How to move out of your parent’s house and get your own place

You’ve just graduated from college? Congrats mate, you’re a champ! Wait, what do you mean you’re still living with your parents? That’s something you should focus on now that you’ve got a world of personal and professional possibilities at your feet. But before you start packing, take a few moments to go over this checklist and find out how to most efficiently evolve from a simple college grad into a successful, self-reliant adult.

Take out an emergencies-only credit card

Unless you already have piles of ready cash to buy your own flat, it would be smart to look into credit card options and select the one with a limit that fits your framework income. That way, it’ll be easier to pay off the debt you incur when starting the independent stage in your adult life. After your first credit card has been approved, make sure to use it for emergencies only to stay out of unwarranted financial hassle later on – this means knowing the differences between "need" and "want," and budgeting so you never run out.

Work out your daily agenda

Once you move out from your parent’s home, your daily routine will probably be in for a major change. As an employed adult living on their own, you’ll have to start making your own food and doing the grocery shopping along with taking care of various everyday chores and errands. If you don’t watch your step, you may soon find yourself locked out of precious Me Time, which is why you should work out a daily and weekly schedule complete with work, fitness, and leisure time.

Team up with the right roommates

If you can’t afford to buy or rent out a place of your own just yet, you can always team up with a roommate and make the financial aspect go a bit lighter on your wallet. Still, if you’re going to move in with a roommate, try to find a person whose lifestyle is compatible with yours as to avoid unfair chore distribution, arguments, or rent payment delays. The wrong roommate can make your life a living hell, so call your flatmate shots wisely.

No clutter on the premises, please

Your mom and dad may have put up with various bits and ends you didn’t want to let go of back in college, but you’ll need to do away with clutter now that you’re to start a life on your own. Go through your gear, see if you can donate some of unused belongings to charity, and throw away anything that’s broken, torn, or unusable. That way, you’ll free up storage space, make home maintenance easier, and set indoor energy on the right foot.

Clean up your housekeeping act

Now that your mom’s not around to keep your room orderly, you’ll have to do the cleanup work yourself. Set your housekeeping on the right foot by wiping all surfaces in your new place crispy-clean before unpacking. It’d be also neat if you and your roommate could set aside an hour or so over the weekends to clean the crib thoroughly: it’ll keep you in the landlord’s good books, plus you’ll always have the place ready in case unexpected guests drop by.

Home that fits your décor bill

Whether you’re living alone or with a roommate, your new place should feel like home, which is why you should set it up in line with your stylistic preferences, both outdoors and indoors. Don’t forget to ask the landlord for permission before making extensive décor changes, though! If you have a backyard or balcony, you can turn it into a snug garden nook using suave outdoor rugs, potted plants, and bamboo or rattan furniture.

Throw a housewarming party

Now that you’re all snuggly settled in your new home, you might as well stage an unforgettable housewarming party to celebrate the beginning of the new stage in your life. To throw the best housewarming event ever, you’ll need finger foods, drinks, decorations, handpicked playlist, and perhaps some chic gifts for the guests. You can make the invitations yourself and send them out at least a week before the party, but you can simply forward the invite via e-mail if it’s easier.

Find a job that fits your expertise

Unless you’ve spent a good part of your college days working towards a full-time job, you’ll need to start looking for paid work after you’ve got a place of your own. Depending on your field of expertise and target income, it may take a while to land the job of your dreams. If you can’t find a job in your industry right away, you can go over local vacancy ads and online freelance deals to find a temporary financial fix until something better comes along.

Start planning for the future

Another thing to take into account now that you’ve turned into an independent adult is that long-term personal and professional plans will help you steer your life in the right direction. If you’ve just graduated, you should sit down and decide on the type of job you’ll go after, and you should also set aside some of your time for personal development and professional education. It is always safer to have a game plan in place for the years to come than to play it by the ear.

Start saving for a place of your own

If you don’t want to spend a lifetime paying rent, you should start saving for a place to call your own at some point. As a rule, you should aim to put 10-20% of your monthly income aside, but if your wage doesn’t allow for such generous savings, you can always review your expenses to see if and where cuts can be made. After all, the cornerstones of your future are built today so don’t put off the tough adulting work for longer than you need to.

Ready to face the brave, new world on your own? Follow the steps listed above and set your life on strong and healthy legs as soon as you leave college. After all, you only live once, so make it count: move out, land your dream job, be active, pay the bills, cook your meals, make memories every day – and have fun while you’re at it. Good luck!