Moving out for the first time is exciting and scary at once. Whether you’re heading across Charleston to your first apartment or moving to another city in South Carolina, this is a big step. It’s not just packing boxes – you’re taking charge of your life, paying bills, cooking meals, and handling everything yourself. This guide covers money, finding a place, what to buy, packing, and dealing with emotions. We’ve got everything you need to make this move smooth.
Getting Your Finances Ready Before Moving Out For The First Time
You need 3-6 months of expenses saved (about $5,000-8,000 in Charleston), plus $2,500-3,000 for first costs like deposits and moving. Your monthly income should be three times your rent.
Here’s the rule: your income should be three times your rent. Make $3,000 monthly? Afford $1,000 in rent. Track everything – coffee, food, gym, Netflix, phone, gas, insurance. In Charleston, downtown one-bedrooms run $1,400-1,600 monthly, North Charleston costs $900-1,100, West Ashley sits at $1,100-1,300. Things cost more on your own because you’re buying everything yourself.
South Carolina landlords want 1-2 months rent as security deposit. You’ll pay first month upfront, sometimes last month too. For a $1,000 apartment, you need $2,000 for keys. Moving costs include truck rental at $150-300 or movers at $400-800. Don’t forget utility connection fees ($50-100 each), internet setup ($100), renters insurance ($15-25 monthly). Save 3-6 months expenses for emergencies, even starting with $50 monthly in a separate account.
Get a secured credit card and pay it off every month. Under 26? Stay on parents’ health insurance. Over 26? Check employer options. Get renters insurance – it covers theft or neighbor water damage.
Finding a Steady Job Before You Move
Don’t move without steady income covering rent, utilities, food, and transportation before signing a lease.
Entry-level jobs must cover basics – rent, food, gas, insurance. Charleston has hospitality jobs, healthcare at MUSC, growing tech downtown, and retail everywhere. If job hunting isn’t working, wait or find a roommate. Work teaches adult skills fast – showing up on time, dealing with people, managing money.
Tips For Moving Out For The First Time: Finding Your Place
Look for apartments within 30 minutes of work, in safe neighborhoods, near stores. North Charleston and West Ashley offer best value at $900-1,300 monthly.
Charleston traffic is bad – James Island to Mount Pleasant takes 45 minutes at rush hour. Visit areas at different times to check traffic and parking. Look up crime stats since some blocks are safe while the next isn’t. You want Publix or Walmart within 10 minutes, plus gas stations and pharmacies nearby.
North Charleston is most affordable at $900-1,100 monthly and growing fast. West Ashley is middle ground at $1,100-1,300, more residential with beach access. James Island and Folly are younger and beachy but pricier. Mount Pleasant is nice but expensive at $1,400+. Summerville and Goose Creek are cheapest but 30-45 minutes from downtown.
Read every word of your lease. Can you paint, have pets? When is rent due? What’s the late fee? Try negotiating $50-100 off monthly rent for longer leases. Roommates cut costs in half but you deal with their mess, so set ground rules early about cleaning, guests, and bills.
Moving Out For The First Time Checklist: Your Timeline
Start planning 3 months before. Sign lease and schedule utilities 1 month before. Pack non-essentials 2-3 weeks out.
Three months out, save money, browse Zillow and Facebook, sell or donate stuff. One month before, sign the lease, call Dominion Energy at (800) 251-7234, Charleston Water at (843) 727-6800, set up the internet (takes 1-2 weeks), update address including driver’s license ($25 in SC). One week before, pack everything except daily items, label boxes specifically, confirm with movers, clean new places, measure doorways. The day before, pack the first night box, check the weather, get groceries, and charge devices.
What You Need When Moving For The First Time: Shopping List
Before moving, buy bedding, shower curtain, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, kitchen basics. Everything else waits.
Get a mattress ($200-400), sheets, pillows, blanket, curtains. The bathroom needs a shower curtain, bulk toilet paper, two bath towels, soap, plunger. Kitchen basics include paper plates, microwave meals, coffee maker, one pot and pan, dish soap. Cleaning supplies are all-purpose cleaner, paper towels, trash bags, brooms. Tools include hammer, screwdrivers, step stool, scissors. Pack the first night box with clothes, medications, charger, toilet paper, snacks, soap, sheets.
After moving, get a couch from Facebook Marketplace, coffee table, lamp. The kitchen needs real dishes for four, chef’s knife, cutting board, three pans, measuring cups, can opener, Tupperware, toaster, oven mitts. The bathroom needs a bath mat, toilet brush, and trash can. The bedroom needs a bed frame, dresser, hangers, and laundry basket. Shop Walmart for starter kits, Dollar Tree for cleaning, Habitat ReStore for furniture, thrift stores on Rivers Avenue.
Clean Your Place and Measure Before Moving In
Clean your new place before moving day – easier when empty. Measure doorways, hallways, rooms so furniture fits.
Previous tenant might’ve been gross, so deep clean before boxes arrive. Focus on bathroom and kitchen where you want things actually clean. Check for mold in Charleston humidity under sinks, in corners, around windows. Measure your doorways since apartment doors are narrow, measure hallway width and room dimensions, write it in your phone. Measure your furniture too – better knowing now than when stuck in a stairwell with a dresser that won’t fit.
Packing Smart and Getting Organized
Pack one room at a time starting with rarely used items. Label every box clearly, keep “first night box” separate.
Sell clothes you haven’t worn in a year, electronics you upgraded from. Donate old books and kitchen stuff. Trash broken items you’ve been meaning to fix. Less stuff means cheaper move. Pack off-season clothes, books, decorations first. Leave kitchen and bathroom for last since you use these until moving day. Wrap breakables in towels to save money on bubble wrap. Label boxes with specific contents and destination, number boxes and keep phone list.
Moving Day: Getting Your Stuff There
Rent a truck for $150-300, hire movers for $400-800, or use portable storage where you load at your pace.
DIY works if you have friends with trucks and not much stuff. Hire movers if you have heavy furniture or multiple truckloads. Portable storage lets you load on your schedule – they pick up and deliver when ready. Check if employer offers moving help. Start early on moving day to beat heat and traffic, provide water and snacks for helpers, keep important papers in your car, buy helpers pizza.
Life Skills: Cooking, Cleaning, and Fixing Stuff
Learn basic repairs, cook cheap meals, clean weekly. YouTube teaches everything else.
YouTube shows how to unclog drains with plungers, fix leaky faucets, reset breakers, patch walls, change AC filters monthly (important in Charleston). Cook simple meals like $5 spaghetti for three meals, rice with chicken, bean burritos. Meal prep Sundays for the week. Shop Walmart for cheap groceries or Aldi for quality. Do dishes after eating to avoid ants, wipe counters after cooking, vacuum and clean bathroom weekly, deep clean monthly. Set up autopay for bills, check statements monthly, use budget apps.
Letting Cats Out For The First Time After Moving
Keep cats inside 2-4 weeks so they learn this is home. First outdoor time, go with them before dinner, call back after 10-15 minutes.
Keep cats in the bathroom with food, water, litter on moving day, transport in a secure carrier with a blanket. Keep them in one room for 2-3 days, then let them explore one room at a time. Update microchip and collar before first outdoor time, go out with them before dinner when hungry, call back after 10-15 minutes using treat sounds. Do this daily for a week before unsupervised time. Watch for Charleston wildlife like raccoons and possums.
Dealing With Emotions and Getting Settled
Homesickness is normal and gets better after weeks. Stay connected through calls but meet new people.
Fix fights with parents before leaving and make plans for visits. The first night feels weird with new noises and thin walls, so invite a friend if you are anxious, use white noise apps. Call parents when homesick but don’t spend all day on the phone because you need to meet people. Join kickball leagues, book clubs, church groups, attend Saturday farmers market or First Friday art walks, talk to neighbors, ask coworkers for lunch. Change locks or ask the landlord to introduce yourself to neighbors, walk the neighborhood during the day, keep doors locked, get a Ring camera ($100) if worried. Make bed mornings, set alarms for bills and trash, pick weekly cleaning day, meal prep, balance work with fun.
Nice-to-Have Items for Your First Place
Add plants, mirror, throw pillows, wall art, fan after settling. These make it feel like home.
Get easy plants like pothos, full-length mirror, throw pillows, Target prints for walls, fan for Charleston summers. If budget allows, Planet Fitness is $10 monthly, streaming services you’ll use, house plant before getting a pet.
Special Notes for 18-Year-Olds Moving Out
At 18, get legal documents, open a bank account, build credit through secured card or parent’s card.
Get a birth certificate and Social Security card for jobs and leases. Open a bank account in your name. Ask parents to add you as an authorized user on their card to build credit. Keep talking to parents, find mentors at work or school, look for free library classes on budgeting.
Make Your Move Easier
Moving is overwhelming between packing and getting stuff from A to B. At Stomos Storage, we bring containers to you so you pack on your schedule with no rushing. When ready, we pick up and deliver to your new Charleston or South Carolina place. Check out Stomostorage.com to see how we help with your first move.
Final Thought
Moving out for the first time is scary and exciting with lots to handle. Thousands in Charleston do this yearly and figure it out, and you will too. Use this checklist one step at a time – finances first, then find your place, get essentials, pack smart, move, settle in. Ask for help when needed and give yourself time to adjust. After a month or two you’ll have routines and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money should I save before moving out for the first time?
Save $7,500-11,000 total including $5,000-8,000 for expenses and $2,500-3,000 for deposits and moving. Can’t hit this? Get a roommate or wait.
What’s the hardest part about moving out for the first time?
Money management and loneliness hit hardest. Track spending closely and meet people by joining groups.
Should I live alone or get a roommate?
Get a roommate if money’s tight – splitting $1,400 is easier than paying $1,000 alone. Pick someone with similar habits.
When should I start packing for my move?
Start 3-4 weeks before by packing rarely-used items first. Save kitchen, bathroom, daily clothes for last week.
How do I handle conflicts with roommates?
Talk immediately before issues build, be direct but nice. Stay calm and document who paid what.