How to Move Out of Your Parents House

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So, the time has come for you to leave the comfort of your parents’ home and begin the life of an independent adult. You will have the ability to come and go as you please, set your own house rules, and invite as many guests as you want. Taking this step into adulthood is as exciting as it is daunting, but with your newfound freedom come a series of responsibilities (rent, bills, groceries, cooking, and cleaning).

It is easy to become overwhelmed when confronted with the realities of adult life and what moving out of your parents’ home actually entails. Don’t worry though, we have consulted with a removals company in London to create this comprehensive guide on how to move out of your parents house. With a little thought and preparation, you can step out into the world with confidence.

How to Move Out of Your Parents House

Once you have decided to move out of your parents house, it is understandable to be excited and eager to throw off those parental shackles. However, it is best that you prepare and learn as much as possible about managing a household from your parents before you go. Listed below are some critical items to consider in advance of moving out.

Find a Job

It should go without saying that living independently costs money. To be able to support yourself financially, you will need to have a steady job which pays enough to cover all of your monthly expenses and still leaves you with an adequate amount of unexpected expenses, savings, or just for socializing.

The general rule of thumb for renting is that your rent should be equal to one-third of your monthly salary. Any more than this and you run the risk of backing yourself into a financially difficult situation unless you intend on making major lifestyle changes.

Moving Out Process

Moving will expensive, regardless of whether it is the first time or the tenth time you do so. During each move, there are always unexpected expenses and the same can be said for our daily lives – you never know when you will have to hire an emergency locksmith or a plumber.

This is why it is rather imperative to have savings you can dip into if needed. Before moving out of your parents house, it is also advisable that you work and save as much money as possible for at least six months. After saving for half a year, you will be more secure in your job, and you can move out with the confidence that you can meet any and all expenses, as well as not running the risk of going hungry.

Food Budgeting

Do you know how much the weekly or monthly grocery bill is? Do you know how to prepare meals more substantial than beans on toast?

If not, ask your parents about the food bill and go shopping with them on several occasions to learn how to shop as you may be surprised at just how expensive food can get. Here is a neat tip to get you started – while your parents are still paying for your food, take an extra trolley and fill it as though you are shopping for yourself. Whichever of your parents usually does the shopping can then help you point out the essentials as you make your way through the supermarket. This is an excellent way to learn how to shop, as well as how much you can expect to pay every time you go grocery shopping.

How to Live on Your Own

As for cooking, if you haven’t learned to do it yet, then do so as early as possible. The importance of this life skill cannot be understated! Not only is this an essential component of staying healthy, but you will also save money. Fast food and takeaways are a lot more expensive than home-cooked meals. You will also be able to impress your friends, family, or potential partners and host awesome dinner parties.

Ask whoever does the cooking at home to teach you a few basic recipes. A great place to start is with large dishes that can be separated and frozen, such as bolognese sauce, stew, and soup. You don’t have to be a Michelin star chef by the time you leave home, but you should be capable of preparing at least three meals. With the power of the Internet and a few basic cooking skills under your belt, you can quickly learn how to cook other dishes in the future.

Apartment Hunting

Now that you have a job, have saved some money, and are learning to cook, it is time to start looking for a place to live. The first thing to decide is whether you want to live alone or in a house share. Each of the options has their good and bad points to consider. Living alone is great because you have more privacy, a greater sense of independence, and there are no arguments over who is going to do the chores. The downside, however, is that this lifestyle is much more expensive as you are responsible for paying all the bills.

House sharing arrangements are an excellent option because the monthly bills are split, the chores are divided, and there are people to talk to and socialize. The downside of house sharing is that living with others can be difficult. Some people may not take their chores seriously, while others may enjoy blasting the hits of the ‘90s at 3am. Even if you screen potential flatmates or just live with friends, at some point you will find that the way in which one of your flatmates does something is driving you crazy.

Once you have decided on your living arrangements, you can start looking at properties which fall within your budget. А few things to consider while looking at potential properties are: is there a good phone coverage, is the property damp or moldy, do you feel safe in the neighborhood, is there parking or public transport nearby, and if there are shops and other amenities within a reasonable distance.

How Much Money Do You Need to Move Out

So, you’ve made it this far – you found an ideal place to live in and the plan on how to move out of your parents house is becoming more plausible as each day passes. Now is the time to start creating a budget for your move and your new, independent life.

When speaking with your estate agent about a property rental, it is important to get a clear understanding of the cost involved in moving in. This includes:

●    How much do you have to pay upfront?
●    What type of  security deposit is required?
●    Are there any charges for building maintenance?
●    What is included with the property? Is it fully furnished, partially furnished, or unfurnished?
●    Does it have all of the necessary appliances (fridge, washing machine, cooker)?
●    Does it need to be redecorated?

Once you have a good idea of the move in costs, you can start thinking about how you will move your belongings into your new place. Will your parents or friends help? Do you have to pay for their fuel? If you have furniture to move, can your parents and friends help or do you need to hire professionals? These are all details that you will have to take into consideration when putting a pre-move budget together.

While you are creating a moving budget, take the time to make a general monthly budget for your new life. Write down, or use a free online budgeting tool. Include all of the monthly expenses that must be paid, like rent, water, electricity, gas, Internet, TV, travel, and food. Then, make certain that you set aside enough of your salary every month to comfortably cover everything. If your bills are lower than expected, don’t spend the extra cash and save it instead.

Buying Vs. Renting

While most young adults rent their first home, buying a home is also an option to consider. Some parents offer to help with a down payment and leave the monthly mortgage payments up to the new homeowner. In some instances, a monthly mortgage payment could be less than rental payments, if the down payment is large enough. Seek help from someone like Blue Water Mortgage to learn more about the process if you are ready.

Young adults who buy their first home early in life can be set up for success by owning their home at a young age, and eventually, sell it to move on to something bigger. However, buying your first house can be a much more detailed process. You have to do plenty of research to make it work. Understanding the escrow process, dealing with real estate taxes and using a rental checklist will all help you feel confident stepping out of your parent’s house and into your own.

Whether you rent or buy, hiring a professional real estate agent can point you in the right direction. Although agents do cost additional money up front, they can help you many important questions.  Just like anything in life that you do for the first time, seeking wisdom and advice is a sign of maturity, not weakness. Search for a real estate agent who has worked with young adults and first-time home buyers before. They will be able to navigate you through the process step by step. This will lead to you having a clear understanding of the entire purchase.

Life Planning

Remember that one of the perks of renting a home is that you have a landlord.  They are responsible to take care of (and pay for) any maintenance issues that arise in the home. When you buy a home, those issues become your issues, and you will be responsible for taking care of them. Remember to factor in all of the “what if’s” when setting up your budget for purchasing a home.  It is imperative to have some type of cushion of savings to fall back on. Ask yourself…what if the roof gets damaged, a pipe bursts, or the carpet needs to be replaced.

Don’t forget to get an inspection before you sign on the dotted line.  This will insure that there aren’t any hidden issues that will pop up later, costing you money and causing stress.  Lawn care, upkeep of the exterior of the home, and following neighborhood policies are also your responsibility as an owner. Although it may seem exciting and “grown up” to purchase your first home, it is a major responsibility. Take into consideration the time, money and “know-how” involved in properly maintaining a home. Many young adults choose to rent because it gives them experience of living on their own, with good flexibility.

Good habits to form

You will quickly learn that adulthood is mostly a series of responsibilities. To make your life easier, it is best that you form some good habits as early as possible.

Chores

Learn how to do common household chores, such as laundry, hoovering, and mopping before moving out of your parents house.  You will be responsible for keeping your new place clean, and the practice will help. No one is going to be cleaning up after you nor doing your laundry, so develop good habits.  Start doing your chores before you run out of clean clothes and clean dishes. If it is difficult setting a cleaning routine, read “How to Create a House Cleaning Routine and Stick to It”.

How Much Money Do You Need to Move Out

As mentioned previously, getting into the habit of saving part of your salary every month is incredibly useful. If you are living, or have lived, from paycheck to paycheck, you know how devastating an unexpected bill or a burst pipe can be. But if you have been saving money each month, you will be able to better weather any storms caused by emergencies.

Beat the Fear of Leaving Home

Finally, feel free to reach out to family and friends for help if you find yourself in a difficult situation.  If are struggling financially, there is no shame in admitting that living independently is difficult. We have all gone through tough periodic challenges in life. Asking for help before the situation spirals beyond your control is perfectly acceptable.

Whether it is a small loan or going to your parents for dinner a few times a week, take all the help you can get. Speak to those closest to you about how to improve the situation.  And learn how you can avoid similar situations from occurring in the future.

So, there we have it. A quick guide to how to move out of your parents house. As with most things in life, the more prepared you are, the more successful you will become. Now that you have a plan, go out there and enjoy your life as an independent, successful adult in its full glory!

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