7 skills your teens need to know before they Leave the House

It’s overwhelming to realize all the grownup things you are now responsible for; especially when you don’t now how to accomplish them. These seven skills are ones need to know when they move out of the house. Take time to teach them to be self starters while they are still at home.

Essential life skills every young adult needs to know

Do you ever wonder WHERE to look for answers? Teaching your kids HOW to find solutions may be the biggest help you can give them to be ready to leave the house! Whether you search google, read instruction manuals, or call an expert, knowing how to find answers is good knowledge to have!

Keep your Space CLEAN (cleaning tips)

Follow these tips to have a clean living space where you can relax at the end of each day.

• Wash your dishes right after a meal if you can so it doesn’t build up.
• Pick a laundry day. Set aside time on your laundry day to put your clothes away.
• tidy up – pick up any items laying around ie. school bag, shoes, jacket, etc…
  • pick up any items laying around ie. school bag, shoes, jacket, etc…
  • If you have a study/homework space tidy up that area

The second tip I have is to create a cleaning system that works for you.

• Clean 1-2 areas each day OR Choose a cleaning day to tackle all your areas at once.
• Clean these areas regularly
  • floors (sweep, mop, vacuum)
  • bathrooms (toilets, shower, mirrors, counters)
  • dust
  • take out the trash
  • laundry
  • organize – put your things back where they belong
  • wash dishes
  • clean counters and table

Time Management is a Life Skill Every Young Adult Needs

Whether you are a college student or working full-time, time management is essential. The following tips will help you.

• Schedule out your appointments, classes & places you need to be. Write them in a planner, or mark them on your phone calendar
• Schedule out “work” time; this can be studying for class time, working on a project, preparing meals, cleaning home, etc. If you schedule it, it will happen
• Start your DAY looking at the scheduled items, and mentally prepare your day by giving yourself travel time. Don’t forget to set REMINDERS on your phone if you need to be reminded of scheduled tasks.
• SET Timers for open time – give yourself 10 minutes to rest in between fast or hard tasks & just breathe. Set the timer for 15 minutes for a cleaning burst to keep your home in order. Set timer for some outside time.

Laundry Skills & Tips

Here are some basic laundry skills every teen should know before adulthood.

• Wash laundry by like items. Whites by themselves, light colors together, and dark colors together. Wash colors on cold (this helps prevent dye from bleeding out of clothing)
• SET a Timer to remember to switch laundry when needed
• Fold Clothes STRAIGHT out of the Dryer – no one wants to redo the laundry

Stains are a pain, here are some great tips on how to combat messes on clothes before they turn to stains:

• Remove oil stains with this step-by-step process
• Remove blood stains with Sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide or rub bar soap into the stain and scrub by hand in cold water. Here is a step-by-step process
• Remove dirt and grass: Mix one part of distilled white vinegar with one part of water. Coat the stain, let sit (30 minutes worked well for me), scrub, and rinse in cool water

One of our favorite stain removers is the Oxi clean gel stick. It’s effective and easy to use.

Basic Car Skills Every Young Adult Needs to Know

• Changing a tire isn’t too hard, but here’s a step-by-step video on how to do it for even the most inexperienced person.
• Checking car oil is another very important life skill to have. Here’s how to check your car oil level.
• If your car needs the oil changed that’s a little more complex but it’s still something you can do on your own with a step-by-step guide.

How to Manage Finances and Pay Bills

Knowing how to manage your finances and take control of your bills/credit cards goes a long way. Managing your finances well will affect your debt to income ratio, your credit score, and financial peace of mind.

• Set up auto payment this will prevent any missed payments
• Create a bill calendar: list when each bill is due and how much you owe (take an average of your last few payments if the amount changes)
• Credit cards – The first thing you should do when you get a new credit card is set up automatic payments and set a weekly reminder on your phone to pay them off.
• Use your banking system to pay bills – using bill pay – and pay off your credit card bills. \
• Use the Truebill app to manage your bills/subscriptions
• mint is a great app for budgeting your money

BASIC Cooking SKILLS!

We have compiled some recipes to help you get started that are made for just a few servings, perfect for single living or college life. Here are a few simple recipes to try!

Use these skills and tips when cooking:

• Wash rice before cooking it
• Boiling water with a pinch of salt makes it boil faster
• Put a wooden ladle over a pot keeps it from overflowing (unless the pot is already really full)
• Read the recipe beforehand including the directions. This will help you don’t miss a step and plan out how long it will take YOU to make the meal
• taste and spice your food as you cook, rather than waiting until the end
• Use a thermometer to cook your meat to the right temperature.
• don’t overcrowded your pan, leaving space around your food helps it cook evenly

Rach