Well as soon as I get my student loan I am finally going to move out. Realistically I probably won’t actually move out till around October but I thought it would be a good idea to prepare myelf a little bit. For those of you who recently moved out or those who remember well the obstacles they had to deal with, tell me about your experiences and how you would do it over again. I will most likely have to get one, possibly two more student loans to support myself (though I will be working too) while in school. Any advice on student loans would be appreciated as well.
Unless you’re moving into a dumpster, and even if you move to a furnished place, the first month will include a lot of supplies that aren’t day-to-day expenses. A mop/broom/vacuum, for example.
Hand-me-downs are God’s gift to people moving out. Atheists can accept them too.
I’m assuming you’re going from parents’ house to your own place. See if your parents are willing to donate some of their older, more worn out towels and washcloths, so you don’t have to buy your own. Like Nava said, you’ll find you need a lot of things you never give much thought about. If your parents buy paper goods in bulk, like from CostCo or Sam’s Club, see if they’ll give you a few rolls of toilet paper/paper towels/etc to get you started.
Learn to like ramen noodles. And 50-lb bags of rice.
Ask your mom what household stuff she can’t live without and then buy those items. She knows. Trust me.
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The student loan stuff is easy. “They” make it easy, so you’ll be in their debt. I’d caution you AGAINST what I did though, which is take out another few grand in student debt beyond my tuition and book needs to have money to live on. Really dumb, that was.
A few things I never really thought about buying (things my mom always took care of, so it never really occured to me you had to buy them - duh!), so found myself without when getting my first place:
pens
notepads or Post-its for jotting down notes or phone messages
calendar
paper towels, toilet paper and kleenex
ziplock baggies, plastic wrap, aluminium foil, waxed paper, etc.
twist-ties. To this day, I don’t know where my mother bought them. I hoard them from boxes of garbage bags, tying the tops of the garbage bag so I have a twist-tie when I need it. And yes, once I stole a handful of twist-ties from the produce section. Not my proudest moment, and to this day the only thing I’ve ever stolen.
broom, mop, dustpan and bucket
screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, nails, screws
batteries
a stapler and staples
rubber bands
a sponge or whatever you use to clean dishes
dishsoap, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner and window cleaner
a few rags and dishtowels
As for the moving itself, get a bunch of friends and a case of beer (if you’re legal) and order pizza when you’re done. No one wants to cook their first night in. Oh, and make sure you have a roll of toilet paper accessable, not all packed up in a box somewhere. Trust me on that one. You don’t want to meet your new neighbors at midnight doing the “gotta go!” dance. First impressions, and all that.
Speaking of which, consider making or buying a buttload of cookies or muffins and greeting your neighbors - sort of a reverse Welcome Wagon. People often don’t know how to go about greeting their new neighbors. If you take the initiative, you’ll become “that nice boy (girl?) who just moved in” rather than an untrusted new possible menace.
When you pack, don’t just throw everything into a box. Make sure you lable each box as to its contents very clearly. I know it sounds simple and obvious, but every time I’ve moved, I’ve ended up just throwing some boxes together and end up not being able to find something.
– Lightbulbs.
–Extension cords. (Get good ones)
ALong with the excellent suggestions in this thread, make sure you own a toilet plunger. Nothing is more horrible (OK, that’s probalby an exaggeration) than have a completely clogged toilet at midnight and driving around looking for a place that sells them that late.
I guess more general advice is to make sure you read and understand your lease. Most landlords aren’t lenient, particularly with students, and if you’re late a day or two on rent it could cost you a lot of money. Also, make sure you’re clear on how difficult and what it will cost you to get out of your lease and do not sign a lease for longer than you think you’ll be there with the expectation of skipping out. It’ll ruin your credit for a long time.
Since it sounds like you’re young and you may not have much of a credit hisstory, it may be difficult to get your first place. See if your parents would be willing to cosign your lease. Also, generally you’ll have a security deposit (usually around the amount of a month of rent) and your first month of rent due before you move in. That’s a pretty big chunk to come up with at one time, so start saving. I would also suggest investigating the utilities in your area and see what you need to get them turned on. Do this ahead of time so when you find a place, you know what to do and won’t be caught short.
When I moved out, money was one of the biggest issues. Start trying to figure out now how much you’ll need for food, etc. Maybe write down what you eat in a week and add it all up. If your mom is cooking for you now, do you plan to cook or will you just eat out more and increase your food budget?
That reminds me of a good one: if you cook, you won’t have the selection of spices your mom probably has at home. Buying new spices when you want to cook something can be really expensive. You could suggest a spice assortment as a housewarming gift to a kind relative.
Anyway, when you add up your expensive, throw in a cushion. Things are always way more than you plan for.
This is a great gift idea for anyone! Particularly the more expensive spices. And there’s nothing more irritating than getting into a cooking mood and not having half the cool spices that make the meal special.
For setting up, I found that going to the Dollar Store (or Deals) for cleaning supplies can save you a ton. I set a friend of mine up after her daughter died for under $20 - and that covered everything from a hamper for dirty clothes, to a shower curtain and liner, toilet brush, scrub brushes, sponges, and cleaning supplies that she’s still using six months later.
Work out a budget and do your best to stick to it. The rent guy is probably going to want first/last/deposit (or some combination) when you move into your first place. And he’s going to want the rent every single month thereafter. I know that’s totally self-evident, but a lot of young people aren’t used to not only paying existing obligations, but also remembering that they now have many recurring obligations, so “extra” money you may have “left over” now may not really be “extra” if you’ll need it to pay something later.
Pay your bills on time and don’t rack up credit card debt if you can avoid it. You probably won’t have as much money for fun stuff, because now you will be responsible for a lot of things you never thought about before – like electricity, and water, and rent. The best way to meet those new responsibilities is to draw up a monthy budget and then do your best to stick to it.
Dollar store is a great resource for basic needs and pretty good hand towels, as been stated.
Don’t buy on impulse. Make a list of things you really need, keep it with you and stick to it.
Salvation Army is your Best Friend During This Phase Of Your Life
Welcome to your Poor Years! ( You will look back fondly on these days, one day.)
The Salvation Army/Good Will and Thrift Stores are a **freakin’ cornicopia of pots and pans. ** Why pay $200 for a set of pots when you can just get one or two that you will use and need whenever for $5 -10.
You can also get** basic cutlery for 4/$1 dealies.** Many a times enough for 4-8 place settings. I get cutlery there for camping because I hate using plastic ware and I like having a set of decent forks and knives with me in the truck in case we go to a party/picnic/bbq and there are the plastic stuff to eat with. GAH
I gots me a ginsu knife there for $1 and it is my favoritist knife evar!!!1111eleventyone!!!111!
Many stores will donate major products ( non perishable) to these stores when there has been a label change or the product has been discontinued. Stuff can be picked up for a song.
The best Thrift stores are on the edge of either a wealthy town or near a large office/business. Go to where the rich people dump their stuff off. The poor section of town will have Walmart crap. Rich section has better crap. trust yer Auntie Shirley on this.
**You will need a Basic Tool Kit. **Learn how to do basic repairs and your life will be made easier without having to ask the manager to stop a leaking faucet or a toilet from running. Having a Basic Home repair book or website bookmarked is a good idea, too.
If you are still living at home ask your parental units to show you basic toilet maintence. Yanno that toilet that never stops running or never fills up completely? Or isn’t flushing anymore? Switching out the hardware isn’t rocket science. (yeah, you might violate some rental contract, so check that before you do anything.)
If you have any problems with your apartment, tell your landlord. Don’t be a total nincompoop about a light burning out and it isn’t the light bulb, like our friends did who were renting for 1 year only. Never did anything about it, but habitually flicked the light on to see if the Magical Fairies would make it All Better…and my husband, being Mr. Fix It, took the stuff down from the ceiling and found Something Bad ( I’ve forgotten - sue me) and…well…they nearly had a fire from all the neglect and flicking the switch. Stuffed was burnt in the ceiling. Had it been properly insulated they would have been fucked. He replaced the bad thingie and the light fixture for about $12 total and then talked to the landlord ( who lived out of state at the time) himself to explain what the problem was. He probably saved the complex from burning down. Seriously.
Oh, renter’s insurance is probably something worth looking into.
Also, if you have car, always always always (as in for the rest of your life) have jumper cables with you in the trunk. ( and the jack/tire iron, a rag, umbrella and first aid kit.) Learn how to jump start a car.
Good luck!
Learn your rights. Go to your school’s legal aid/student life/off-campus housing office and get as much information as you can about your state and municipal by-laws. Find this information online, too, and have a general sense of what repairs are your responsibility and what are your landlord’s. Find out about pet laws, and if your landlord tells you something is permitted, but it isn’t written in the lease, get it in writing. Just a signed and dated note, make a photocopy of it for him/her should be sufficient. My aunt got screwed over when a landlord took a disliking to her and made her get rid of her cat on the premise that he’d never given explicit permission (despite the fact that she moved into the place with that cat several months earlier).
I recommend renters insurance as well and second (third? fourth?) the suggestion to hit the Dollar store for most of you basic needs. Also, buy generic food and household items from your grocery store - no need to pay more just for a name. There a few generic items that I’ve tried that I haven’t liked as much or more than the brand name version (generic Honey nut Cheerios are so much better - the brand name tastes like sawdust!)
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I just moved out on my own last month. These are a few things I didn’t realize I’d need when I moved out:
Toilet paper. And I mean TOILET PAPER. Go to Wal-Mart and fork over the 5 bucks for a 20 pack of Angel Soft or something. Stock up on that crap.
Paper towels. You have no idea how handy these are.
Regular bath towels and a bath mat. Good lord.
Pitchers for making things like Kool-Aid (a must when you’re broke and sick of water).
Containers for keeping things like sugar and coffee in (that is, if you’re like me and get beans…I’m broke but I loves me my fresh-ground coffee).
A good coffeemaker. By good, I mean one that won’t break. And, once again, if you’re like me and are willing to not eat for good coffee, get a bean grinder (they’re ten bucks at Wal-Mart and similar stores).
Garbage bags! you’ll need a lot of them. And a garbage can, as well.
Sheets, blankets, pillowcases. 'Nuff said.
Whoever mentioned a PLUNGER is right. You can pick one up at Wal-Mart or somewhere similar for around a buck a pop.
Silverware - try not to get stuff that bends easily or is two separate parts that might break. At most dollar stores and Wal-Mart you can get decent-quality all-metal silverware in a set for well under ten bucks.
A silverware tray - if you’re like me and get squicked out at the idea of your silverware actually TOUCHING the drawer bottom.
A dish drainer. Even if you have a dish washer these are handy for those things you can’t fit in there, or if you don’t have enough dirty dishes to justify running a whole load.
A shower rack - those things that go on your shower head to carry soap, shampoos, wash cloths, et cetera. Most apartments showers don’t have a good space to put things like that. You can get them at Wal-Mart for a buck, or a little more if you want a higher-quality one.
A vacuum - check around and see if any of your relatives have an old vacuum cleaner laying around. Because within days of moving in, you’ll wish you wanted one.
Dust pan, broom, mop, mop bucket, something to wash floors with, windex, dish soap, sponges, scrubbies (that’s what I call those green brillo-type pads), Ajax…the basics.
Dish towels and wash cloths. Oh, and if you use a special type of sponge or something for washing yourself, I’d get an extra one of those, too.
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste, tooth brush, deodorant - make sure you have enough toiletries to last you a few months in case you’re hard up for cash. I can’t tell if you’re female or male, but if you’re female, make sure you also have a decent supply of feminine products, cuz there is nothing worse than starting your period and not being able to afford tampons.
Laundry detergent and dryer sheets. Also, I’d start a loose change jar for putting spare change in for doing laundry.
Ice cube trays. So many people forget this, and you’ll regret it.
Knives. There was a set of nice cutting knives at Wal-Mart for ten bucks when I went there, and it came with a cutting board. I also got a set of paring knives, always useful, for a dollar, and some steak knives for about two. All decent quality.
FIRST AID SUPPLIES. Moving in can be dangerous. Get the basics - rubbing alcohol, peroxide, q-tips, cotton balls, triple antibiotic ointment (neosporin), band-aids…get one of the kits if you can (they had a kit at Wal-Mart for $10 that was really comprehensive…you know, for someone who hates Wal-Mart as much as I do, I sure do a lot of shopping there…).
The usual pots, pans, spatulas, baking dishes, et cetera. The week before I moved out I took fifty bucks and went yard-saling. Check the classifieds section of your newspaper on a Saturday or Sunday. I stocked my entire kitchen with cookware that was pretty good for less than $30. Run everything you get through a dishwasher to sterilize it (if it’s dishwasher safe), just in case.
Pot holders. TRUST ME on this one.
A tea kettle, which is useful for making ramen - boil water, pour over noodles in bowl, wait two minutes. Enjoy.
A phone. No, seriously. Get a land-line phone, especially if you plan on ordering delivery a lot. A lot of delivery places won’t deliver to cell phones for security reasons. You can get a cheapy cordless at Wal-Mart for ten bucks, and depending on what company you use, you can get phone service for less.
EXTENSION CORDS LIKE WHOA. Extension cords and those things that turn your two-outlet into a six-outlet. And several MOS (multi-outlet strips…sometimes known as surge protectors).
Lamps.
Flash lights, and batteries. Also, some matches. These are things you should always have laying around the house (in a secure place if necessary), in case you forget to pay your electricity bill or can’t, for some reason, and it gets shut off for a few days.
Some sort of filing cabinet or holder so that you can keep track of your bills. My uncle gave me one and it’s been more of a life-saver than I ever thought possible.
Cups, bowls, plates. Paper plates, too.
I think that’s about it. I know, it’s a long list, but a lot of this stuff is things I didn’t even think I’d have a problem with, and all of my friends that have moved out have had similar problems.
Good luck!
~Tasha
When you move to a new neighborhood, generally you have no idea where crap is. Get yourself a map, go to Citysearch and look up the following and mark them on the map:
-Local drugstores - CVS / Duane Reed/ whatever
-Bars
-Restaurants
-Gyms
-Bookstores
-Shopping malls
-Anything else of interest
Then go and check them out
I know it’s been said, but know you renter’s rights. We have the landlord from hell, who lied to us from day one, but we can’t really move right now. He loved to tell us “it’s the law …” It’s not. He’s just used to people that he can bully. Like threatening to evict us for complaining that the air conditioner/heat didn’t work and there was a hole in the dishwasher. Our response was “bring it.” Know what can and can’t be on a lease. For instance, in Massachuesetts, it’s illegal to charge late fees unless the rent is more than 30 days overdue, reguardless of what it says in the lease. Our landlord put a 5 day clause in. Our lawyer (long, messy story) actually laughed at the lease.
Steal yourself for a battle with the utilities, particularly Comcast and Verizon. Maybe it’s just us, but they seem to love to make paperwork problems that make our lives hard.
Try not to rent from a person. We used to live in a managed complex. We almost never had problems. We’re renting for a person now, no end to problems.
Craigslist is also your friend. A lot of our furniture we got from there, and it was cheap.
Make sure you’ve secured an appropriate number of Hot Aussie Chicks before you move in. You don’t want to sign that lease and then later find out there are no Hot Aussie Chicks to be had.
If you value quiet, a live-in landlord can be a good thing. If you want to have fun…
The toilet plunger is the only absolute necessity up front, other than a bed. BTW, don’t buy a mattress at a place like Salvation Army. God knows what’s breeding in them.
If you see even one roach, dead or alive, or what looks like fine coffee grounds but isn’t, anywhere, stay the hell away.
Find out what utilities cost. Gas and electric can eat you alive.
If you have gas heaters, be sure they’re properly vented. Carbon monoxide is not good; neither is having your fire blown out by a stiff wind.
Don’t get a television. If you need a TV fix, go to a dorm for a while. Life’s too short.
I remembered a few more things on the way back to work, haha.
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Internet. If you’re moving out for school, you will need it. Check around. If you’re living on campus, there’s a good chance it will be provided. If not, a lot of companies, dial-up and high-speed alike, have special student discounts. Use them.
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Thumb tacks, nails and screws (various sizes), a hammer, screw driver. You never know.
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If you’re going to have TV, you’re probably going to want cable. Even if you don’t, it’d be wise to invest in some short-ish lengths of coaxial cable (that being the stuff that cable runs on) and a switcher for periphrials like DVD players and video game consoles.
Also, someone mentioned Freecycle above. THEY ARE A GODSEND! Freecycle everything you can. I got all of my moving boxes from Freecycle.
~Tasha