10 Tips For Living On Your Own For The First Time
If you've read any of my other articles, you know that I've been living in an apartment with my boyfriend and two of my best friends for over a year now. This is my first experience living on my own (other than living in a dorm room for the first two years of university).
Living independently is an exciting and stressful time. There are so many added responsibilities that I didn't have before when I lived with my parents.
As I adjusted to living alone (kind of) as an adult, I've grown to be more responsible and organized. Although, it's a bit different since I do live with three other people who can help me out around the place with tasks.
Nonetheless, I've learned a lot over the last year and would like to share my discoveries with anyone also living alone for the first time.
10 Tips for Living Independently
Here are a few beneficial tips to help you succeed at living on your own for the first time:
1. Cleanliness is all up to you.
This is probably the most important aspect of living independently that people need to know. A clean home is a nice home. If dirty dishes are filling the kitchen sink, clothes are lying all over the floor, papers are sprawled across counters, or anything is disorganized, it feels icky.
My roommate Sydney and I deep clean around the apartment once a week, and tidy up here and there daily. We have terrible allergies and maintaining a clean home minimizes the allergens and dust forming inside. It feels better to live in a properly clean and organized home. Such an environment is much more inviting and relaxing to be in.
2. Live minimally.
One realization I had as I unpacked my boxes from the move to my new place is that I have too many unnecessary items. I have a bunch of clothes and knick-knacks that I've culminated over the years. Because I have a small apartment, it was necessary to go through my belongings and give some away to Goodwill.
I decided to sort through my items every month and get rid of the excess items I don't need. Minimalism is an aesthetic I strive for because materials are not meant to be held onto forever. I'm also not a fan of clutter or anything taking up space for no purpose.
Having fewer items means an easier move in the future if you move to another place.
3. Fill the place with good smells.
I love good smells and being surrounded by them. Lighting a fragrant, pleasant candle creates a wonderful atmosphere in your new space. A comforting scent makes it feel more like home.
In my bathroom, I have an adorable wax melter that I like to use when I don't feel like lighting a candle. About every month, I switch up the wax scents for a nice change. Sometimes, when I'm feeling more traditional, I have a pink champagne scented candle I'll light for a fresher smell. Positive smells boost my mood.
4. Take out the garbage often.
This is an addition to tip #3. Leaving the garbage cans and bags to pile up can stink up your whole place. Taking out the garbage myself took a while to learn after moving into my apartment. At one point, I had three big bags of garbage sitting by my front door for two weeks that I hadn't taken out to the bins yet. It made the whole apartment reek! It took me way too long to realize that I needed to make an effort with that.
Whenever I leave the apartment for classes or work, I try to remember to take the garbage out with me on the way to my car. I'm already on my way out, so it's no trouble. My roommates and I also alternate who takes the garbage out. That way, there's not just one person always burdened with that task.
5. If you do get a roommate (or a few), choose wisely.
Finding two other roommates to live with me and my boyfriend was a tedious mission. We knew we wanted to live with someone we were already acquainted with so that we wouldn't have to worry about living with strangers. Luckily, two of my friends from the theatre were looking for a place to live.
My main concern was finding people that I would get along with as roommates. Living with anyone is a lifestyle adjustment. I was glad to have chosen roommates who are thoughtful, considerate, and willing to learn how to properly live independently like me.
6. Adopt a pet.
A little after a month of living on my own for the first time, my boyfriend and I adopted our first pet, a big, black, polydactyl cat named Abraxas (Brax). Rescuing this cat was the best decision I've ever made in my life. He brightens my day every day just by existing. Brax is a wonderful company and an even better cuddle buddy.
Owning a pet is also a great way to learn responsibility. Pets require a lot of time and effort to keep them happy and healthy. They're another living creature you need to take good care of so they can live a full life with you. I make sure to feed Brax twice a day and scoop his litter box every night. My boyfriend gives him his medicine once a week and trims his claws once a month.
We feel very responsible after a year of owning a pet cat. Our lives are also filled with more excitement and love with Brax around.
7. Learn how to cook.
Admittedly, after taking a year of cooking classes in high school, I still have poor culinary skills. I can't even make rice in a rice cooker. It's that bad. However, I'm blessed to have a boyfriend and a roommate who enjoys cooking (and is good at it too).
Believe me, you don't want to spend a bunch of money on fast food or takeout multiple times a week because you don't know what to cook at your apartment. Preparing a homemade meal is tastier than any other food. It's even tastier knowing you made the effort to cook a whole meal for yourself. If you know how to cook, you're already doing well on your own.
8. Be mindful of electricity usage.
After the first month of being in our apartment, we quickly learned how much the electricity bill can add up throughout the month. Our first bill was around $200. As all of us are broke college students and young adults, we can't afford to drop that much money each month. We made a mental list of all the big appliances that use the most electricity and limited our usage with those.
Super helpful hint: Wait until nighttime to start the dishwasher or wash laundry. The electricity prices are much lower during "off" hours, which means you can save money. Similarly, electricity prices increase a lot in the summer between 2-7 p.m. Try not to use as much electricity in that time frame so you don't have to pay an absurd amount of money at the end of the month.
9. Decorate the place.
Decorating was something I never thought too much about when I lived with my parents. I've lived in the same house in the same room since I was born. I had a variety of decorations spanning from when I was little to 18 years old. I brought many of my decorations to my apartment when I moved. It's like bringing a piece of my old home with me into my new home.
Filling your first place with your choice of decorations makes it unique. It's a physical representation of your identity for visitors to admire. Your home becomes a part of you. It bonds you, especially as you begin making lovely memories there to remember forever.
10. Love being on your own.
It may seem strange and alarming when you first move out of your parent's house into your own. In a little while, you feel liberated to have your independent space to do whatever you want there. You make your own rules; you get to do what you want. As long as you're being safe and responsible, living on your own for the first time is a thrill.
Being an Adult
Adulting is hard. There's no manual to guide you as you grow older and become more independent. Moving into a place of your own for the first time is exhilarating yet scary. We are all just doing the best we can as we go along. I wished someone gave me a bunch of tips before I went out on my own. I hope these tips can help ease your stress a little as you move on to the next chapter of life.
Opinions and Perspectives
I love how the article emphasizes making the space your own. It really helps with the transition.
Being mindful of noise levels is important too, especially in apartment buildings.
Making a home maintenance calendar helped me keep track of regular tasks like filter changes and deep cleaning.
A good wifi connection is essential these days. Wish the article mentioned tech setup considerations.
Remember to check smoke detectors and have basic safety supplies. That's something I totally forgot about at first.
Getting to know your neighbors has been really helpful for me. They've helped me out several times.
I found having a designated place for everything helps keep the space organized naturally.
Creating a cozy space with proper lighting and decor helped with my transition to living alone.
Consider the location carefully too. I chose a cheaper place far from work and regret the commute daily.
Maintaining a clean space is definitely harder than it looks. Parents make it seem so easy!
The electricity tip is great. I also installed LED bulbs everywhere and saw a noticeable difference in my bill.
Starting with a morning cleaning routine helped me stay on top of things. Just 15 minutes makes a huge difference.
Agree about the minimalism but it's a process. Took me a year to really pare down my belongings.
Learning to cook has been the most rewarding part of living alone. YouTube tutorials are my best friend.
Finding the right cleaning routine took me months but it makes such a difference in how I feel about my space.
The pet suggestion really depends on your schedule and lifestyle. They're a big commitment.
These tips are solid but I'd add learning basic maintenance skills like unclogging drains and changing light fixtures.
I actually love living alone! The freedom to decorate and organize exactly how I want is amazing.
Setting up automatic bill payments helped me stay on top of utilities. One less thing to worry about.
Can't stress enough about choosing roommates carefully. Personality compatibility is more important than friendship.
The minimalism tip really resonates. Moving taught me how much unnecessary stuff I had.
I recommend starting with easy recipes like pasta dishes and gradually working up to more complex meals.
Finally someone mentioning the importance of taking out garbage regularly! My old roommate never understood this.
Making your own cleaning supplies saves so much money. Vinegar and baking soda work wonders.
The tip about good smells is underrated. Nothing better than coming home to a place that smells nice.
Living alone has taught me so much about myself. It's challenging but so worth it.
Freeze your leftovers! That's how I solved the cooking for one problem.
My roommate and I made a shared calendar for chores. Makes it so much easier to keep track of who does what.
Getting rid of stuff is liberating. I do a purge every season now and it feels amazing.
The advice about deep cleaning weekly is great. I split tasks into daily chunks to make it less overwhelming.
Learning to budget was my biggest challenge. Wish the article had more financial tips.
Never thought about doing laundry at night to save money. That's actually brilliant!
I started small with cooking just learning one new recipe each week. Now I actually enjoy it!
Your point about cleaning is so true. Nothing worse than coming home to a messy apartment after a long day.
I've been living alone for 6 months and still can't get the hang of cooking for one person. Always end up with too many leftovers.
The decorating part is my favorite! Found some amazing pieces at thrift stores that made my place unique without breaking the bank.
These tips are great but they forgot to mention the importance of having an emergency fund before moving out.
I actually found living with strangers better than friends. We kept things professional and had clear boundaries from the start.
Not sure about the minimalism approach. I like having my stuff around me makes the place feel more like home.
Totally agree with the electricity usage advice. I started doing laundry at night and my bill dropped significantly.
The cleaning schedule tip is helpful but I'd add that investing in good cleaning supplies makes a huge difference too.
Good smells are so important! I invested in an essential oil diffuser and it makes such a difference in making my place feel like home.
Anyone else struggle with remembering to take out the trash? I set reminders on my phone now.
I found meal prepping on Sundays really helps with the cooking situation. Saves money and time during the week.
My strategy for decluttering is taking photos of sentimental items before donating them. That way I keep the memory without the clutter.
The tip about cooking is crucial. I spent way too much money on takeout my first few months because I never learned to cook properly.
Wish I'd read this before choosing my roommates. Living with friends isn't always the best idea learned that one the hard way.
I disagree about adopting a pet right away. I think it's better to get settled first and establish routines before taking on that responsibility.
The pet advice is spot on. My cat has made living alone so much more enjoyable, plus it forces me to be more responsible.
Living minimally is great advice but I'm finding it so hard to let go of things. Any suggestions for someone who tends to be a bit of a hoarder?
The electricity usage tip is so important. Learned that the hard way when my first bill was astronomical.
I really needed these tips! Moving out next month and feeling pretty nervous about the whole adulting thing.