How to prepare to move out of your parents’ house
One day we all need to leave our parents’ home and fly from the nest. It can be a daunting task, but it is something we all need to do eventually. You are going to need to plan as best as you can, so you know how to move out of your parents’ house with enough money and as smoothly as possible.
Planning your move
There are numerous things to consider when you are moving home. In this section, we will break these down giving you everything you need to know about moving out from your parents.
Budgeting
You need to work out a realistic budget based on your total income. If you have a partner include their income too.
Monthly costs
Once you have a total income, work out all your monthly costs. Look at your previous bank statements when setting your budget this will give you a good idea of your monthly spending habits and how much you can expect to pay. This will include some of the following:
- Rent/mortgage repayments
- Groceries
- Utility bills
- Council tax
- Insurance payments
- Phone plans
- Furniture costs
- Car fees and transportation
- And anything else that you will be paying monthly.
The only thing you will have to add onto this is your rent/mortgage repayments, council tax and utility bills. You may also see an opportunity to save money when looking through statements as you may be spending excessive amounts on things you don’t need to.
Top tip: Don’t forget to add expenses which are on a direct debit such as Netflix and Spotify. It all adds up!
Nonessentials
You then need to work out roughly how much you’ll be spending on non-essentials such as clothes and entertainment. Add all those things together and then minus them from your monthly income to check you can afford to move out.
Make sure to have spare funds left over too for saving and in case anything unexpected happens and you have to fork out some money for it. This could be something as simple as your car needing repairs or the property requiring work doing.
Meeting your targets
If your monthly income is not sufficient you can look at a few different options such as getting a second job, finding a cheaper property, reducing money spent on non-essentials. Your monthly income should be at least 3 times your monthly rent/mortgage repayment.
Finding a place to live
Next up, you need to find a place to live that is in a good location for you and is within your budget. From working out your budget previously, you should know what properties are within your price range. Make sure that you pick a property that is in a good location for you.
For example, pick somewhere that makes it easy to commute to your job. Granted this is not always possible, but if you can do this it will make your life a lot easier. You may also want to live somewhere which has nearby amenities that matter to you – this could include a gym, restaurants, bars, parks etc.
Think about the future too, if you are moving in with a partner and buying a house together you may want to pick a bigger house if you envision starting a family together or buying pets.
Viewing the property
You’ve now found a property or properties, which look good to you. You then need to book in a viewing with the landlord or estate agent.
Never sign a lease or buy a property without viewing it first. Before signing a deal confirm it has the amenities you want, look for any damage (damp, mould, poorly insulated spots etc.) and check for rodents or signs or rodents. You want to make sure the property is clean and well-maintained.
Once you are happy with the property sign the papers and arrange a move-in date once you know this date you will need to begin planning other parts of your move.
Tips for buyers
If you are lucky enough to be buying a property, you should get a survey done by a chartered building surveyor to ensure the property is in good condition and you are aware of any work which will need to be done. This will save you a lot of hassle later down the line.
Tips for renting
If you are renting a property you need to confirm if utility bills are included in the rental price. If they are not, then you need to consider the cost of these; the landlord or estate agent will be able to give you a good idea of how much these will cost.
For renters who see that their property has some damage, take photos as evidence so they don’t try to charge you when you leave, and the more thorough the better. You should also back these up just in case, God forbid, something happens to your phone or laptop during the tenancy.
Set up your service and utility payments
If you are moving out of your parents’ house into a new property you need to set up payments with your utility providers. You will also need to schedule the services so tell the utility companies your move-in date, so you have all your services ready for when you move in.
Changing your address
You will need to change your address for numerous things. This includes telling your bank, the DVLA if you have a car and getting all your mail forwarded to your new address. You should do this before you get to your new place; you can usually fill out a form with the date you will need your address changing.
Moving all your items to your new home
Depending on what items you are bringing and the size of them, you may be able to pack items in your car and move your items that way.
You may even be able to move some larger items such as sofas, drawers or small tables, but this depends on how easily you are able to dismantle those items, not to mention the size of your car. If you have a mini cooper, I’m afraid you won’t be able to fit much into your car!
Moving without a car
If you don’t have a car available for the move, then you will need to hire a man with a van service. This will be a good solution as it won’t be too expensive. If you hire a commercial removal company, they will often charge you an increased rate and usually for at least 2 men.
Opting for a man with a van
On the whole, you are best off using a company like VanaMango to move your items as they can provide a cheaper service wherein you will only need 1 man and can move anything from as little as a single item. Conveniently with VanaMango, you can also book any time and date that suits you so there is no need to worry about availability or short notice.
Preparing for your van men to arrive
You will still need to do some preparation if you are going to use a man with a van. Firstly, they will want to know what items you will be moving. You will need to put together a checklist of items for them to determine what sized van is required for moving out of your parent’s house and to give you an accurate quote.
You will also need to confirm with them whether they will assist with packing, or it will need to be done prior to collection. Most van men can price for packing too, but note if you want to move as cheaply as possible you will need to pack yourself – and that includes everything from furniture to fragile items like plates.
Furnishing your property
As this is your first home you are going to need some furniture. Unless you are moving into a furnished property of course! If you need to buy furniture then you can get furniture from many high street retailers such as DFS, NEXT, Oak Furniture Land etc.
However, this can be very expensive to furnish a whole house brand new. If you search on websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace you can find loads of second-hand furniture at a fraction of the price you would pay if it was new.
Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about transporting the furniture either as you can use a furniture courier service like VanaMango to collect it for you, for cheap too!
Moving out of your parents’ house into university accommodation
This is a bit different from moving into your first home as you won’t have to do the same planning and you won’t need to plan your budget to quite the same extent, nor will you have to worry about furnishing your uni accommodation either.
When it comes to student budgeting you will have to live off your student loan and get a job whilst you’re there to fund your partying and food as well as any resources you need for your university course.
Moving your items to uni
Things that you do still need to consider include how you will transport your belongings up to uni. For small items, you might be able to do it in one car journey. However, if there are larger items you need to shift, you may need to get a courier like VanaMango. And you will need to pack the items you are moving properly to prevent them from getting damaged during transit.
The main thing about university, though, is making sure that you enjoy yourself whilst you’re there –and ensuring a smooth move to your uni accommodation will always help with that! To get an in-depth guide on how to move to uni check out our guide here!
You’re all set!
There we have it: everything you could possibly want to know on how to move out of your parents’ house. We hope these insights help you feel more confident about the move, making this big milestone a source of excitement and not stress. Soon you’ll be well on the way to the independent life you’ve been dreaming of.