On July 16th (bound to be the hottest day of the year) I'm moving into an apartment with my best friend. I'm 18, she's 19. We've known each other for years, and I'm excited. I have begun to clean and get rid of things in my room at my parents house already, but because you are much wiser than me (and have moved before). I would like some tips on moving, and leaving home! (We're living in an apartment.. so any tips for that would be good too.)
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Well, if you're reading thriftyfun.com you must have a level head of your shoulders!! Here are some tips from a senior citizen who has made almost every mistake I caution you about so I hope you will take them to heart and act wisely. Good luck and have a nice life!!!
1. MAKE A WRITTEN AGREEMENT!!! Apartments are usually rented to ONE person i.e. only one person's signature will appear on the rental or lease agreement and THAT PERSON IS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DAMAGE TO THE PREMISES. So get everything spelled out on paper, especially the FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. Also cover living arrangements, cleaning of each one's messes, division of duties, care of common areas, guests staying overnight. taking care of damages to the premises, anything else that might cause friction. More friendships break up over friends living together than anything else and not infrequently, the former friends end up in small claims court trying to settle disputes.
Great tips Seagrape!
The only thing I would add is this: My daughter right after leaving home had all of her laundry stolen from the laundry at her apartment building. She started the wash late at night being tired from moving, and didn't wait for them to dry. She got up early to get her clothes and they were all gone. She lost everything in the laundry, new towels, new clothes, favorite clothes.
After you leave home, don't expect that the people around you are trustworthy until they prove themselves so. They are not your family or friends.
Just be cautious and you will be fine. Best wishes on your move.
Susan from ThriftyFun
This is so exciting! You'll remember this time forever. All the advice so far is great, especially the part about setting rules and putting them in writing.
Here are my words of wisdom.
1. Don't expect to have new stuff. Ask your friends if they have towels, sheets, furniture, pots and pans, artwork, cookbooks -- anything! Remember that EVERYTHING is used the moment you bring it home.
2. Ask your mom for the recipes for all your favorite dishes.
3. Keep your morals and ethics high. Years from now, you'll still be healthy and happy because of the wise choices you make now.
4. Force yourself to unpack everything as soon as you possibly can.
5. Make sure you and your friend each have some personal, private space and time. Everyone needs privacy and autonomy.
I wish you all kinds of success and happiness! Keep us posted on how you're doing.
zballoongirl
As you pack, have one box with all the things you will need in the first day or two- a plate, cup, silverware, bath products, a towel, comb, cosmetics, etc. Then mark the box with something like "Open me first".
Be realistic and keep your eyes open. I had a friend who took my clothes and wore new stuff with tags still on! Have RULES on having guests over, what are your limits? Nothing like going to make morning coffee in undies and T-shirt only to find roomie has boyfriend sleeping over. If he is staying too much he
should kick in rent/utls. etc. sounds harsh, but if you talk about these things first you will avoid issues like this and remain friends.
It is an exciting time, COMMUNICATE maybe your decor tastes are different if so you learn to adjust. Decide about food, it really can be a pain. I had one roomie who cleaned and did dishes if I cooked and shared buying food. Oh make extras for leftovers.
Good luck.
I've moved only twice. But only once did I do this. When packing your belongings and any new items, be sure to write in big letters, what's inside the boxes. It'll make unpacking SO MUCH easier!!!
Unless money is not a problem, watch your spending, budget wisely. Now that you're both out on your own, decide if you really need that cute little purse you saw down at the mall. Whatever you decide, always remember the rent comes every 1st of the month. Divvy everything up evenly.
Best of Luck in your new apartment!!
be very careful.....quite a few years ago i lost a very good friend because we tried to share an apartment
You both will need to learn to tolerate each others "that was a dumb thing to do" actions. I found over my "living away from home days" that three girls in an apartment do not cut it. You need an equal amount (two is good). It seems that one was always left out as the other two would side with each other. I lived with my best friend for about a year before I got married and now that friend is my SIL, but we are not best friends like we were in those days. Maybe things just change over time......
Set a goal to save hard and put money away to own your own place in the future. If you can stand room mates, they can help you pay for your mortgage.
You might consider this if your roommate has friends over alot when you aren't there. For just a few bucks at a hardware store you can purchase a new doorknob for your bedroom door that as a key lock on it. This way you can lock your door when you are gone. My old roomate/ prior friend had people she met at bars over alot and I worked third shift only to find random people camped out all over the living room using my blankets and pillows from my bed. Also my roommate decided to break the lease early but fortunately I wasnt on the lease.
Also have an emergency cash fund , you never know when unexpectid events will put you in a bind.
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