Bonjour mes amies, good bank holiday weekend? It feels like forever since I sat down and brought you a chatty somethin' somethin' so here we go. Today I'm dishing out my tips for one of the most daunting things around, moving out for the first time. Now you might make a lasagna or two when you're at school (my bestie and I actually made smash in food technology, yes really) but no one teaches you the life skills and general day-to-day things you need to know for when it's time to run your own four walls like planning meals and budgeting for the unexpected (surely this should be in the curriculum?) so here are just some of the things I wish I'd known when I first moved out of my family home.
1. Make it personal - Whether you're renting your space or buying my top tip is to make your new living quarters your own Pinterest worthy haven. Fill your domain with your favourite photos, quirky prints (find my Bonjour number here), fresh flowers or all of the above to make things feel homely. I remember having a real homesick moment when I first rented with Craig (yes I cried) and getting all my belongings in order made our blank canvas of a flat feel like home.
2. Bills, bills, bills - The phrase by failing to prepare you're preparing to fail couldn't be truer when it comes to matters of money. Keep things simple and set aside all your household monies, along with a cheeky buffer (everyone needs an emergency stash) each month so you know all the essentials are covered. Food will be one of your biggest expenses so scout out the online shopping codes and get your groceries from all of the supermarkets.
3. Decorating can be all kinds of fun - If you'd of told me I'd be steaming wallpaper and rank plastered headboards off the walls the day we bought our first house I'd of laughed. Now I won't lie, the novelty of steaming does wear off after the first few hours or so and things get pretty sweaty but the sense of satisfaction you get from completing a room yourself is like no other.
4. Know when to call in the professionals - Painting can easily be rectified but tiling, electrics and plumbing can go horribly wrong when you don't know what you're doing. It might cost more in the short term but I promise it'll be worth it in the long run. If you're not a natural at household duties then don't fear, LightBulbs Direct* found that one in four Brits don't know how to change a lightbulb. I'm pleased to say I can manage it but it's another story when it comes to wattage and bulb types.
5. Don't let the bricks grind you down - See what I did there? Moving into your own pad is the best but at times things can be tough - household chores can get on top of you, DIY can take what seems like forever and you might end up spending all your spare cash on a damp proof course (not that I'm speaking from experience or anything) but I promise it's worth it. For times when it doesn't feel like it get out of the house and enjoy yourself - even if it's just a walk around the park, that tiny bit of downtime will make all the difference.
What do you wish you'd known when you moved into your first abode?
1. Make it personal - Whether you're renting your space or buying my top tip is to make your new living quarters your own Pinterest worthy haven. Fill your domain with your favourite photos, quirky prints (find my Bonjour number here), fresh flowers or all of the above to make things feel homely. I remember having a real homesick moment when I first rented with Craig (yes I cried) and getting all my belongings in order made our blank canvas of a flat feel like home.
2. Bills, bills, bills - The phrase by failing to prepare you're preparing to fail couldn't be truer when it comes to matters of money. Keep things simple and set aside all your household monies, along with a cheeky buffer (everyone needs an emergency stash) each month so you know all the essentials are covered. Food will be one of your biggest expenses so scout out the online shopping codes and get your groceries from all of the supermarkets.
3. Decorating can be all kinds of fun - If you'd of told me I'd be steaming wallpaper and rank plastered headboards off the walls the day we bought our first house I'd of laughed. Now I won't lie, the novelty of steaming does wear off after the first few hours or so and things get pretty sweaty but the sense of satisfaction you get from completing a room yourself is like no other.
4. Know when to call in the professionals - Painting can easily be rectified but tiling, electrics and plumbing can go horribly wrong when you don't know what you're doing. It might cost more in the short term but I promise it'll be worth it in the long run. If you're not a natural at household duties then don't fear, LightBulbs Direct* found that one in four Brits don't know how to change a lightbulb. I'm pleased to say I can manage it but it's another story when it comes to wattage and bulb types.
5. Don't let the bricks grind you down - See what I did there? Moving into your own pad is the best but at times things can be tough - household chores can get on top of you, DIY can take what seems like forever and you might end up spending all your spare cash on a damp proof course (not that I'm speaking from experience or anything) but I promise it's worth it. For times when it doesn't feel like it get out of the house and enjoy yourself - even if it's just a walk around the park, that tiny bit of downtime will make all the difference.
What do you wish you'd known when you moved into your first abode?
*In collaboration with LightBulbs Direct.
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