Devin Dornbrock Believe me; I know how hard it can be to live with your parents. Mine were driving me up the walls for years. Depending on your family situation, it can feel like being a live-in servant to someone else’s whims while trying to figure out the whole “being an adult” thing. Leaving the nest isn’t easy, so let’s talk about when is the right time to move out of your parents house.
Moving out isn’t easy
There’s so much to think about when you move out of your parent’s house. There are pros and cons to staying with family, which can make finding the right time to move out a bit tricky.
It can be nice staying in your childhood home instead of trying to rent a shoebox apartment far from the picket fence American Dream your parents managed to create.
On the other hand, if your family causes you a lot of stress, moving out can help your mental health and even improve your relationship with them. (Distance can be a much-needed buffer between you and them that makes things a lot less tense).
What to consider if you’re thinking about moving out
If you’re thinking it could be the right time to move out of your parents house, there are a few things to consider before you start making any concrete plans. Whatever your situation, you don’t want to pack up your stuff and start the moving process unprepared.
You have to find the right place
The most important part of moving is, of course, finding the right place to move into. Housing these days is a nightmare, and rent only seems to be increasing, which makes it doubly important to choose carefully.
Not only do you need to consider your budget, but you also have to consider the location of where you want to move to. Which neighborhoods are generally safe? If you’re in school or have a job, what kind of commute is tolerable, and how long before it’s just not worth the gas?
It’s enough to make your head spin.
Financial stability
This should be obvious but don’t move out if you can’t afford it. If you can stay with family and save money, you should! At least for a little while. It never hurts to have some money saved up in case of an emergency.
Even if you have enough to cover rent and the other bills that come with having your own place, consider whether you have enough to actually move.
Moving into a new place usually comes with a lot of expensive up-front costs. Hiring movers, buying new furniture, buying new appliances, security deposits, first and/ or last month’s rent. If you’re moving with your furry friend, you may even be on the hook for a costly pet deposit.
In all honesty, the longer you can live with family, the better it usually is for your finances. Paying zero or reduced rent for a few years can go a long way to buying a car or putting a down payment on a house.
If you really want to move sooner rather than later, try to figure out your costs and have at least a few hundred dollars as a buffer for emergencies.
You don’t have to live on your own right away
Even if you’re ready to move out of your parents house, you may not yet be ready to live alone. And that’s okay! Finding a roommate can help you transition into living on your own. They’ll be someone to split the responsibilities with and can help you figure out all the things that come with being head of the household.
Just make sure your roommate is someone you can live with. Being friends with someone does not mean they will necessarily be a good roommate.
When you can afford to, choosing your roommates carefully is a good idea. Living with friends sounds like a good idea, but sometimes being in close quarters with someone so much can make things a bit tense, especially if you have different ideas of what is and isn’t acceptable at home.
So when exactly is the right time to move out?
There is no right time to move out of your parent’s house. Some people will be ready sooner than others, and that’s okay. Moving out is a big change, and some of us just deal with change better than others.
If it feels like it’s taking you a little longer than some of your friends, don’t sweat it. The National Longitudinal Survey reports that 54.6% of adults had moved out and then back in with their parents by the age of 27. This means it’s incredibly common to be an adult who still lives with your parents.
If you feel ready, you’re probably ready
At the end of the day, how you feel is the most important indicator. If you feel ready, then you probably are. Make sure you think it through and have a support system. When you feel ready and excited to move out, you will have a much better time than if you feel pressured into it when you’re really not ready.
Take your time and make sure you’re prepared. You got this.
When you are finally ready to move out, ensure you have the skills you’ll need to live independently. Good thing we’ve got some blogs to help you out! Read more about adjusting to a new city here.
When do you think the right time to move out of your parents house is?
