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4 Things Everyone Goes Through When Renting Their First Apartment

Being out on your own for the first time can feel like the most daunting thing in the world. Not only are you forced to make all of your own decisions and ensure that all of the necessities are taken care of, it means that you don’t have the safety net of living with family to fall back on when things go awry.

With that said, to only focus on the negative wouldn’t give enough credit to the amazing wealth of experiences and autonomy that comes with taking control of your own life. So, to make sure that you aren’t feeling alone through all of the boons and blights, here are a few things that everyone goes through when moving out for the first time.

The Clear Out 

Starting at the end and working backward Momento-style (yes, that is an incredibly outdated reference), the idea of cleaning your entire existence from an apartment is a terrifying feat at the best of times. However, for those of us that are looking to get their bond back, it comes as an unfortunate necessity. While there are services out there that can assist with this, such as Whizz end of lease cleaning, it’s never going to be a pretty task.

With that said, one of the main issues people come across is trying to scrub things spotless before they start to pack up, which only means you’ll have to double-down once you’ve shifted your belongings out for good. It’s best to have a pack-first, scrub later situation if you hope to get things done this millennium.

Compromise 

While your family may have spent the last 3-4 decades scrimping and saving for that idyllic two-story home, most people in their late-teens to early-20’s probably aren’t going to have the same luck their first time around. While moving out with friends can definitely help you secure a more spacious place to wile away the hours, more often than not, it’s not going to be a sight for sore eyes.

However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to spruce up a small space.

On the contrary! Sometimes a drab little apartment can be the perfect blank slate for carving out your personality. Once again, how much you can realistically do is partially based on your financial situation, but trips to second-hand stores and online dealers can give you a wide array of unique options without slamming to heavily into your food budget.

Food Forethought 

While presumably, if you’ve made it this far, you understand the processes associated with buying and maintaining food, the amount of things that go into keeping you nourished and sustained can come as quite a shock. When I first moved out last year, I had no comprehension of the amount I would be paying for simple meals each week, which meant some rather glum canned dinners between one paycheck and the next.

Tools of the Trade 

Unless you managed to raid your family’s cabinets on move out day, it’s likely you aren’t starting out with everything that you need to live comfortably. Like a new character in an RPG, it’s going to take a considerable amount of effort to get your cooking and cleaning arsenal ready for the stages ahead.

The trick is to start off cheap and work your way up.

Otherwise, while saving up for those perfect pots and pans that will last you a decade, there are going to be a lot of take-out containers cluttering your kitchen, and a whole bunch of unnecessary extra expenses that will surely slow down the process.

While you’re sure to fall into some sticky situations when you’re first out on your own, there is always a way to keep things running relatively smoothly if you’re willing to put in the effort. Good Luck!

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