Lifestyle

7 Embarrassing Things You Now Do Since You Moved Into Your Own Place

by Katy Mueller

Moving out is great. There's so much to be thankful for: the freedom, the independence, making your own choices and so much more.

That is, until you realize your new place doesn't have forks and spoons like your mom's automatically did, which means you have to buy them yourself.

Or until you suddenly get a raging cold, and there isn't any cough medicine handy because your mom wasn't around to stock your medicine cabinet.

These are the moments when you'll begin to entertain the notion of being that 30-year-old living in her mother's basement.

But fear not!

It gets better, I promise. The no-fork nights and sparse cabinets make for amazing and hilarious memories later on in life, when you finally have it all together (or at least more together than you do in this moment right now).

But for right now, there will be many more nights when you'll wish you're 5 again, and even more nights when you'll feel like the happiest and most independent person in the world.

When you get your own place, these are all the things you'll do:

1. You'll always take home leftovers.

It doesn't matter if the only thing left is the parsley garnish. You'll take that sh*t home because it'll save you a whole 3 cents the next time you need it from the store.

My personal favorite thing to do is load up on the free bread, chips or side salads at restaurants, and then just take the actual meal home.

Hey, what can I say? My budget is tight these days.

2. Possessions will suddenly gain multiple uses.

Yes, that fork does become your utensil of choice when you find yourself spoon-less in the face of some chicken noodle soup.

Just because you have to get creative with the way that fork is going to accomplish the task of scooping broth to your mouth, doesn't mean you really need to go out and spend two dollars on a real-life spoon.

3. You'll stop needing all your things to be brand-new.

Once you're on your own, you lose having an aversion to second-hand things.

That toaster from the thrift store, that would have once sent you wailing at the thought of using something full of another person's old crumbs, is now considered a convincing steal at $6.99.

4. You'll turn a blind eye when it comes to dirtiness.

Now that you're in charge of your own house, you're in charge of the dishes, cleaning, removing shower scum, sweeping, mowing and dusting.

But, now that you're on your own and don't answer to anyone, you find yourself putting off these chores until "later."

5. You'll realize how good you used to have it.

When you move out, it's exciting. There's no one to answer to or tell you what to do.

But there's also nobody to feed you, pay for your shampoo and conditioner or call the plumber when the sink stops working.

We forget the fact that, despite all our eagerness to grow up and leave, we actually had it pretty good back at our parents' house.

6. Necessities will stop being necessary, thanks to your new budget.

Do you really need to buy bananas this week?

Do you really need to spend three dollars on a box of cotton swabs? Is it really necessary to buy new toothpaste?

It all just seems so much more expensive now that it's coming out of your own pocket.

7. You will never use the big grocery cart at the store.

If you grocery shop, you always take the handheld baskets. This is an attempt to save yourself from wasting too much money, by filling up a cart.

You also only fill your gas tank up halfway at the gas station, in a feeble attempt to save a little cash.

You never throw something away until it's so expired, you can't tell what it is anymore.

You use your sandwich baggies 15 times before you finally throw them away.

You cry while you walk past Starbucks because you finally realize that $4 could be better spent on bread or turkey slices. It's a hard, hard life in the real world.

It's a fun time growing up and becoming independent, but it's definitely an interesting challenge.

The transition from child to adult is a bit difficult, but so worth it at the end of the day.

Even if it's just for the hilarious stories you'll be able to tell your kids one day.