Moving Out for The First Time (tips and checklist inside)

If you’re anything like me moving out has to be the greatest relief of all time. It’s a beautiful yet intimidating moment that will for sure send you into a spiral of countless emotions. After years of living with your parents the process of leaving the nest becomes a journey on its own. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but in the end it’s more worth it than you actually think.

Today I’m going to be going over some very useful information you’ll need to start this journey off right!

Saving

ALWAYS save. Saving money is the biggest piece of this crazy puzzle. When it comes to moving out money is probably the biggest part of it all. Depending on the cost of living in your city it would be helpful to start saving as soon and for as long as possible.

A super easy way to save for me was taking a specific amount of money out of my paycheck that I knew wouldn’t leave me super tight on money. I would cash my check and turn 100-200 dollars (50 dollars or 100 dollars per paycheck) into quarters to make absolutely certain I wouldn’t have easy access to spending it. That plan turned out to be one of the most helpful things I could have ever started doing. In all last year I ended up saving 2,400 which in turn helped tremendously and will help even more when my tax return comes in!

Saving is crucial because in all you’ll have far more expenses than just security deposits and utility bills. So much more goes into moving. Things like furniture and appliance costs can get pretty steep as well. For me moving out became a two year plan that I implemented and the saving truly helped! Always consider saving as long as you possibly can before plunging into such a foreign concept of being responsible for literally every aspect of your life. Nobody is there to hold your hand. Be sure you’re ready.

Accumulation

This for sure helped me a ton while I was saving. Every month at the end of the month for the last two years I went on a little shopping trip. Each trip I would get small things for my future apartment and store them in my house so I’d have an accumulation of things to leave with. It’s so much better than starting from scratch.

Also a good thing to know is you don’t have to start off with super fancy stuff for your house. You’ll have so much time to make your house into your home and it’s better not to break the bank when starting off.

For example most of my shopping trips were spent at Family Dollar and the Dollar Tree I got super inexpensive cutlery, pots and pans, towels, and so much more. It’s easy to want to go crazy decorating a new place but the big picture is to move in. Plus, it gives you more time to decide on the decor of your new place.

Estimation of Monthly Expenses

It will all depend on what city or state you live in but I’m going to show you an example of some things you need to consider. Paying bills when renting is month to month so let’s see what monthly expenses should look like.

Rent: 650

Utilities(gas, water, electric, etc.): 150

Groceries: 200

Gas: 50-70

Cellphone bill:35-70

Car Note: 200

Monthly toiletries: 30-60

Leisure money: *your choice based upon your income*

All in all you are looking at at least 1,300 dollars a month or more. These are things you have to be very mindful of before even considering moving out. It’s definitely not something you want to rush if you don’t have to.

Things You’ll Need When Making The Big Move

Living Room:

coffee table

couch

lamps

tv/tv stand

end tables

Bedroom:

mattress

bed frame/ box spring

dresser

hamper

desk

lamps

bed-side tables

Kitchen:

dining table

plates

cups

silverware

pots & pans

mixing bowls

cooking utensils

appliances

dish towels

dish soap

dish rack

ice cube tray

food containers

foil

sandwich bags

can opener

refrigerator/oven (if not provided)

trashcan

Bathroom:

candles/spray

hand soap

lotion

body wash

wash clothes

towels

toothbrush

medicine

toothpaste

toilet paper

trash can

shower curtain

storage containers

Misc:

cleaning supplies

tool kit

first aid kit

batteries

powerstrips

flashlights

extension cords

matches

broom

vacuum

light bulbs

umbrella

curtains

writing utensils

trash bags laundry soap

There are so many things to purchase and take with you on this exciting journey. It’s something I thoroughly loved to do. It’s a super exciting adventure and I truly hope this article can help in some small way!