This post was graciously shared with us from Megan's shared website with Shane, Shane & Meg. If you like what you see here, visit their website--they have some truly amazing articles and videos to share!
About three weeks ago, I moved out of my parents’ house. At 22, this felt like the logical next step. A lot of my peers left home for college, but after COVID, I decided to stay home, commute, and save. Shane and I continued living between our houses for about a year after graduation, and we could not have bought our first place together without this intentional choice. Our condo is close to family, work, school, and the gym.
We absolutely love having our own space, but it has certainly been an adjustment. There are plenty of responsibilities that come with home ownership. Luckily, our HOA covers lawn care and outdoor maintenance! Here are a few pieces of advice I have before you leave the nest-
Do not rush (if possible) - I started preparing about six months before we moved. The timeline was something like this: for the first three months, I realized, hey, we should start thinking about getting our own place (we had been together for about two years at that point), so I put away stuff we did not need then, like dishes. Month four, we put in an offer and were doing paperwork. Months five and six, the previous owner had occupancy, so we had adequate time to prepare.
Declutter before you pack - This will save you time in the end. Moving is the only time you will be forced to go through all your possessions, so do not mindlessly pack everything. You will need more boxes, and you will be bringing your old chaos into your new space. Be diligent in deciding what you want to bring and what you can live without. Donate, give to loved ones, or throw out the items that no longer provide value.
Curate your look - Before you move in, spend some time assessing what you have. Where could this go in your new space? Is there room for it? Go on Pinterest and see what you are drawn to. Now, look at what major pieces you own compared to your overall aesthetic. If something seems out of place, declutter it or interchange smaller décor bits to bring everything together. If you want to upgrade paintings or tchotchkes, consider thrifting or asking a loved one. I was able to snag a few things from my mom and Salvation Army. I also searched Target’s website, waiting on my favorite piece that is now a focal point of our living room until it went on clearance.
Paint first (if possible) - Shane, my dad, my cousins’ husbands, and I all pitched in to paint the back half of the house. We painted every room the same color as the main living space, which is a delicate cream. I know this is not possible for everyone, but painting an empty house is obviously ideal. We did not risk splattering on furniture, nor did we have to work around it. Moving into a freshly painted home made it feel like ours, a new beginning. Granted, we still want to paint our kitchen cabinets; that was a much bigger project that we were prepared to take on for the move-in weekend.
Limit your cleaning supplies - During my “We just bought our first home!!" Target haul, I was excited to say the least, so I ended up buying an absurd amount of cleaning products. Tile cleaner? Check. Sink cleaner? Check. I ended up hating the scents, so now I only have Windex (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, anyone?), a natural all-purpose cleaner, and Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaner. So far, I am fine!
Create a daily chore routine - We split responsibilities, so in the morning, Shane does the dishes, takes out the trash, makes the bed, and meal preps. Meanwhile, I switch over the night’s laundry and put away the previous days. Most would not want to do these things every day, but it sure beats the burnout from having to do 5 days' worth of work, gym, and lounge laundry!
Reset your space every night - Before going to bed, we pick up after ourselves. Dirty dishes go into the dishwasher, the day’s clothes go in the washing machine, and the pillows go back on the couch. This can take as little as 5 minutes, and wow, what a difference it makes to wake up to a tidy space.
Buy food you will eat - When you move out, you take on new expenses. In my house (and Shane’s), we could open the fridge and eat whatever we wanted. Now, we are the people who buy the food! We quickly realized just how expensive food is, so now, we are very conscious about buying just enough food to get us to next week. Package up individual serving sizes and freeze, taking out just one at a time, to not overcook and waste!
Be willing to host - It can be scary to have people over, but right off the bat, we made the leap and hosted our families. This new space can feel sacred, and it might be nerve-wracking. Will someone drop ketchup on the carpet? What if something breaks? Guess what, that’s life. My family has a long-standing tradition of sharing Sunday family dinners; having them over for the first time, cooking, and baking dessert felt weirdly emotional. It felt like a big coming-of-age moment, and there is a great deal of pride that comes with homeownership. Share your space!
Dare to be stingy with electricity - Peak hours are 3 pm - 7 pm, so we turn off our AC every day before we leave to go to the gym (6 am) and wait until past 7 pm to turn it back on. Sometimes, this means that we come home to a pretty toasty condominium, but it is worth it. We do not have a pet or plants, so we are fine to close the house during the day, and just use climate control after hours, at night, when we are home. Growing up, I was not allowed to touch the thermostat; my mom would walk around unplugging stuff, sometimes things that did not make sense, like TV’s. This rubbed off on me a bit.
Bonus tip - Consider adapting with the seasons. No, this does not mean you must make your home a Hobby Lobby catalog. I love adding minimal, earthy touches. For fall, consider dried florals, a hay bale and pumpkin on the porch. For Christmas, decorate your tree and hang stockings. Spring and summer are perfect for displaying fresh flowers.
Tour our first place here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f3EMh_RTsA
Until next time,
Meg