Moving Out / Living Alone

I've always said that I only like to blog/write about things I know - So after having recieved a few questions regarding moving away from home, I would love to share my personal experiences and just give a bit of advice having been through of this at such a young age. I've used my most asked questions in order to give the best possible advice.

Moving out: My Story

Leaving home isn't really something you think about when you're younger - You know you'll do it, but the idea of looking for a place and physically moving out, doesn't really cross your mind. I know I never really considered it, especially not at the age I was. At 16 my mum found work abroad, so I suddenly had 3 months to find somewhere to live and move out. I was terrified. I didn't think I'd be able to cope and felt really panicked and unprepared. However my mum was very calm about it, she said I would probably suprise myself by how fine I would be. It was an amazing feeling to know that she had that much faith in me. I'd always thought I wouldn't have to deal with these things until I was an 'adult' - But I realised that there would never be a time where the concept of moving out wouldn't scare me, so I could keep putting it off and talking myself out of it, or take on this new adventure! So I did. I was very lucky when looking for my first place, due to the short notice a family friend happened to be renting out a flat and because it wasn't quite finished yet, I was able to get a very good deal. So within a day of my mum leaving for the Alps, I was moved in. Since this flat, I've lived in a few shared houses and have now settled in to my favourite place. I'm planning on this being my last home, and from here I will box up all my stuffin a couple of months, shove it into storage and begin my live-in work abroad. So all of this is completely temporary and I'm just enjoying it whilst it lasts, because who knows when I'll be living somewhere like this again!

How do you Afford it?

This is definitely the question I get asked the most regarding this topic. My answer is obviously work. It's a bit hopeful to think you will be able to move out and live on your own at a young age with no job. Although you don't have to be working constantly in order to fund yourself, there's plenty of budget ways to survive life alone and still live happily and stress free. For a first place it's always a good idea to go for shared accomodation, as it's much more affordable and caters a lot more for younger people, so it's less of a shock to the system. Going from a family household where you're surrounded by people constantly, to suddenly being completely alone can be a really stressful and lonely experience, even if you think being on your own is what you want - Shared houses are still a good first step, even if it's just on a 6 month temporary basis to get used to things, because money is definitely one of the biggest adjustments and you need to know you're safe. You will suddenly have to depend completely on your own wage to buy everything from food to toilet cleaner. Things that have always just been there and you've never had to consider spending money on before. Setting yourself up with a weekly/monthly budget can be very useful, work out the money you will get paid, take away your rent and work out how much you will need for food weekly, leave yourself with a bit of emergency money for things like toothpaste and the essentials, then lock away the rest! It's a very good way to save and be safe with your money (something I really struggled with at first) But you will learn loads and get a lot better at handling your funding, a thing that takes some people a lifetime to figure out! So I really think it's better to be able to manage this sooner rather than later.

Obviously you won't be able to live a lavish lifestyle, with shopping sprees and new gadgets. But if (like me) you are perfectly happy to live simply and use a few budget homemade decoration ideas and a few knock-off food brands, then it's perfect and you will very much enjoy your first away-from-home experience. And just remember, it's temporary.

Is it Scary?

This is another one of the commonly asked questions, and I suppose the answer really depends of the kind of person you are. If you're someone who finds it scary to be alone and aren't used to being without company, then you may find it a little harder to adjust. However if you're someone who doesn't really think along these lines and is fine to be alone then it probably won't phase you. But you either way, you may suprise yourself when faced with this situation, because it's a really different way to live. When you do adapt to your new surroundings though, I'm sure no matter how you felt at first, you will begin to love your new freedom. I slept in my living room every single night in my first place, purely because I felt safer in there so it made things easier. It's good to find a comforter like this (e.g a TV show or book) that you can rely on in order to settle you. It's great if you can learn to master these fears, because once you do it will help in all sorts of areas of your life. For example if you're wanting to travel then moving away from home is inevitable, so learning to calm your own mind in new places beforehand will make the experience much easier for you.

Knowing When it's Time

There isn't any rules when it comes to deciding when to move out. Most people will stay at home as long as they can or simply wait for an event such as university to take them away from home. These options are both perfectly fine. However in my opinion, I think it's very healthy to move out as soon as you feel ready. You will learn more about yourself than you ever could at home, you're able to become yourself and begin to form your life. Don't become too attached to any of your surroundings, because everywhere and everything is temporary - Appreciate it whilst you have it, but don't loose sight of the fact that things will inveitably change at some point. You may have heard the quote "Home is where the heart is" - This couldn't be more true or appropriate for this situation, because it's really important to remember that it doesn't matter where you are in the whole world as long as you feel happy and comfortable, then it's home.

Namaste, Brooke x

#advice