A good first step is to take some time to think about what is important to you in a home. For example, do I want roommates or not? Would I like to live around lots of other people where there is a lot of activity, or do I prefer something smaller and quieter?
The Arc has produced a video on what to consider when moving to a new home.
Watch the videoFiguring out what skills you have will identify what things you can work on to make it easier to live on your own. Knowing your skills can also determine what things you will need help with when you move out of the family home.
The Virginia Parent Education and Training Center has developed an Independent Living Life Skills Checklist that will help you figure out what your current life skills are.
Whether you're planning for yourself or with someone you care about, thinking this through now is one of the most useful things you can do: Moving into the community takes preparation, but you don't have to tackle everything at once. This section covers six areas worth thinking through , work through them in whatever order makes sense for your situation.
Think through what matters to you in a home, assess your current skills, and figure out what you'll need support with.
Get started →Learn about public benefits, housing vouchers, savings tools, and waivers that can help pay for housing and support services.
Explore finances →Understand what support services look like in community living and how to arrange them independently from your housing.
Learn about support →A step-by-step guide to finding, hiring, and working with a Direct Support Professional.
Read the guide →Current rent ranges by city and bedroom size, plus what they mean for people planning to live on SSI or a housing voucher.
See rent ranges →An overview of the three broad categories of housing for people with IDD , Family Living, Shared Living, and Community Living , and what each looks like in practice.
Read the overview →