3 Things to Consider When Moving Out
I had been planning to move years before I got a break. Just 20 at the time, I never thought I’d move out of my parent’s house; but I did.
And looking back, I was reminded of a few things that eased the stress of moving.
1) Setting a budget or at least a savings goal
2) Figuring out who to move with
3) Pinterest
Budgeting
This is basic but helpful. It’s important to start budgeting and tracking your expenses beforehand because anything can come up. Unwarranted expenses are a part of life.
Before my move, I only had a simple 70/30 rule.
Being privileged to not have bills at the time, I could save more. With each check, 70% went to savings and 30% would be spending money. With this model, I had enough room to manage the percentage consumed in future bills.
My goal was 1,000. With retail, I averaged $300-$600 a check if I got hours. So I should’ve moved out in x months, provided the focus.
The timing and specific numbers aren’t the end-all, be-all. If you live in a different location, 1,000 may not be enough and your income may look different.
Figure out your percentage. It doesn’t have to be 70/30, some people use 80/20, some don’t even use that system.
Other systems may add more focus like tracking down the amounts right down to each cent. It just depends on personal preference.
Roommates, anyone?
This is probably the second messiest part aside from money. Before you commit to not moving alone, consider a few questions:
Are you moving with friends or a significant other?
Have you had a thorough discussion with the other party about living conditions?
Are they responsible and dependable enough to clear those bills on time?
Consider who you’re moving with seriously, in case a simple personality trait turns into a quality of life issue. Living styles combined with different spending habits can lead to some conflict.
Let’s say you’re more so tidy but the person you move with only cleans “when necessary”. You may have a few arguments if you keep waking up to just a clean enough kitchen.
If you’re already comfortable with the person, then great. But make sure seeing them every day won’t ruin the dynamic in your standing relationship.
When it comes down to it, that extra help when the rent is due can take a load off. But sometimes it doesn’t work out with other people.
Whether you move with someone or not, make sure you join an agreement with a back door for you if things go south — either being a loophole in the lease or extra savings. Just be sure to think ahead.
Entirely optional, but recommended.
If you’ve never had an interest in Pinterest and you don’t plan on starting, hear me out.
Pinterest is essentially an idea platform. Inspiration.
During my move, I didn’t have any concept of how I was going to decorate. I mentally mapped out so many arrangements before applying to my current place that I was just tired of my expectations. I was low on vision.
When I told my friend this, she recommended Pinterest for some ideas. I was skeptical, having looked down on the app in the past. But I was wrong.
When used for brainstorming, it’s a solid tool. Not only does the site have decoration inspiration, but a lot of helpful tips for moving in general. This consists of lists of room-by-room essentials lists, move day checklists, organization tips, and more.
Although it seemed unnecessary, I took a lot of inspiration and was able to furnish my place with a little more confidence after scrolling through so many cute rooms for hours. I still reference projects saved on the day to this day.
These were three of the biggest ideas of forethought that enhanced my move and continue to affect me now.
It’s the little things in beginning planning that can have the most impact so it’s better to plan for way longer than you think you need to.
- Budget it out. Estimate costs a little higher to make sure you can handle expenses.
- Confirm and be able to trust who you’re moving with. Be fully informed of your options whether moving with someone or moving alone.
- Pinterest has great inspiration. Whether you need a check-list for the moving day or a reminder of emergency essentials you’ve forgotten, there’s a post about it.
Thanks for reading!
