglars. Don’t forget to also take out plenty of contents insurance just in case you are ever broken into.
Don’t Waste Time Setting Up Utilities
You need to register with a few utility companies as soon as you have moved into your new home. Don’t waste any time on this or else you could end up being charged a lot more than what you actually owe. The main companies you need to get in touch with are suppliers for electricity and gas. You will also have to register with the local water company as well. It’s also necessary to think about suppliers for your internet and home phone line as well as someone who can provide you with an on demand TV service. Once you are all registered, you can then start receiving your regular bills on a monthly basis.
Do Say Hi To The Neighbors
It’s always nice to pop around next door and introduce yourself to your new neighbors once you move into a new place. Not only is this a friendly thing to do, but it could be useful to get to know who you live next door to. If you ever have any problems, such as a water leak, you might have to pop around and let them know so that they can take action in their property. If you already know your neighbors then this won’t be such a scary thing to do!
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Don’t Be Complacent With Tidiness
It can be easy to be a slob when you live on your own. After all, there is no one else telling you to clean up after yourself! However, it’s always best to try and tidy and clean your new place as much as possible. This will create a much more hygienic living space and will also make your house or apartment look a lot nicer as well. You also never know when your friends or family might decide to pop in and visit you, so it’s always best to keep on top of the tidying to prevent your home being a big mess when someone does surprise you with a visit.
Do Spend Time On The Decor
Now that you have your very own place, you will be able to decorate it however you want! You won’t have to ask permission from your parents and you won’t have to make any of the usual compromises that you might have to when living with flatmates. You can really go wild with your new place’s decor and create an interior that really reflects your personality and style. You’ll also be able to fill it with your favorite styles of furniture as well. By creating a pleasant decor that appeals to your taste and style, you will find that it is a lot quicker to settle into your new place.
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Don’t Stay Cooped Up
Some people find that it can be all too easy to end up cooped up in their own place. As they don’t see their friends and family as much as what they might have used to, they may be a lot more inclined to spend most of their evenings in. Some individuals find that they don’t go out as much as they used to just to keep their expenses down. However, it’s really important that you get out and meet up with friends and family as much as you possibly can when you move into your own place. Otherwise, you might end up feeling quite isolated.
Do Throw A Housewarming
Why not throw a housewarming and invite all of your friends and family? This gives them all the chance to see your new place. Once they’ve been round, they will have a better idea of where you now live and will know exactly how to get there the next time they visit. Don’t forget to warn your neighbors that things might be a bit louder than usual throughout the evening. In fact, why not invite them as well and then they might not complain so much about all the noise as they’ll be too busy enjoying the party!
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Don’t Forget To Learn Some DIY Skills
Now that you live on your own, you will need to take care of any repairs and maintenance that needs to be carried out in your home. You could call out a handyman to take care of all this work for you, but that could end up being very expensive. Instead, it’s best to learn a few DIY skills so that you can do some of the more simple jobs yourself. It’s also worth getting yourself familiar with your local hardware store so that you know all of the tools and materials that are readily available to you.
Hopefully, all of these dos and don’ts will help you enjoy your new place!
