With housing hitting saturation point in cities all over we’re already quite bloody aware how difficult it can be to secrete a you-shaped corner within four (hopefully non-mouldy) walls.
And sure, sharing a mate’s bed is fiiiiine while you’re trying to scratch together a deposit or are in town for that once-in-a-lifetime internship/job offer. But what happens when a week on the sofa stretches into three? Or that storage unit you’ve rented to stack your stuff actually starts to look pretty attractive in no-windows, padlock-y kind of way?
The problem of Britain’s sofa-surfing generation has already been identified: in 2014, Centrepoint found that one in five 16-25 year olds had had to sofa-surf in that past year, staying with friends or extended family because they had nowhere else to go - and almost half of those did so for a month or more.
So what should you do if you suddenly have nowhere to go?
1.Don’t panic
This is where Gen. Social Media comes in handy. Go wild on Facebook. Hit up Whatsapp. Mass email all your LinkedIn contacts (if you really want). Chances are that someone will know someone who’s got a spare room/ has decided to take a month-long holiday and is happy to let you house sit.
If you’re still stuck, try AirBnb. In London, Room For Tea matches those who need short-term housing solutions with people with spare rooms.
2. Where should you put your stuff?
If you’ve always admired the pared-bare Scandi look, now’s the time to embrace it! Get bin bags and get rid of anything you’ve not looked at for a year. Keep eyes peeled for decent storage unit rates for the rest; many (try Access Storage) offer 50% off for the first 8 weeks. And it’s always worth seeing if you can siphon a few boxes off in your parents’ house.
3. What do you actually need with you?
Remember that you are now a snail and your shell is one of those £35 whopper suitcases from Primark, so fill it up and keep your towels, duvet covers and toiletries with you. It means a) you’re not taking the piss out of someone’s hospitality, and b) you get to keep a bit of your own home with you, however small.
As for clothes, get used to your limited, multitasking capsule wardrobe. You are SO Scandi right now.
4. If you’re staying with friends, should you pay them?
Tackle this subject FIRST - then you all know what you’re in for. If you’re lucky, they might give you mates’ rates, or ask you to cover bills; offering to pay council tax for the month is a good way of endearing yourself to everyone in the house.
Or do things your way: Jenny, who ended up sharing a bed with her mate for five weeks, opted to cook for her new housemates every evening to pay her dues.
5. How should you cope with the day-to-day living situ?
On the plus side, you’re going to get to live all over the city - Jenny still goes back to the ‘best BBQ place ever’ she discovered on her five weeks out. And, most importantly, you’ll get the opportunity to save your pennies.
Be considerate and respect their routines, so if Tuesday night is Netflix night, no stumbling in at 3am with white wine shakes. Yes, it’s bloody tough, but at least you have a roof over your head and thoughtful mates.
6. When’s it time to move on?
When Laura moved to London for an internship, she changed locations every week. ‘I always felt a bit like I was imposing, because they never got any room for themselves’ she says. Always remember that while they’re telling you to make yourself at home, it is actually THEIR home, not yours.
If they’re your only option, it might be worth checking into an Airbnb for a few days to give them a breather.
7. You’re really, really stuck and there’s no end in sight.
You might be entitled to help from the council; Shelter recommends that you get in touch with them for housing advice and information on their options.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
How To Split The Bills With Your Housemates Without Falling Out
Follow Miranda on Twitter @mirande
Picture: Jake Kenny
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.