Helping Your College Grad Get Settled In Their First Apartment

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It’s time for your young adult to move out on their own, meaning helping your college grad in the nicest way possible. Use these five areas to help, but keep this checklist to yourself.

 

A part of parenting requires you to let go of your child at some point. Your child will go to college and finally move out to their own apartment. Most kids don’t realize all that this entails, let alone are ready for the responsibility. Some may “think” they can handle it, but no matter the personality of your child, we as parents want to help. What are some simple ways to get involved without taking over? Helping your college grad is actually straight forward.

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Even though it can be overwhelming when your child moves into their fist apartment, especially financially, there’s a lot we can do to ease the transition. Keep this check list to yourself, but use these five areas to teach and help your child. Helping your college grad get settled starts by using the tips below.

 

Helping Your College Grad

 

Security

The location of the apartment should be in a secure place. Take a look at the surroundings in the neighborhood and ask around. This will help you gauge what you are getting your college grad into. It is also advisable to select a location where crime rates are relatively low. For instance, in Michigan, there is a 20-year maximum penalty for a home invasion crime. Such laws deter crime in these neighborhoods, making them an ideal secure location when choosing an apartment.

Proper Furniture and Lighting

Given that this will be their first apartment, encourage them to purchase more functional items rather than going for aesthetics. It may be tempting at first to let them pick and choose, but helping your college grad requires a little long term thinking. When starting out, they need to first get settled in and then build up their furniture and lighting along the way. For instance, they can get a couch that doubles as a study desk that can be converted to a dining table when not in use. Proper furniture and lighting will save on space and costs while keeping the apartment neat and organized. Lighting, on the other hand, should be energy efficient and illuminate the entire room to keep electricity bills low. Less is more on move-in day.

 

 

Avoiding Costly Repairs

Once settled in, encourage your college grad to take maintenance of their apartment seriously. A lot of things, if not taken care of, tend to get damaged easily. Regular check-ups on leaks, cracks, and debris build-up will help your young adult take note of issues so they can get repairs promptly.

When repairs are addressed in their early stages, you may not need to spend as much. Each year, one trillion gallons of water are wasted because of running toilets, leaking faucets, and other leaks. This wasted water is worth $6 billion. That trickles back to us, so pass along your knowledge. If they notice any abnormal sounds or smells, it is best to notify the apartment manager or landlord to take the necessary steps and prevent extensive damage.

Kitchen Set-Up

If your college graduate is living on their own, help them create a list of kitchen essentials. Purchasing a lot of kitchen appliances all at once can be costly, and they may end up not using them at all. It is easy to overlook some supplies, but with a list, you can come up with the must-haves. Once they start earning regular paychecks, they can look into more expensive kitchen appliances, such as blenders and presses.

Budgeting

The type of apartment your college grad will move into will depend on the budget at hand. A budget will help secure an apartment within their pay rate, as well as make it a more relaxed place to live. It is important to get an apartment within budget because they will be paying monthly rent. The lower the rent, the less likely they are to miss monthly payments and cause themselves unnecessary stress.

It is advisable to help research and find an apartment your child can afford. A lot of factors influence the pricing of apartments, so make sure you compare prices before selecting one. In Manhattan, the average sales price in 2017 for condos in existing buildings was estimated at $1.9 million in the third quarter. Prices tend to fluctuate each year, so ensure you get the facts right before signing a lease. Each city has different rules as well, making research even more important. Where your young adult has gotten a job will influence their options, so keep in mind that getting a roommate may be an option as well.

 

Strive to make helping your college grad as inclusive and happy as can be. Your child’s first move will be hectic, but with your help, you can make the transition seamless and help them settle into their first apartment with no hitches. Remember to set them up in a secure neighborhood that is within their budget. Then your young adult will figure out the rest themselves along the way.

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