As we age, our lives continually change. We live at home, we live on campus and return home during the summer, and eventually, we move out completely. Whether you are moving into an apartment with a friend or two, or you are moving into your own place there are a lot of important things to keep in mind. As someone just moved into their own apartment and has many friends doing the same, here are my first-time apartment tips.

1. Know what needs to be done BEFORE you move in

There are a few things that most apartments require be done before they give you the key to your new place. I know you're excited about moving in on your own or with friends but you have got breath and start working on these tasks. This usually includes transferring utilities into you name, getting renter’s insurance, etc. Make sure to take some time and get these tasks taken care early that way you can focus on the fun stuff.

2. Know who’s bringing what (if you have roommates)

If you’ve ever lived on campus it's safe to say you probably reached out to your roomates beforehand and made plans for who is bringing what. It was important then, and it's important now. You do not want to end up with three vacuums and 5 couches. It's likely that's not all going to fit into your apartment.

3. Roommate agreement (if you have roommates.)

This is another thing that you probably had to do if you lived on campus with roommates. They may have seemed like a joke then but these are actually really important. It's a really good idea to lay out some ground rules so that you aren't at each other's throats later (Disclosure: i’m not guaranteeing this will prevent those issues, but it will help a lot.) If one of you is a night owl while the other two are early risers it needs to be understood when certain things are appropriate. Same goes with when and how rent is paid, and having guests over. Roommate agreements are key!

4. Keep size in mind

You apartment does not have an unlimited amount of space. You really need to keep that in mind. Yes, you're moving out and you’ve got your own place but that does not mean you need to buy a ton of stuff to fill it up. You don’t wanna move in and then have things everywhere because you do not have enough space for it. Maybe buy less and then once you're moved in and see what kind of space you have you then go out and get more. Also, going along with this idea, think storage.

5. Don't leave things until the last minute.

Pack early. Get boxes. Did you know that you can go to your local grocery store and ask them if they have any boxes you could have? They typically do because they get thrown away after they are unpacked. It can save you money and help you get organized. If you prepare everything you can early then you have a lot less to worry about when the day finally comes. This also goes along with the first tip about keeping in mind what needs to be done before your move in date.

6. RELAX

I know it's a lot of work and it can be very stressful. You’ve probably still got a lot to think about, but just remember, you’ve made it. You’ve got your own place and you’ve earned this so don’t forget to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fact that this is your new home. It's a very satisfying feeling. You deserve a break.