There is no escaping that rush of excitement that comes from moving into your own place. If, though, the first time living on your own and away from your family is in student housing, Selly Oak, Birmingham, there are many things you need to consider. In the following post, we are going to highlight some aspects of living in student lets in Birmingham that you may not even have considered before.

Housemates

It can be both the source of a lot of stress and adventure when you need to find the right housemates to live with. As it’s likely that you will be staying with them for a full year at least and possibly even longer, you need to make sure you choose housemates wisely. The phrase “you never really know who about a person until you have lived with them” comes to mind. Ideally, you should look to move in with people you already know, even if it’s briefly because you met during your induction week. However, if that’s not possible, just be sure to find people you will want to live with and associate with (even if you think to yourself that you will not necessarily spend time with them, it will usually be the case that you do).

Decorating

Okay, so decorating in the truest sense of the word is off the cards as landlords do not offer the opportunity. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the space feel a little like home. You can bring some comforts from home or simply invest in some houseplants and artwork. There is no shortage of ideas as to what you can do.

Cleaning

Yes, we know, cleaning is the last thing on your mind, but once you move out of your parent’s house, guess whose responsibility it is to look after your new place and keep it clean and tidy? That’s right, it’s yours and your housemate’s responsibility. As to how you organise and schedule cleaning, everyone has a different system. The best way to approach it is by having a discussion with the other housemates. You could all agree that your bedrooms are your own responsibility but have a rota for the communal areas, or simply agree to clean after your own mess.

Safety and Security

This is another thing you may not even have considered, but now that you have moved out of your mum and dad’s house and are in the big bad world on your own, you need to have measures in place to make sure you are safe. Check the locks and other security measures the property comes with and if there are any problems, mention them to the landlord. A lot of what will keep you safe is using your common sense.