I’m sure we all remember the first time we moved out from our parent’s place. That first painful move that made you realize how much you appreciate your parent’s behind-the-scenes work (or the complete opposite). Getting bill after bill for things you didn’t know existed…

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Moving out is painful without the help of friends and family – and I’m very fortunate to have had a ton of support in my move. Although I may not have had any furniture at the time, I had people who’d been dying to give away a couch, a dining room set, a bed, a T.V., etc. If you can do anything to save money on your first move, it’s finding friends and family who have stuff to give you.

Don’t get me wrong – sometimes the stuff isn’t exactly your style or anything, but these are things that can slowly be replaced. If I learned anything from my first move, it’s that people don’t have expectations. My first party was a potluck with friends that had everyone sitting in lawn chairs and on the floor in a circle eating, singing, and making jokes.

But now it’s been a month since my first move. Having gone through the pain of seeing rent disappear from my account for the first time, I’ve taken a step back from my new condo and finally gotten a chance to reminisce of all the things I’d wished I’d known about my first move. Here’s a little list of things I know I regretfully first forgot in my move that I wish I hadn’t – maybe you can use it to find a gift for someone you know who’s going through that first (torturous) move!

1. Strainer

One of the easiest (and obviously my favourite) dishes to make is pasta. You’d be amiss, then, if you forgot to get a strainer. Alright, so you can make due with straining using the lid to the pot you’re using, but for those that aren’t ace cookers a strainer is a very handy tool. I found this awesome one on Amazon that goes for $15 and is collapsable. Cool!

2. A Power Bar

Power bars are an important part of my digital life. My current power bar that I picked up on the cheap has 6 outlets, and I find myself needing a good 2-3 more. Having a good set of power bars is always a good idea – and maybe a set of candles just in case all else fails?

3. Food Storage Options

As fellow GauchoBlogger Jerry Jeremiah has mentioned to me time and time again, having storage solutions is always a great idea. A big fan of Tupperware himself for it’s lifetime warranty, I go with anything that is a quick fix since most leftovers don’t last in my fridge too long. Tupperware or any of it’s alternatives range in price, but Amazon has a great deal on a 10-piece set that has quite a bit of variety.

4. Laundry Basket

For the first few weeks there I was loading all laundry straight into my washer. Saved a ton of time, but there’s nothing like a good laundry basket in your room. Having two is always a great idea – one for clean laundry, one for the dirty stuff – so you can hold off on putting stuff away right away.

5. Corkscrew

I may DJ, but I’m not a huge drinking/partying animal. That’s why when my brother came over with a bottle of champagne I was instantly confused. “You have a corkscrew, right?” We spent the night trying to figure out different ways to open a bottle without an opener to little success, and my neighbours were less than helpful. That’s why I wish I had a corkscrew – nay – an all-in-one tool that could do that and solve many of my other household emergencies.

The tool to the left gives you blades, a corkscrew, pliers, knife, screwdrivers, and more with a 25-year limited warranty. This one is a little pricier ($50 on Amazon) but this sort of tool can help solve a lot of problems and is more useful than you think!

What Did You Forget?

Sometimes we forget about the little things in the mess of it all. What did you forget when you first moved out?