You’ve finally done it- you’ve taken the leap of faith and you moved away from the small box they call campus dorms. Your Pinterest board is done, you know just how many towels you want in the bathroom, and you get to your nice new apartment off campus and panic. Those bare walls look a whole lot smaller than they did six months ago on the tour, there’s no blinds, and you think you just saw at least three dogs all running up the stairs to your upstairs neighbor’s apartment.
We’ve all been there once or twice before. Moving off campus seems like such an easy move, and makes tons of sense at the time, but making that dream apartment happen with the things you have can seem like a living nightmare. Don’t fret, were here to help you along the way! Here are five things that you should address before you make the big move away from school.
1: Ask questions: Questions are your friend when you’re looking for a new place to live. Ask your potential landlords about rent prices, what bills you will be responsible for and when these bills are due. Many apartment complexes will cover certain utilities, while you may be responsible for all bills if you are moving into a house. Other important things to consider when looking into a new place are pet policies, security, and maintenance repairs. Be sure you have all the answers you want before you decide where you want to live!
2: Take a tour of your potential new home: It’s important to get the feel for a space before you decide where exactly you’re going to live for the school year. Remember, this is going to be your home! Does it feel cozy, does it have a washer and dryer, do you have enough bathrooms? Taking a tour gives you a chance to figure out the elements of a space that you can live with and elements that you absolutely do not want in your place. Tours also help you to see how updated appliances are and if the apartment is furnished (which is a very important thing to know!). Make a list of what works for you and pick your new home based on what you want the most for your everyday space.
3: Build a budget: Budgets are the key to decorating a college home, especially with money being tight. Once you know whether your new space is furnished, plan on spending a good bit of money if you have no bed/drawers. Wayfair, Amazon, and TJMaxx are all great places to get cute, quality furniture for a lower price. Be sure to discuss living room and kitchen furniture with any roommates you’ll have to be sure that you don’t duplicate anything and waste money (because, truly, what a tragedy).
4: Get to know your roommates: It’s not a college place without roommates: good, bad and ugly all around. Getting to know your roommates before you all live together helps to build a more peaceful home environment and help you to settle into living with new people. Be sure to address any allergies or specific things that are important to each person so that way boundaries can be respected by everyone!
5: Plan out move in day: Move in day is always stressful, no matter where you’re going. Be sure to know what day and time you are supposed to be moving into so that way you are able to get your keys and paperwork completed when necessary. Planning for how you’re going to move into the apartment and set up your furniture before the actual moving date so you’re more prepared to handle the situation. You’re going to move a lot of stuff in, so be prepared to take breaks and work at a steady pace!
Moving anywhere different is stressful in itself but moving off campus doesn’t have to be the end of the world! Shop smart and prep before you move up and the whole process will be a breeze.