Moving out of home for the first time can be a scary prospect no matter how old you are.
Whether you’re nervous, excited, intimidated, or jumping for joy, channel any and all energy into the big move!
Related Articles:
- Why Should I Get Moving Insurance?
- Moving Interstate Checklist and Tips
- 4 Things We Always Forget Before Moving House
Decide if moving out is the right decision
There are a million reasons for why you may feel like right now is the best time to move, but no matter what, you should approach the task with a cool and collected headspace. With this comes deciding if the move is even the right decision for you.
Asking yourself questions such as ‘am I ready to move out for the first time’ or ‘what are my options’ can save a whole lot of trouble in the long run.
Making a rash decision when it comes to moving out is dangerous. By considering all possible avenues, you are preventing yourself from making a decision you may later regret.
Finding your new home
Figuring out how to move out is only one part of the journey. Finding the perfect place to live can be an entirely different monster to have to tackle!
First, you should consider if you want to buy, share, or rent your new place. The right property for you may be a complete change from what you’re used to.
Ask yourself: Do I want to share a flat? Can I afford to live alone?
Before diving in, you may want to test out how much you like different living arrangements. Perhaps a share house is the better option for you.
Sorting out finances
If your major concern is figuring out how to move out of your home, being stressed about finances has the potential to completely divert your plans.
Moving out of home for the first time can be an expensive journey, so a mixture of bad budgeting and newfound independence can lead to financial turmoil. This is why planning ahead is your best bet.
Learning how to move out with no money is a whole different discussion compared to if you have money but just don’t know how to properly manage it for a big move. So, firstly, you must calculate your monthly income and begin planning monthly budgets for bills, food, and more.
Pay any and all bills on time so that you are not caught up with bad credit and make a moving out for the first time checklist to properly visualise steps that need to be taken.
Remember to budget for extra things that come with moving such as rental bonds, cable TV, gas, internet connection fees, furnishing costs, and more.
Living alone involves chores
Don’t think that just because you are moving out of home for the first time you can get away with living a similar lifestyle. Independence equals freedom, and freedom equals managing responsibilities.
As a newly independent person, you have to keep up with the things you used to be pestered about in the past. This includes chores, cooking meals for yourself, taking out the garbage, and more.
Even though you may be tempted to dine out instead of cook for yourself, living independently entails responsibly managing your money. If you have to pay bills for your new apartment, you will also use your money wiser.
Let your family or flatmates know
When moving out of home for the first time, it is important to communicate your big move with your former flatmates. This avoids conflict and misunderstanding from occurring between all of you.
By setting ground rules, respecting each other’s opinions and reasons for moving, and being open to new possibilities, you will probably leave that relationship in a good place.
A popular question that is asked is ‘what age can you move out in Australia?’ The answer is that you know you are ready to move out when you can have mature, healthy communication with the flatmates you are leaving.
Consider what could go wrong
Moving out of home for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. This is why you must take the necessary precautions to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
One of these precautions is hiding a spare key for your new home. Surprise, after-hours calls for a locksmith lead to excessive fees and an annoying wait time. To avoid this, always hide a spare key!
Another important precaution to take is staying in touch with those you left behind. Even though you are changing your life, keeping those connections alive can make you feel a lot less lonely.
Practice budgeting and housework
If this whole thing just sounds like too much for you, try a practice trial! Prioritise budgeting and housework to see how you fare when faced with those tasks alone in a new apartment.
A way to do this is by staying with a friend for a short amount of time or getting your own short-term rental for a few months. After all, it can help significantly in the long run.
Never be afraid to ask for help
Even though you will be taking on this new, independent life, it is important to remember that you can always ask for help.
Whether they are family and friends, significant others, or even old teachers, having someone to assist and guide you through something as big as moving out of home for the first time can be beneficial.
If you do not have someone like that to consult, you can always utilise community and government organisations that are meant for offering support. Depending on where you live, you can access the following:
- Lifeline 13 11 44
- Relationships Australia Telephone 1300 364 277
- Home Ground Services 1800 048 325
- Centrelink Crisis or Special Help Telephone 13 28 50
Like what you’re reading?
Keep yourself updated with useful tips like these by downloading our app for the full Soho experience. Not only are we finding you your dream home, but we’re also helping you save for it and decorate it! So don’t forget to swipe on your property matches so we can get you there faster.
