CuriositiesNOV 21, 2022

30 Things People Wish They Knew Before Moving Out, As Shared By The Bored Panda Community

Me and my sister just got our first apartment away from home. We haven't even fully moved in yet but I'm at a point where I'm cursing my dad for not giving us a bit of advice on what we choose. For instance, I found out that if you're going to get an apartment, it's best to choose a lower floor if you've got heavy furniture. Because lugging it up two flights of stairs? Yeah, it sucks.

With that being said, I asked the Bored Panda community to share some tips when it comes to moving out, and people sure delivered!

#1

30 Things People Wish They Knew Before Moving Out, As Shared By The Bored Panda Community

That it's ok to come back, to try again, to start over as many times as you need. You don't need to feel shame if things do not go as planned.

Andrew Neel

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150points

Bored Panda reached out to professional movers in Toronto, Canada to find out a little bit more about the process and how they work. First, we asked about what people should know before hiring movers.

"The better you prep, the better. Put everything in boxes that you can easily move by yourself. Anyone will become exhausted if they carry around too many heavy boxes. You can take your own stuff apart, but if it has any intricate mechanisms, like a crib, you should be ready to put it back together yourself. It would take a bit of time to figure out how someone took something apart and then figure out how to get it together, all on the clock."

#2

First time on your own you realize just how much your parents did for you. One thing that surprised me was just how much money it takes to buy normal things like toilet paper and dish soap. As someone else stated you have to have a budget but I never realized just how much of your money goes to just supporting yourself.

Volodymyr Hryshchenko

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145points

#3

The newest construction doesn’t mean the best. Sometimes finding an older apartment building will give you more space, a more sturdy foundation, and possibly less expensive rent.

Sergey Sechko

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120points

"Ask what insurance covers, how much would be reimbursed for valuables like your TV or antiques, and how they bill, such as to the nearest hour, quarter hour, etc. because every moving company is different. When do the bills start to arrive? Or once they go from home base, where? Try searching for the business name on Yelp and the BBB. Anyone who declines to visit your home for a quote should be avoided. Many states (in the US) provide a brochure with instructions on how to get ready for a relocation and questions to ask potential movers. It's worthwhile to look into."

#4

Use the time you're living for free with your parents to make sure you have everything first. All your furniture, kitchen appliances, electronics, etc. Because once you're on your own and you start to pay for the rent, electricity, cable, internet, phone, food, etc, you won't have a cent left to buy those.

UAE Snapper

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120points

#5

Your parents aren't being mean, we're trying to teach you life skills. Cooking dinner because Mom/Dad are tired that night? Life skill. Chores? Life skill. Paying Mom/Dad for that phone bill when you get your first job? Budgeting... life skill. Learn it and embrace it.

2. Pick your roommate(s) wisely. A friend of 20 years will still eff you over.

3. And this is the biggy.... remember the difference between WANT and NEED. You NEED a roof, you don't need 7 bedrooms. You NEED dishes, they can come from Goodwill. You NEED a bed, it doesn't have to be a sleep number right now. Get what you need not just what you WANT. WANTS can come slowly. Needs are right now. You don't NEED a TV. You don't NEED an Xbox / PS5. You don't NEED the loudest stereo system. You don't NEED matching everything and the best furniture right now.

Catt Liu

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117points

With all of that being said, believe it or not, the movers usually have a lot of interesting stories to share, as the spokesperson for the Toronto movers told us the weirdest story on the job.

"When I initially began years ago, I relocated an elderly woman whose daughter had hired us. I didn't notice the truck reeked of urine until approximately a quarter of the way through the move. The elderly woman was insane and had been urinating everywhere for years. Particularly the mattress was a soggy, foul mess. For the record, the experience with the rental truck taught me to refuse to take some things."

#6

Buy some liquid drain unclogger right now! Do NOT wait until needed. Drains are evil. They know when the stores close, and that's when they choose to clog.

Bibi Pace

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106points

#7

Remember to visit and call your mother. This is a difficult phase for her. She deeply misses you.

Taylor Grote

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106points

Although movers are professionals not everything goes according to a plan at times. "Believe it or not, one time a $4000 50" Plasma screen was damaged while we were trying to move it. A plasma display is different from a TV in that it is a part of a high-end entertainment system and does not include speakers. We were unable to separate it from the base and place it in one of our TV boxes for transit because the man we were moving stripped the screws on the base. It was disgusting. All of it was covered by insurance, which was so generous that his friends all hired me and joked that I could break their TVs."

#8

Do not expect to have all the things your parent's home has, it took them years to accumulate it. Sometimes people think they are supposed to instantly have it all and go into debt. Get the basics and the rest will come a bit at a time.

Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd.

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106points

#9

Don't buy moving boxes; go to the local liquor store and ask to take some collapsed boxes. Alcohol is heavy and those boxes hold the weight very well.

Eduardo Soares

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103points

Lastly, the owner of the mover's company told us about the craziest thing that happened while on the clock.

"In the city, we move uprights, but nothing bigger. Just recently, I lifted a 1400-pound crate that was 7.5 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. When the stairs were taken out of a basement for construction, we once had to press a piano up over our heads to exit. The most absurd thing that happened was probably when I had to move myself and my 12 snakes. One of my guys would not approach them in any way. It's always entertaining to try to enter and exit apartments with a dozen snakes and their housing."

#10

The chores are never-ending. Dishes always need to be done. Laundry piles up. The bills keep on coming. If you get yourself into a schedule or a rhythm and do 2-3 chores a day, you'll be able to keep up.

Dan Gold

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95points

#11

That no matter how good that budget looks on paper, add a few hundred dollars to it because life will always cost more than you think.

Andre Taissin

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95points

#12

Well, I was told many times but I didn't learn it until I was on my own--turn off the d*&! Lights!

Jp Valery

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87points

#13

Keep track of your security deposit. I lived in an apartment for 30 years. It changed property managers five times. The money was supposed to be collected interest in an escrow account. They can't find any record of it, and I don't have a copy of the original lease. I will never know who stole it, or when.

Romain Dancre

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85points

#14

If you're buying a house, the sticker shock is real! Need to hire movers? Be prepared to spend thousands. Need to have the home inspected? Another thousand at least. Homeowners insurance? How bout another thousand, easy. That's not including lending fees, mortgage insurance, taxes, and every other closing cost.

Markus Spiske

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81points

#15

If you need to get furniture wait till you can get exactly what you need. The first purchase should be a bed with a good mattress and a sofa. The rest once you see how it looks and the e space you have for the rest of the things. Learned this the hard way and spent too much.

Greg Rivers

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80points

#16

Get home insurance even if you rent. Your landlord's insurance won't cover you in the event of a loss.

Tierra Mallorca

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79points

#17

Do the dishes now, when you are done cooking/eating. Don't wait. Very, very few things truly need to "soak". Wash them as you make them, especially if you don't have a dishwasher, because there will only be more later.

Marek Studzinski

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73points

#18

Utility bills are not a suggestion. You can't throw them in a drawer and pay them in a few months. They will shut your dumbass power off.

Alexander Grey

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73points

#19

Be careful to who you give your address and have the confidence to state your boundaries. Be prepared for some people to try and invite themselves over, aka the "friends" who want somewhere to crash after a night out or fight with their s/o. Don't let anyone treat your home like a hotel.

Brian Patrick Tagalog

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72points

#20

Buy a set of basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, pliers, etc.) You may be moving into a place where repairs are handled by a maintenance crew, but even then, you often have to wait. Many home repairs are simple, and you can do them yourself. Just read up and take the necessary safety precautions. Some skills can save you serious cash once you become a homeowner (if that's something you aspire to.)

Tekton

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72points