Moving Into A Share House : Leaving Home

Moving out of home is one of those rites of passage that everyone needs to go through.

You’ve finished school, or have got yourself set up in your first decent job and, all of a sudden, you feel the need to be more independent and move out of your parent’s home.

It is a big decision and one that needs to be done with planning and a bit of care as many mothers seem to go through Empty Nest Syndrome when children move away. This is particularly so when it is the last of the brood to depart the nest.

So, be gentle when breaking the news and prepare yourself for a few tears...

Flatting or sharing a house can be an expensive business - unless you are going to cram in 10 bodies in to a room. You need to have a bond of several weeks rent that is paid in advance to the real estate agent or landlord. You also usually need to provide two or four weeks rent before you move in, and with all these costs combined, this can be a considerable amount.

You also need to make sure you have everything you need for your new abode. A bed, cooking utensils, a couch, bean bag, vacuum, TV, stereo … all manner of comforts you have had provided for you by your guardians over the years.

And while speaking of cooking utensils, every boy who leaves home should be able to cook for himself and his flatmates. There are no bones about that one. Nothing is more pathetic than a teenager who continually opens canned foods rather than setting about the glorious task of feeding oneself well.

And cooking fresh food at home is much, much cheaper than relying on processed foods or takeaways.

So, lads, get some lessons before you go. Spaghetti sauce is cheap and easy, pasta dishes too, and in summer you can try your hand at the BBQ. Well worth adding that essential piece of equipment to your shopping list.

And once you do learn to cook make sure you clean up the kitchen afterwards. The chef shouldn’t do the dishes but old early flatmates of mine would often fight to get to the oven before me as I was a very messy culinary creator. Fear not, I have learned and it makes life so much easier.

If you are moving into a shared house then it is extremely important that you go in from the outset as a part of a team rather than someone who shares the place.

Be considerate of your flatmates. Clean-up after yourself and make sure you do your share of housework. This is exceptionally important for males and - it must be confessed - I was as guilty of not doing enough in that department.

This can lead to resentment and fiery outbursts, particularly if you are sharing with gals.

It isn’t up to them to clean and cook - except when it’s their turn on the roster - and for goodness sake the toilet is one of the easiest places to clean, so ensure that it remains sparkly clean (volunteering for that will earn brownie points).

I’ve heard some great tales in recent times of slacker male flatmates who do three-tenths of bugger all around the place.

The partner of a former colleague was able to cook on a barbecue but that was it. "Hello?" I asked, did the guy cook anything in winter? Well, sausages and potato and peas came the response. Dump him, I reckoned.

Another guy who should have been old enough to know what was required shared a house for seven months and cooked but one meal. Oh, he did clean the loo once - in a fashion - but fat chance for vacuuming, cleaning, tidying or anything else. Needless to say he did outstay the welcome.

Nothing annoys people faster than lazy housemates and the continual aggravation of asking someone to improve builds tensions to the degree you are asked to leave. It isn’t pleasant to kick someone out, but sometimes they are beyond redemption.

While a student, I found a reasonably painless way of washing my clothes was at the local Laundromat. I did my own and read a book while waiting, but if short of time I’d drop it into the gals there and they would put it through for a fee.

If ironing is not your forte then there usually is a service at staffed Laundromats where you can free yourself from the hassles of the flat-bottomed metal thingy. I’m still no great iron wielder but, hey, you can’t be good at everything.

Remember, flatting is not like living at home where your parents do many things for you. Your housemates are not your cooks or cleaners and so show some respect for them (and yourself) and begin life as an independent adult independently.