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

Thieves. If you’re a college student, they are waiting for you like sharks in the water. Be suspicious and cautious of everyone in and around your place, hide your valuables, and don’t tell anyone where you keep your money.

Never allow anyone into your room that you don’t know and trust. Keep all valuables out of your car, even in the daytime. Never leave your moving truck unattended, and never leave your doors unlocked. I learned all of this the hard way. If possible, always lock your door if sharing a space. I wish when I moved out, I was warned of the predators around me.

You should practice basic household chores, like laundry, vacuuming, bathroom cleaning, and cooking especially. Make sure to have these things in the bag. When you do, make sure you have a decent amount of money in a savings account. Start looking for places to stay BEFORE you move out. Make sure to really assess the places you check out. Ask yourself “Would I really enjoy living here?”. If all of these things are in the bag, you are ready to move out. Make sure to organize your stuff into boxes before calling the U-HAUL or before putting them in your car. Make sure to remember your new house address or apartment number. Good luck!

Triple-tape the bottom of moving boxes. One down the middle and the other two in an X shape just to the outside edge of the first one. Then tape along the ends. I have moved many many times in my life and I have never had a single box give out on me.

Never move in with your best friend, you will hate each other by the time you move out!

I moved in with my best friend of 5 years about 12 years ago for a one-year lease. Once the lease was over we went our separate ways and never spoke again, we absolutely loathed each other by the end of it.

Why my father chose my brother over me? I was living at home with my father. It was me, my husband, and my 1-year-old son at the time living there. My eldest brother had been living at my grandparent's house, but ended up in jail after he came home drunk one night, found out that my grandmother had accidentally opened an envelope addressed to him, and went off on her threatening her with physical violence....even going so far as to rip the phone out of the wall.

My father decided that my brother should move in with us so that he could keep an eye on him. My brother had been a raging alcoholic for most of his life...and very violent. I screamed at my father for putting me and my son in danger by letting him move in. "All he has to do is get drunk and hurt my son...I will never forgive you if that happens."

My father paid the cost of putting us into an apartment that we couldn't afford at that time. He tried helping us with rent...but we were also living in a neighborhood where gunshots outside weren't uncommon and someone was always getting beaten up in the parking lot every weekend.

My father finally realized it was an all-around bad situation and had my brother put into an alcohol rehab center while allowing us to move back in. Two years later and my husband and I secured jobs that allowed us to move out on our own without financial help.

LOL that your landlord is not like your parents. They aren't going to help you with anything and everything, and might not even do what they SHOULD do.

Make a budget and stick to it. Include an emergency fund and retirement fund in your budget, and allocate money to them faithfully with every paycheck. Resolve not to raid either fund for beer runs, concert tickets, or a fancy night out on the town.

Moving out doesn't mean you have to be alone. Still call home for help, hang out with your parents, and spend the night in your old bedroom. It's one hell of a shift so give yourself time to adjust especially if you move out as soon as you are 18.

Never move into a place without all the utilities ALREADY ON. Water, power, gas, etc. should all be working perfectly already or don't move in. I once lived with no water for 3 months because the new landlord told me he would fix it, never did. I moved out over it.

Look at Google reviews of the apartment you are considering as well as the management company that owns it.

Hire movers. For long distance moves it can cost significantly less than moving yourself.