5 Tips That Will Help You Survive Moving Out for the First Time

Moving Out for the First Time Is a Lot Easier With Some Excellent Tips

While staying at your parents’ place well into adulthood is certainly a very convenient option, everyone has to move out at one point or another. However, leaving the nest is a lot more complicated than just packing your bags and going out through the door, and many people simply aren’t ready for the change that an independent life brings. If you want to learn how to move out for the first time, we have prepared five excellent long-distance relocation tips that will allow you to get through the process with ease.

#1 Make Sure You’re Financially Stable Before Relocating

Whether you are planning on relocating to another state alone or simply changing one city for another, figuring out your current financial situation should be the first thing on your to-do list. Living on your own will require you to have a stable income, which is why you should always try to get a job in the new city before actually relocating there.

While you might be able to survive without a job for a little while, spending money without earning anything will only cause your savings to dry up much more quickly. You should also start tracking your monthly expenses, as this will help you figure out how much money you will need to live comfortably after leaving the nest.

Creating a “Moving Out on Your Own for the First Time” Budget Will Help You Leave the Nest

Living alone will require you to take care of all the expenses on your own, so it’s crucial to create a good relocation budget right away. With that in mind, how much money should you have when you first move out? While the amount needed will vary depending on where you decide to live, it’s recommended that you save up about three months’ worth of expenses.

Considering this sum includes everything from your relocation expenses to your monthly rent, utility bills, and food, you might have to gather as much as several thousands of dollars. While saving this might take a while when starting from scratch, it beats having to go back to your parents’ place as soon as you’re out of a job. At the bare minimum, try to have at least $2,000 in your bank account, as this will keep you afloat in case of an emergency.

#2 Consider Your Housing Needs and Find a Suitable Home to Live In

Finding a suitable dwelling is one of the hardest things to do when relocating to a new city, especially when it’s your first move. Before starting the search, it’s important to carefully consider what you want your future home to look like, as this will allow you to skip all the places that don’t fit the criteria. However, know that landing a perfect apartment on your first try is incredibly hard to do, so be prepared to make some compromises.

What Should You Consider When Looking for an Apartment?

Since rent is the single biggest expense you’ll have when you move out, finding an apartment you can actually afford should be your number one priority. No matter where you choose to relocate, housing costs should not take up more than a third of your entire monthly budget. Anything more than that, and the apartment is simply too expensive. Other things to consider besides the rent costs include:

• Apartment size – While you certainly won’t require three bedrooms when relocating on your own, there should still be enough space to fit all your stuff. If it doesn’t, you will either have to rent a storage unit from a long-distance moving company or decide what to keep and what to get rid of before the move.
• Local crime rates – Safety should always be one of the top priorities, so try to move to a neighborhood that’s at least safe during the day. This is crucial when relocating from a small town to a big city, as they typically have much higher crime levels.
• Access to public transit – Remember to check whether the apartment you are interested in is close to the subway and other public transportation options. If there are none nearby, you will probably have to ship a car.
• The abundance of amenities – Considering each of us has different interests, it’s important that the neighborhood provides all the amenities you are looking for.

Apartment hunting can be challenging, and that’s especially true for a first-timer. If you need more advice on what to do when leasing your first apartment, check out the video below.

#3 Organize the Move by Creating a Detailed To-Do List

While planning a move to another city might be easy for a person who relocates every few years, it’s a lot harder for someone doing it for the first time. Considering how complex and chaotic a move can be, creating your very own relocating for the first time list will certainly make the process significantly more manageable. If anything, it will allow you to keep track of all the tasks you’ve yet to do, meaning you’ll never have to worry about forgetting something. To prepare for a move, you will have to:

• Declutter – While you might be tempted to pack and move everything at once, your new apartment checklist should only consist of things you genuinely need to get the place up and running.
• Get packing supplies – Preparing them for shipping is going to be vital, and for that, you will need a ton of boxes and packaging materials such as paper, bubble wrap, shrink wrap, and blankets.
• Pack everything – If you don’t want your belongings to suffer damage or become completely useless before they get to your future home, each item needs to be secured accordingly. Fortunately, there are plenty of packing and relocation tips you can use that will show you how to prepare just about everything.
• Change your address – Unless you are okay with mail and other packages arriving at your parents’ house, don’t forget to change your address before relocating. The process is straightforward and can easily be done through the US Postal Service (USPS) website.
• Set up utilities and services – Remember that your newest home won’t be livable until you’ve set up all the necessary utilities, including power, water, gas. You should also transfer all existing subscriptions and services to the new address.

Getting Cross-Country Moving Services Will Help You Prepare All Your Stuff in a Single Day

Since you probably don’t know how to organize a relocation, it’s best to hire a cross-country moving company to assist you. These professionals provide all sorts of long-distance moving services, meaning they are capable of handling all your relocation needs. For starters, they will provide a truck and a driver, allowing you to transport all your belongings across the country with ease. If you require some packing assistance, they can pack furniture and all the fragile items you wish to move within a single day.

Finding a relocation professional is pretty easy, as all you have to do is go on Google and search “long distance movers near me.” However, before you book a move with the first thing that pops on, remember to check if the relocation company is legit. After all, doing your research will prevent you from falling for a relocation scam. To get the best deal possible, you should also try to get a free quote from at least three companies before finally choosing a relocation company.

#4 Get Used to Doing House Chores and Practice Good Habits

While everyone talks about how great getting an apartment out of state and living on your own is, no one mentioned that you would also be responsible for all the house chores. That’s right, you won’t be able to count on your parents to fix everything, so it’s best that you start getting used to doing some key tasks even before relocating.

Considering you’ll also start working (if you haven’t already), going to bed early is undoubtedly one of the habits you want to adopt as early as possible. You should also get used to paying bills when they are due and cleaning up immediately after making a mess. Having a good routine will also allow you to adapt to your new situation much more quickly and keep you from experiencing a ton of relocation anxiety immediately after the move.

Learn Some Important Life Skills Like Cooking and Doing Laundry

Although cleaning a home is something almost anyone can do without assistance, a surprising number of people leaving the nest don’t know how to cook even a simple meal. Unless you are okay with eating microwave food or have a budget to order take-out three times per day, try to learn how to make at least a few simple meals.

If you are looking for ideas, try boiling some eggs or vegetables, or bake some peeled potatoes. While it might take a while to get comfortable with more complex dishes, it’s good to know you won’t die of hunger just because you can’t order food from a restaurant. Besides cooking, you also want to learn how to do laundry, iron clothes, organize important documents, or even change a light bulb.

#5 Getting a Roommate Makes the Process Much Easier

The first move is always tricky, but you can still get a roommate if you are anxious about relocating to another state alone. While it might feel like a safety net, sharing your living space with another person provides a ton of benefits. For starters, if you wish to rent an apartment that’s too expensive for you, finding a roommate will essentially double your housing budget.

You can also agree to split the chores or create an alternating schedule, so no one has to do the same thing over and over again. More importantly, it won’t take you nearly as long to adjust to your newest living situation. However, it’s crucial that you find someone you’re compatible with, or you’ll only end up relocating again as soon as things start going south.

In most cases, it’s best to start living with someone you already know, like a friend, cousin, or even an acquaintance. If none of your contacts are looking to move, you can find a roommate by posting on social media, placing an ad, or using some of the best roommate apps.

Use the Advice We Gave You and Have a Successful First Relocation

Setting out on your own takes some getting used to, but the entire process will certainly be a lot easier if you apply everything we mentioned here. Since this is your first relocation, don’t hesitate to ask for help. After all, your close ones are certainly more than happy to assist you in making this big step.