Tips for Students Moving Away from Home for the First Time

Moving away from home for the first time can bring a mixture of emotions, from excitement for that newfound freedom to anxiety for what is to come. For many students, starting university is a significant step and typically the first time living independently.

This article is an essential guide, packed with practical tips for moving out and key advice for moving out for the first time to ensure a smooth and enjoyable transition. From budgeting to packing and advice for how to deal with homesickness, this article aims to help students moving away from home for the first time. 

Create a student budget

One of the best tips for moving out is to be financially prepared. Creating a budget is the best way to ensure you have enough money to cover all of your expenses. For most students, university is the first time where you’ll experience paying bills or managing budgets and therefore it is important to set yourself up for success.

To create a budget, simply calculate your fixed expenses. This includes rent, tuition, phone bills, internet bills, gym memberships, transport costs etc. Once you have all of your fixed expenses, you can allocate funds for variable expenses such as food shops, social activities, clothes etc. It is always wise to ensure you have an emergency fund, just in case!

Another one of our top tips for moving out is to open a student account; many banking providers offer student accounts with added perks and no fees. This can be a great way to track your expenditure. You can also set up an emergency savings account for when things get a little tight. 

One of the great perks of being a student is all of the discounts you can get. Make sure you sign up to platforms such as Unidays and StudentBeans for all those student discounts. 

If you are moving away from home for the first time, it might be the first time you’ll need to cook. Cooking at home will save you a lot of money compared to eating takeaways. Although it can be tempting to eat a diet of pizza and burgers. Eating nutritional food will help your health and wellbeing while also saving you money.

By making sure you set a budget and stick to it each month, you should be able to comfortably settle into university life without worrying about running out of money.

Pack the essentials 

When moving away from home for the first time, it can feel overwhelming at times, so don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’ll provide you with the essentials you’ll need to pack when moving to university.

First of all make sure you have the absolute essentials, including ID, insurance, your tenancy agreement, bank card, railcard, passport and prescriptions. When it comes to packing, avoid overpacking, as this can make your life quite stressful once you arrive. Spend time getting to know your new housemates rather than trying to unpack an endless number of boxes! Just pack what you need for the first term and you can always bring more at a later date.

If you know your housemates before moving, consider coordinating with them so you don’t have 3 hoovers, 2 microwaves and no kettles.

One of our top tips for moving out for the first time and moving into a shared house or halls is to prepare for the worst-case scenarios. While things will hopefully go well, you might have different lifestyles, cleaning habits, or communication styles from your housemates. It’s smart to have a plan for how you’ll handle disagreements. Maybe you can set up a house meeting to discuss any issues or create a rota for chores to avoid arguments. The key is to address problems early before they become bigger issues.

Learn life skills

One of our biggest pieces of advice for moving out for the first time is to practise those all-important life skills. Learn some easy meal prep ideas such as pasta, chicken and rice, stir fry and more to help you maintain a balanced diet on a student budget.

Practise doing your own clothes washing and learn how to use washing machines without turning all of your whites pink. Consider creating a cleaning schedule to ensure you maintain a tidy space which can improve your wellbeing and keep your housemates happy.

Make sure you register with a local doctor and dentist for any emergencies. This is really important when moving away from home for the first time and not having parents or friends close by. By learning and developing these life skills, you can make starting university a lot easier.

Dealing with homesickness

The most important thing to remember here is that you are not alone. According to NUS 50-70% of UK students feel homesick in the first few weeks at university. It’s normal to miss your friends, family and pets. A great tip for moving out to try and help you through this transition is to try and schedule regular calls with your friends and family, but don’t let this isolate you from your housemates and new life.

The best way to overcome isolation is to build a new community of friends at university. During freshers’ week, you’ll get the opportunity to meet new people and join an array of new clubs and societies. This can provide you with a support network for when you’re feeling lonely. 

Another important piece of advice for moving out for the first time is to set boundaries with your housemates. If you don’t feel comfortable with something, communicate and try to come to a resolution. This is better than holding it in and causing bigger problems. Remember that you’re likely all going through the same thing. Support each other and always reach out. Either to your university, family, friends or someone you trust if you are feeling overwhelmingly homesick or alone.

The final and best advice for moving out for the first time is to enjoy it. Take every day as it comes. This is an exciting new chapter in your life. You will learn about yourself, develop your skills and gain new perspectives. You’ll learn to budget your money, cook for yourself, and keep your living space tidy. You’ll also learn to communicate effectively with different kinds of people. This is a valuable skill for any future career or relationship. We hope our tips for moving out make your transition easier. Here at Magenta Self Storage, we’re here to help you store any belongings when you’re moving away from home or over the summer. Contact our team and we’ll provide you with a free storage quote.