7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Moved Out

Moving out is one of the things most teens and young adults look forward to. The freedom to do whatever they want, now that they have their own home and are "living under their own roof". However, I don't think anyone really realizes what happens after you own your own place.

Today I'll go over seven things I wish I knew before moving out of my parents' house.

To start off, I moved out of my parents' house about four months ago and started living with my husband. Not only did I move out of my parents' home, but I also moved to a completely different country, so things are a lot tougher to grasp for me personally than having to move down the street from them.

Although, if you are miles and miles away from your family, or are planning on moving pretty far away, don't fret! Every day has been a lot easier than the last.

1. You WILL Get Homesick

This is not just my own personal experience, but I've also talked to many people who have moved close to their parents and still say they experienced homesickness for at least the first week.

It's pretty hard to avoid, especially if you are really close with your parents and you see them every day because it's a massive change in your daily routine.

If you are experiencing homesickness, I would suggest you visit your parents regularly if you live close by. If you don't, that's okay! You can also give them a call or video chat. I call my parents every weekend and we catch each other up on our weeks. I also text my sister and mom regularly which has helped a lot!

2. Your bills will add up quicker than you think

When you're moving out, or even looking for places, the first thing you always consider is your rent and that's the main expense you think of. However, you forget that basically nothing is free and there's a lot of things you actually have to pay for.

If you plan to live like a regular, modern-day human being, there are so many other things you have to consider aside from rent money. Depending on the place you live in, you might also have to pay for gas, water, and/or electricity. Not only that, you would probably have to pay for the internet, your phone bill; if you own a car, you'd have to pay for insurance. There's a lot of other necessities you'd have to pay for on a weekly basis such as gas for the car or bus fare and groceries.

Another thing that isn't necessarily bills, however, it is an expense, is buying furniture and decor for your home. My husband and I looked at various inexpensive stores for decor and still managed to spend about double the amount our rent is, on our furniture.

As you can see, there's a lot more than rent money you have to consider.

3. You have to do everything by yourself

This is something I think everyone knows when they move out, but they never really consider the extent of it until they actually move out.

Most children don't really have to do much when they live with their parents. Yes, we would do the usual vacuuming or sweeping, taking out the trash, and washing the dishes.

But when you live on your own, you have to do everything by yourself. Whether it's doing groceries on your own or cooking dinner every night, you have to do everything yourself.

Another thing is that you actually have to consider when you're out of essentials. When I lived with my parents, I kept track of things I personally used, like deodorant and shampoo. But when you live on your own, you have to start considering things that are main household things like:

• The food you eat every day (eggs, cheese, deli, etc.)
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper
• Cleaning supplies

4. Every day is a new learning experience

This is an understatement especially when you're used to living under your parents' roof. However, your situations at your family's home might be different from your experience living on your own.

For example, a couple of days ago, all of our water started turning a reddish-brown color; our toilets after we flushed, and our sinks. We were petrified - but also very disgusted. After speaking with our landlord, it turns out the neighborhood over was having construction on their pipes and somehow affected our pipes as well. I had never experienced anything like this when living with my parents.

You'll also come across different learning experiences that relate to responsibility. For example, one day you'll accidentally leave your home without your keys or forget to close the gate.

Another thing to consider is that we all won't have very pleasant and friendly neighbors. We are very fortunate that our neighbors are all really nice, however, I've talked to multiple people who have had experiences with loud neighbors or neighbors who are rude.

5. Consider your food you eat

From my personal experience, my husband and I ate out frequently when we first moved in together - mainly because it was not only a cheaper alternative but was also a lot easier to access.

In the first 3 weeks, we would cook about 4 times a week - so we knew we were capable of doing so, then eat out the other three. In reference, we basically ate like college kids and although it's cheaper, it's bad for our health and the money adds up in the end.

Lately, we've decided to eat a lot healthier and cook our own meals which have helped a lot, health-wise however we wished we kept in mind the kinds of foods we ate prior to moving out.

6. Try to surround yourself with good people

This is more so for the individuals who have moved far from their parents.

I moved to an area where I barely knew anyone and for a long while, I felt very lonely. I am a huge introvert, and I appreciate having my own space and being by myself. However, when you move to a place where you don't know anyone, it's really easy to feel very isolated.

Luckily, I have in-laws who are really friendly and welcomed me with open arms which I am very thankful for. It's made my move really easy.

If you are moving to an area where you don't know anyone, I would suggest making a friend or two, just so you know you have someone close by to emotionally lean on when you need it.