Moving out on my own! Is it normal to feel this anxious?

I get the keys to my first ever flat on Thursday and I can barely sleep for worry! Ever since I put the application form in I've been worrying incessantly about everything and anything that could go wrong.

The flat is near to a very busy main road and I keep worrying that Molly is going to get out the front door somehow or I'm going to drop her lead when we're outside or someone will break into my flat and let her escape and she'll run across the main road and get killed.

Someone please tell me I'm worrying about stupid things that will never happen in a million years? Is it even normal to worry this much?!

I think I cried every night in the first week I moved out, despite being a 10 minute walk from my mum's house You soon get used to it - and will never want to give up your independence ever again!
If you're worried about the front door, can you fit a babygate across the hallway/nearest doorway? This is one of my concerns about moving as we live quite rurally at the moment so if the dogs ever ran out they'd be on a dirt track or in a field. A hallway is a strict requirement on my list of must-haves in the house we buy so that I can set up a babygate so the dogs can never get to the front door without being on leads!
As for dropping her lead outside, you could buy a double ended Halti type that goes around your waist or across your shoulders - I did this for Casper when I first got him as I was worried I might drop his lead and he'd bolt and/or get in a dog fight (not that he's aggressive but he can be dog reactive), he had the Halti lead attached to his harness and around my waist, and a seperate lead on his headcollar.

I couldn't wait to liv eon my own!

A bit scary at first but once you have got int a routine you will be fine! I am sure you will love the independance.

Glad to hear I'll eventually get used to it! I'm sure it'll be fine but I can invisage myself crying every night like you did

That's also my problem as where I am now is very rural so although I didn't want Molly getting out, if she did she'd just end up on a little road or in a field. I made sure all the properties I looked at had a hall and my new place has one so I'll definitely take your advice on the babygate. Do you know if there are ones that you don't have to screw into the wall? Perhaps they have suckers on the end that you can stick to the wall or something?! I'm not sure the landlord would let me screw holes into his walls!

I love love love the idea of the double lead! I hadn't thought of that at all and I actually have one lurking around somewhere so I'll dig it out and then I can fasten one end to my belt. Thank you so much, that's really eased my worries!

I couldn't wait to live on my own either.. until I put the deposit down I feel like I am having buyers regret.

Thank you for the reassurance though I'm sure i'll be fine and my OH has agreed to come and stay with me for the first week so I can get used to being in a new flat without having to be on my own. I'm just thinking about all the things that could go wrong and it's making me anxious!

Mine are pressure mounted - you widen the fittings until the gate is jammed in place. Some do come with little "cups" you screw into the doorway to pop the fittings in but my Lindam one didn't and worked fine without it, and that's with two big dogs - with a smaller dog it should be quite hard for them to dislodge it. The bottom one is a Lindam tall gate from Ebay, but Kiki hops over it and I got a Mamas and Papas one cheap (about £16) from Argos which I've fitted upside down on top. Looks like we have a cage instead of a lounge but keeps the dogs contained when we want them to be.
Try Ebay as you can pick them up cheap if you find one locally, but Argos seemed to have them for pretty good prices too. They don't sell the one I've got on Argos now but seen it cheap on Ebay (new), my tall one is similar to this and even this one is pretty cheap on Argos
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...EBABY+GATE.htm

We're also working on training them not to pass through our back door (we don't have a front door) without permission but as I live with my brother and his girlfriend, it's a bit hard to be that consistant. It'll definately be a priority when we move though, so if the babygate was ever left open accidentally or fell down, the training would be a backup.

Ooh they look like they'll work! I'll definitely invest in one of them And they look much more sturdy than something that locks in place with suction cups Having a babygate will save my post in the morning too!

I know what you mean about training. I've been trying to train Molly not to go out the door but we live with my mum who has no interest in dog training so it's kind of hard when she forgets and just lets Molly do whatever she wants but at least when you move out you'll be able to practise it without housemates sabotaging your training

Ohhh exciting, you will love it, i loved having my own flat its great, you can do what you want when you want, have what you want on tv, eat what you want.....need i say more !

You soon get used to it - we live on a main country lane type road but luckily the garden is secure.

I cried for 2 weeks, I'd moved into the house I was supposed to be sharing with the OH the same week he'd enlisted into army training - a double whammy as my Mum calls it

The thing that kept me going was Louie.

Blimey, I'd give ANYTHING to move out on my own, but simply couldn't afford the extortionate rent down here at the moment. Lucky you!

Your profile says you are 18 -- is this Uni accommodation or a shared house by any chance?

You'll get used to it quickly, trust me. The first week you'll probably feel a little out of loop, but you'll get into the swing of it and will love being able to do your own thing without anyone on your back.

I am quite looking forward to the independence.. especially when it comes to the TV remote

Aw I can imagine that must have been awful your mum is definitely right in saying it was a double whammy!

Dogs really do help don't they? I've pushed so hard to find a flat that would allow me to take Molly because I know I couldn't hack it without her!

Haha I do feel very lucky to have found somewhere in my price range! Thankfully Leicester is a big student city so there are lots of cheap flats around My flat has worked out even cheaper than living in Halls so I'm quite chuffed about that!

I'm going to uni but I won't be in halls or shared housing because otherwise I couldn't have taken my dog with me! So I'm in a flat on my own unfortunately Although I am quite looking forward to the independence it'll bring, I'm just worried about being all on my own.