Moving out

[Form]

So I'm finally moving out and getting a place of my own like a proper student. After several years of searching and trying I seem to finally have gotten a stroke of luck. It isn't perfect (the others in the 'dorm' probably prefer to keep to themselves, but that's ok), but I can stand on my own two feet now and I could have done worse. It felt downright terrifying at first now that moving out is so close and it still seems a little scary, but it's about time.

I could probably use a few handy tips if the playground has any though. It'll be the first time I'll actually be living on my own. Maybe something about what kind of food is easy and quick to prepare and will stay good for a little while. I can't live off pizza everyday, after all! :smallbiggrin:

[Mauve Shirt]

For food, check out this thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9985903)

[Serpentine]

Establish household rules and duties very early on. If you have a problem, raise it sooner rather than later.

[drakir_nosslin]

For (almost) everything you need to your new home check this (http://www.ikea.com/nl/) page :smallwink:

[KenderWizard]

Try to have good habits from the start (If you start off with "I've just moved out! I don't need fruit! I'll start eating fruit next week.", you'll get used to a kitchen without fruit. It is possible to give yourself scurvy, you know!). I had no idea my body wanted vegetables until I went home to visit my parents for the first time and devoured peas and carrots.

Also, always make sure you've got something stuck in the freezer that you can pull out and heat up for a warm meal on 20 minutes notice. There's nothing worse than dragging yourself home after a long day and realising you're on your own, no one else did the shopping or cooked or cleaned, and all you've got is some stale gingerbread and half a week-old banana.

Good luck! Being independent is awesome!

[Form]

For (almost) everything you need to your new home check this (http://www.ikea.com/nl/) page :smallwink:

I'll bring some furniture over from my old room. My desk may be too large for my new place, though, since I'll have to make due with less space.


Try to have good habits from the start (If you start off with "I've just moved out! I don't need fruit! I'll start eating fruit next week.", you'll get used to a kitchen without fruit. It is possible to give yourself scurvy, you know!). I had no idea my body wanted vegetables until I went home to visit my parents for the first time and devoured peas and carrots.


I haven't actually eaten fruit in a long time. I know it's a bad habit, but I always eat my veggies! :smalltongue:

If I don't then bad things start happening to my digestion system. And probably to the rest of my body as well. :smallyuk:



Also, always make sure you've got something stuck in the freezer that you can pull out and heat up for a warm meal on 20 minutes notice. There's nothing worse than dragging yourself home after a long day and realising you're on your own, no one else did the shopping or cooked or cleaned, and all you've got is some stale gingerbread and half a week-old banana.


Easily done. It'll be either pizza + oven or microwave meal + erh... microwave.



Good luck! Being independent is awesome!

Thanks. :smallsmile:

[Corlindale]

Try out a couple of soup recipes. Soup is generally very easy to make and extremely easy to reheat. And unlike most other dishes, it often tastes better after sitting a day or two in the fridge (within limits, of course). And many kinds of soup can easily be a full meal with some bread on the side.

[RebelRogue]

Soup is also cheap. Learn a couple of basic ones, like tomato, cauliflower and onion (those are some of my faves and they're real easy).

[CynicalAvocado]

two words.
ramen.... noodles

[rakkoon]

I also bought a huge sack of frozen vegetables so that I could just heat some up and add them to my meat and pasta. I hated cleaning and cutting up vegetables.
And of course : toasties (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_toaster)! Works for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Though preferably not on the same day :smallsmile:

[Trog]

Basic Home Supplies:
Toilet bowl cleaner & brush, all purpose spray cleaner, paper towels, a broom, mop & bucket, a vacuum if you have carpeting, trash can and trash bags, dish soap and a drying rack. Smoke alarm and a new battery for it.

A couple of bath towels, a few hand towels, a couple of dish drying towels, a few sturdy cleaning rags, pot holders, a sack or basket for hauling dirty laundry, laundry detergent, a shower curtain.

Shampoo, soap, washcloths/loofa, tooth paste, tooth brush, personal hygiene items.

Entertainment items.

A bed, container(s) of your personal choice to keep clean clothes in (dresser, hanging closet racks/storage containers/whatever you can afford/have already), two sets of sheets/pillow cases (min.), comforter, a spare blanket.

A table to eat at, plates, bowls, silverware, a couple of good sharp knives for preparing food, a spatula and large spoon for cooking, a small and a large pot, a small pan and two large ones, kitchen appliances of your choice (toaster, coffee pot, what-have-you), a set of three glass mixing bowls, a cutting board(s)

Food Basics:
butter, olive oil, salt (reg. and kosher, imho) and pepper, bullion cubes, soy sauce, condiments of your choice, onions, garlic, vegetables of your choice, potatoes, rice, pasta of your choice, can diced tomatoes, frozen vegetables, cheap frozen boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (your grocery store may vary but mine stocks 2.5 lb. bags for like $6 and it'll feed six people with it... so if you are just cooking for you that's a $1/meal for meat. Cheap and all you need to do it toss the frozen chicken in a hot pan and heat up.), Frozen fish, sandwich meat, red meat buy the day you need it so it doesn't spoil, milk, eggs, sugar, flour, bread products of your choice, snacks as desired/can be afforded.

A Note on Cooking:
Start simple. Once you can make basic pasta, make decent rice, and can boil and mash / bake potatoes you've got the starches down. Meat cooking means cutting it to test for done-ness. Veggies just need heating up, usually. Beyond this, the key is mixing and prepping the ingredients and having them on hand. Use the stove and your pans, not the microwave.

Spices, like condiments, are a good investment. They can be used over and over again and will make a meal with otherwise bland ingredients something very tasty. My recommendation is to make a list of foods you like to eat, search for recipes online and pick one with a good rating that has the least amount of spices in it to start. Buy those spices and make that meal. Now you'll have what you need to make it again and again.

You've got enough basics on hand that typically you will be limited by spices, meat and veggie selection for making recipies. Use this to make your grocery lists and keep all of the above staples stocked always and you have the basic functional kitchen. Teaching yourself to cook is one of the best skills you can learn in life because you can potentially use it every day for the rest of your life and you reap the benefits. Be fearless... and remember to turn off the stove/burners.

EDIT: There's this thing called winter. It may or may not bring snow where you live. If it does, get a snow shovel. :smallwink:

[CynicalAvocado]

Basic Home Supplies:
Toilet bowl cleaner & brush, all purpose spray cleaner, paper towels, a broom, mop & bucket, a vacuum if you have carpeting, trash can and trash bags, dish soap and a drying rack. Smoke alarm and a new battery for it.

A couple of bath towels, a few hand towels, a couple of dish drying towels, a few sturdy cleaning rags, pot holders, a sack or basket for hauling dirty laundry, laundry detergent, a shower curtain.

Shampoo, soap, washcloths/loofa, tooth paste, tooth brush, personal hygiene items.

Entertainment items.

A bed, container(s) of your personal choice to keep clean clothes in (dresser, hanging closet racks/storage containers/whatever you can afford/have already), two sets of sheets/pillow cases (min.), comforter, a spare blanket.

A table to eat at, plates, bowls, silverware, a couple of good sharp knives for preparing food, a spatula and large spoon for cooking, a small and a large pot, a small pan and two large ones, kitchen appliances of your choice (toaster, coffee pot, what-have-you), a set of three glass mixing bowls, a cutting board(s)

Food Basics:
butter, olive oil, salt (reg. and kosher, imho) and pepper, bullion cubes, soy sauce, condiments of your choice, onions, garlic, vegetables of your choice, potatoes, rice, pasta of your choice, can diced tomatoes, frozen vegetables, cheap frozen boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (your grocery store may vary but mine stocks 2.5 lb. bags for like $6 and it'll feed six people with it... so if you are just cooking for you that's a $1/meal for meat. Cheap and all you need to do it toss the frozen chicken in a hot pan and heat up.), Frozen fish, sandwich meat, red meat buy the day you need it so it doesn't spoil, milk, eggs, sugar, flour, bread products of your choice, snacks as desired/can be afforded.

A Note on Cooking:
Start simple. Once you can make basic pasta, make decent rice, and can boil and mash / bake potatoes you've got the starches down. Meat cooking means cutting it to test for done-ness. Veggies just need heating up, usually. Beyond this, the key is mixing and prepping the ingredients and having them on hand. Use the stove and your pans, not the microwave.

Spices, like condiments, are a good investment. They can be used over and over again and will make a meal with otherwise bland ingredients something very tasty. My recommendation is to make a list of foods you like to eat, search for recipes online and pick one with a good rating that has the least amount of spices in it to start. Buy those spices and make that meal. Now you'll have what you need to make it again and again.

You've got enough basics on hand that typically you will be limited by spices, meat and veggie selection for making recipies. Use this to make your grocery lists and keep all of the above staples stocked always and you have the basic functional kitchen. Teaching yourself to cook is one of the best skills you can learn in life because you can potentially use it every day for the rest of your life and you reap the benefits. Be fearless... and remember to turn off the stove/burners.
EDIT: There's this thing called winter. It may or may not bring snow where you live. If it does, get a snow shovel. :smallwink:

also if it gets really hot during summer, invest in a few fans to circulate air

[Lycan 01]

Are you in a dorm or an apartment? :smallconfused:

This year is the first time I've actually had a dorm with its own bathroom and a full kitchen downstairs. Plus, my roommate kinda unofficially moved out, so for the last 2 or so months, I basically had the place to myself. As far as food and stuff went, I got most of my meals from the Cafeteria, usually getting extra food like chips and bananas to save for later. Other than that, though, I was only given about 10-15 bucks a week by my parents to buy groceries, fast food, and school supplies with. :smalleek:

The Kroger across the street, with its wonderful deals and discounts, quickly became a God-send. :smallbiggrin:

[CoffeeIncluded]

Also, cooking will save you money in the long run and is often better for you (Assuming you know how to cook. If you don't, learn!) For example, you can make enough spaghetti and meatballs for about four servings for about 15 dollars.

[Lycan 01]

A can of ravioli for a dollar fills you up just as good as a burger and fries for several dollars, too. Plus, the ravioli is tastier and healthier. :smalltongue:

Seriously, not eating fast food will save you a LOT. Its not one of those "oh, in the long run you'll save money" deals either. You'll very quickly realize how much more food you can get at the store vs. McDonalds or something. I mean, a box of pop-tarts for two dollars is several meals. Two dollars of food from a restaurant won't even fill you up most of the time. :smalleek:

[Jack Squat]

Also, cooking will save you money in the long run and is often better for you (Assuming you know how to cook. If you don't, learn!) For example, you can make enough spaghetti and meatballs for about four servings for about 15 dollars.

Chicken is a godsend for people on tight budgets. Most places you can find deals for 98¢ where I live. And herbs/spices are a great cheap way to vary up your cuisine: to quote a wise man "A man can live on packaged food from here 'til Judgement Day if he's got enough rosemary."

Also, yogurt is a great snack to stock up on - pretty easy to make yourself too.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Also, fresh fruits and vegetables can be pretty cheap if you buy them in-season. Vegetables can be a little tricky to prepare well, because if you screw up they become limp and gross. but they're really good when prepared right (I prefer them grilled or cooked in sauces).

Also, if you have the money to spend, organic is more expensive, but the quality is so much higher, especially with dairy and produce.

[Mando Knight]

Our friend Andy Warhol has a tip for you.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1f/Campbells_Soup_Cans_MOMA.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell%27s_Soup_Cans)

[Form]

Are you in a dorm or an apartment? :smallconfused:


It's a dorm and I'm sharing the kitchen and bathroom with 3 others.

Fortunately, I already know how to cook (simple stuff, potatoes/rice+vegetables+meat/fish). I don't think we have a freezer though, just a fridge so that's going to limit how long I can preserve certain types of food. I imagine my meat consumption will drop considerably as a result.

I'll probably eat more rice too, since I don't like pealing potatoes. And canned foods are a godsend.

And thanks for all the tips given so far. ^^

[Quincunx]

Trog's basic list is quite nice. I would add the short "home emergencies" list of one light bulb of the most common type (can't determine it before you move in but stash one as soon as possible), a small monkey wrench with a decent bite to it, one screwdriver set (2 euro set of handle and interchangeable bits was too cheap and broke under torque, 5 euro set of same style was OK), and a plunger. If your light source or plumbing starts acting up, you at least have the means to stop things getting worse. Also, locate the main water cut-off valve and the circuit breaker box before you need them. The knowledge of how to make minor repairs is fairly free, at the library and on the internet.

[jpreem]

Duct-tape and a hammer. If it moves and shouldn't use duct-tape, if it should move but is stuck hit it with a hammer.
( the duct-tape being a much more needed one as you can hit stuff with almost any other stuff :D)

[Force]

If you're going to be cooking for yourself, pick a day (I do Sundays) in which you spend the whole afternoon cooking the meals for the week. I have a large recipe folder from which I grab four recipes at random on Saturday, make sure I had all my ingredients, and cook Sunday afternoon. If you have space in your fridge and don't mind eating stuff that you have to microwave every day, it makes it possible to live on a *very* small food budget (you would be quite surprised) while making it so you don't have to cook every other day.

If you don't take that route, get a crockpot (aka slow cooker) and find some good recipes for use with it. You can make everything from a ham to soup to frickin' BREAD in a slowcooker, if you care to do so-- it's one of the more versatile tools in the space-limited cook's arsenal. Plus, with crockpot cooking, you can get up an hour before class, spend 15 minutes putting stuff in the crockpot, leave and come back 8 hours later to a hot meal that required no input.

[Cyrion]

People have hinted at this through ideas for saving money on food, but one of the best skills and habits you can develop when you first move out is learning to budget your money.

Do this on paper or a spreadsheet, every month. Write down the current balance in your checking account, add everything you can rely on as income, and subtract every expense you can predict. The remainder is what you have left to use for discretionary spending.

Live within your budget!

This will save you a lot of grief in both the short and long runs.

[KuReshtin]

People have hinted at this through ideas for saving money on food, but one of the best skills and habits you can develop when you first move out is learning to budget your money.

Do this on paper or a spreadsheet, every month. Write down the current balance in your checking account, add everything you can rely on as income, and subtract every expense you can predict. The remainder is what you have left to use for discretionary spending.

Live within your budget!

This will save you a lot of grief in both the short and long runs.

Agreed. However, in addition to including 'every expense you can predict' always budget in for things that you can't predict.
You might get a flat tyre on your car that needs replacing, or there's a problem that you have to call a worker out to fix that you can't handle yourself.