What No One Tells You About Moving Out on Your Own

After Graduation

Graduation is an exciting time full of energy and fun, but once the celebration is over you realize that you have a lot of decisions to make: Where will I live? What job is right for me? What do I do now that I am supposed to be a functioning adult? These are questions that most recent grads ask themselves.

Moving out on your own isn’t just about changing your address, it's the start of your new life; and while sometimes it can be overwhelming, it can also be very exciting! Whether you are moving one town over or moving all the way across Ohio, enjoy the journey and know that it will take time, and that you don’t need to have everything figured out right away.

Planning Before Moving Day

No matter if you are moving 3 blocks or 300 miles, it is very important to have a clear moving plan. This is something I really wish I would have made when I first decided to move, because there are a lot of moving parts that I didn’t consider. When moving away for the first time it's important to plan things like making a budget, making a timeline, finding a new job in the area, and how you’re going to transport all your belongings.

The first step to every move is to make a timeline. Now, a timeline for a move three blocks away is going to look a lot different than if you are moving from Columbus to Cleveland. You need to figure out when and where you want to move first, then the real planning begins! Think of the timeline as a checklist of all the things that need to happen before moving. Remember planning your move is the first lesson in independence, cut yourself some slack if things don’t go to plan.

Figure Out What You Actually Need

When moving it's easy to want to bring all your stuff with you to save money, when really you only need the essentials and the rest will come later.

College students often accumulate a lot of things. It's best to go through all of it before you move and ask yourself a few questions: Have I worn this in the past year? Do I really need to bring all my school supplies? When was the last time I used that? When I moved to the area not too long ago I brought everything with me to save money, but it ended up being a lot more work than I bargained for.

Less is more while moving, so donate, recycle or give away everything you don’t need and allow someone else to start fresh as well. This is your space, don’t let it get cluttered by all the things you've had since you were a baby. I would recommend keeping regularly worn clothing, a few board games, and small furniture. Leave the big stuff at home and buy that when you are all settled in. Of course keepsakes and family heirlooms are okay, you’re decluttering, not starting over completely.

Pack With Purpose

Once you’ve decided what you are wanting to bring, it's important to pack efficiently. Keep everything organized; pack boxes room by room, making sure everything is labeled. Remember to not over pack boxes, or else they could rip or you could get injured when trying to lift them; before sealing a box pick it up to make sure you are able to carry it, This step is the most important when packing or else you will be sore for days after moving. There are also alternatives to moving boxes such as plastic tubs or moving bags, these options are more reliable and less prone to breaking or tearing.

The most important thing is to make a ‘first night box’. This is a box full of things that need to be easily accessible, toiletries, medicines, change of clothes, snacks, toilet paper, and I recommend also putting in your important documents so they don’t get lost in the sea of unpacked boxes.

Keep this box separate from the others, either put it in the front seat of the moving van or put it in a brightly colored tub so that you can easily find it. This way, you can take your time unpacking because you have all your essentials already at your disposal.

Build Your First Real Budget

Before the move, it's very important to make a budget so the excitement of living on your own doesn’t cost you your whole life's savings. Every budget should start with fixed expenses including rent, insurance, utilities, and loans. Once you’ve determined how much you absolutely have to spend, then you can start to figure out how much you are able to allocate to other things like groceries, subscriptions, entertainment, and emergency funds.

First things first: figure out how much money you actually bring home each month after taxes and deductions. Include any reliable side income or tips, and if your income varies, use a realistic average. This number is your starting point. It helps you create a budget that covers your needs, savings, and a little fun, too. It’s very important to remember, just because you make $3000 a month does not mean you have that much to spend.

When I first started to budget I felt like I couldn’t have any fun, but you can still have a life on a budget. Setting aside money for going out with friends or for a sweet treat here and there can really help with the stress of moving, and I would even say it's a “must have” expense.

Something that I wish I had done before making a budget is to look at the cost of living in your area and see what the average spending is, then adjust to your personal needs. Also, make sure to look at prices of multiple apartments and tour at least 3 before making a decision so you're not stuck somewhere that you don’t really like for a year or more.

For the first few months, you might go over budget on some things or you might not. Everyone’s experience will be different. It’s important not to compare yourself to others, especially when you are first starting out. There’s a learning curve to everything.

Getting Comfortable on Your Own

Once you are living by yourself, there isn’t anyone to remind you to do things around the house, it’s all up to you. Whether it's doing the laundry, taking out the trash, replacing light bulbs, or scheduling repairs. You are responsible for taking care of yourself and your apartment/house.

It’s best to put all your deadlines on a calendar so you don’t forget anything. Or if you don’t really use calendars, you could set reminders or alarms on your phone too. You don’t need to know how to do everything, the best thing is to recognize a problem and figure out what to do next, whether it's having to do 5 loads of laundry because you forgot, or calling a plumber to fix the broken pipes.

Learn To Feed Yourself

I know it may seem silly to talk about, but it's a big step when you are on your own. When you first move out, you don’t have a built in meal plan or parents who buy all the groceries. You have to learn how to do it yourself so you don’t end up eating take out everyday.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what kind of food you would like to eat. If you need help figuring out meal ideas, you could either: look it up online or ask your parents for ideas (you're becoming independent, not cutting yourself off from your family). Once you’ve got a few meals in mind you can start to build a grocery list and get what you need.

Don’t just “ingredient” shop, buy essentials that can be used in almost everything like seasonings, bread, vegetables, and go-to proteins . Another thing to do is learning to use leftovers. I didn’t realize how much leftovers I would have after cooking for myself, but I would recommend having a leftover night once a week so nothing goes to waste. Learning to doctor or revamp leftovers so they are fun and exciting is a big part of living on your own. Even better, if you know you won’t use leftovers, try making smaller portions so there isn’t any food waste.

You don’t need to become a chef, the goal is to know enough about food that you don’t rely on take-out everyday.

Don’t Forget the Administrative Things

This next step is really easy to forget, you need to change your address in all the different systems. There are a lot of places that need your address and it's easy to forget to tell them all, USPS, banks, employers, doctors, subscriptions, taxes, and make sure to send it out to all friends and family.

Along with changing your address a few other administrative things need done like setting up utilities in your name, internet, getting renters insurance, and understanding your lease. The key is to stay organized, making an email that is just for bills and other important administrative tasks. Trust me, all these things aren't that exciting, but it’s very important and needs to be done either before or soon after you move.

Making Friends After College

Something that I really struggled with is making friends as an adult. College gives you a built-in social life, but when you move away you will have to actively create one.

It's hard to make friends when you move to a town where you don’t know anyone, but it's still possible. The first thing you could do is, start with talking to coworkers. After school the next built-in social group you have is your job. Reach out and start getting to know your coworkers, before you know it they can go from coworkers to friends.

Getting involved in community events and organizations is another good way to make friends. You can find events easily either from the city's website or even Facebook groups. I know it’s difficult to go out and do things on your own, but don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone a little bit. Making friends as an adult can feel really awkward at first and that's totally normal!

Find Your Place in Your New Community

A new community means that you have to find all new go-to places. Explore your new home and find your place.

Visit a few coffee shops until you find your favorite place, go to the local restaurants, get a library card at the local library, go to festivals, and visit the farmers market. Getting out in the community will make being on your own less scary because you will have places to go that you are familiar with and feel comfortable with. I didn’t do this until almost two months after I moved, and I honestly wish I had done it sooner. Once I did, I felt so much less lonely and more connected.

Give Yourself Time to Adjust

It will take time to find a new normal, you aren’t going to be a perfectly functioning adult overnight. Moving out on your own can feel amazing one day and overwhelming the next.

The first few months you might overspend, forget a bill, burn dinner, or feel like everyone else has life figured out and you are falling behind. That’s okay! Everyone goes through this when they leave home, it's part of life and a part of being an adult.

It's important to remember that independence doesn’t mean doing everything yourself and never needing help. I call my friends and my siblings at least once or twice a week to ask them how to do something, just because you live on your own doesn’t mean you are alone. It means learning how to handle things, making decisions, asking for help when necessary, and gradually becoming comfortable taking care of yourself.

You’re Building a Home, Not Just Moving

Life after graduation can seem very scary because you are technically an adult now. For the first few years it will feel like you are a semi-functioning adult, but everyone feels that way after college.

Your first apartment might be terrible, or your first job has nothing to do with your degree that you spent years working on, don’t worry, it's not forever. When you are older you will look back on the things you did when you first moved out on your own and laugh. It might not be funny now but that’s okay, you’re still learning and figuring everything out.

Give yourself permission to figure things out as you go. Life’s a dance, enjoy it!