Is someone an early riser? Or a night owl? How about cleanliness? Who is going to have control of the TV?
The longer you’re dating someone, the more relationship milestones you’ll reach together as in defining the relationship, meeting the parents, exchanging ‘I love you’ and, of course, one of the biggest milestones of all — moving in together.
The most important thing a couple should be aware of before moving in together is why they are doing it?
Living with a partner can shift the dynamics of a relationship drastically, especially if it’s the first time living with a partner. It can feel like a crash course on learning your boundaries when you might not yet be that great at communicating them.
If you and your partner are both on the same page and feel genuinely ready to intertwine your lives and share a home, here are few things you should be aware of before the big move.
You’ll Have To Have The Money Talk
One of the most important conversations every long-term couple has to have is the Money Talk and it’s especially crucial to talk finances with your partner before deciding to move in together.
Moving in together is often the first time you’ll start managing money together. But it does mean you’ll start sharing some big expenses, like rent, utilities, etc. So before deciding to move in together, you should have a conversation with your partner about money and make sure there aren’t red flags or big areas of disagreement.
You’ll Discover New Incompatibilities
Once you live together, you’ll realize there are many things you weren’t aware of, including some incompatibilities that might not have surfaced yet, whether differences in money management or cleaning habits.
Living together will probably flesh out incompatibilities you may not have encountered thus far, and it will certainly bring issues and conflicts to the surface much quicker. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the nature of the individuals.
Your Individual Lifestyles Might Change
When you have your own personal space, you pretty much have free reign to do whatever you want: you can stay up late, leave your dirty clothes on the floor, or watch as much reality TV as your heart desires. But once you live with your partner, both of you will have to make some minor lifestyle adjustments.
These things may not seem like a big deal at first, but having your lifestyle turned upside down and suddenly having to share your space is not as glamorous as it may sound.
You’ll Get To Know Each Other’s Weird Habits
We all have our own weird little habits, which are easy to keep on the down-low when you live by yourself. Before moving in together, though, you need to make sure you’re OK with the fact that both your and your partner’s quirks will eventually come to light.
You’ll Get On Each Other’s Nerves
It’s normal to get irritated by your partner from time to time, but when you live together, there’s so much more opportunity for those little moments of annoyance and you’ll quickly learn what gets on your partner’s nerves.
From leaving empty cups on the counter to having an incessant need to crack knuckles, your partner’s annoying habits will become clear the day once you start living together.
You’ll Have To Compromise About Guests
Relationships are all about compromise, and when you move in together, there will be no shortage of things to compromise on, like when and how often to invite guests over.
No longer will you be the one to call all the shots. You’ll both have the right to invite friends or guests over, but now you must do so with courtesy to your partner.
Your Relationship Will Change
Moving in together doesn’t mean you and your partner will evolve into different people overnight, but it’s unrealistic to assume that nothing about your relationship will change after you live together.
Expect to evolve more than you ever did before when you take your relationship to this level, and be prepared to adapt to make the relationship work.”
Good Communication Will Be Important Than Ever
When you have your own space, venting out relationship frustrations is easier.
To maintain a healthy relationship, couples have to know how to communicate effectively, and once you start living together full-time, it’ll be more crucial than ever to be able to communicate openly and resolve arguments in a healthy way.
Spontaneity Will Help Keep The Spark Alive
Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.
Moving in together doesn’t mean you’re settling into a life of boredom, but it might take a bit of active work to keep the romance alive so living together doesn’t feel routine.
Spontaneity should help counter that and keep the relationship in a healthy state. Have a spur of the moment date night to keep the spark going.”
Tips to make “Move-In” Healthy and Lifetime
To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with.
At the end of the day, all relationships require compromise. Moving in with your partner needs to be approached in the same manner. Consider some guidelines to help you make smart decisions about your move and about how it will impact your finances, rather than hard and fast rules that leave no room for change.
Just keep in mind, few things-
- Cleanliness Habits: One has it, another don’t – Work it together.
- Sharing Chores: Division of household chores is very important.
- Finances & Budget: Take a pen and paper – make a family budget.
- Fun Time with friends: When and How much – It’s very important.
- Conflicts: Make ground rules for arguing.
- Sex Life: Make sure both of you are on same page.
- Personal space: An allotted ‘ME’ time for yourself.
- Prepare for the good, the bad and the ugly.
- Create a “breakup plan.”
- Family: respect each other’s family.
Even though there’s a lot to consider before moving in with your partner, it’s still an exciting, happy milestone that’s worth celebrating.
Yes, there will be some new challenges along the way, but as long as you and your partner are both equally jazzed to live together, and willing to communicate and compromise: there’s nothing stopping you from living happily ever after… under the same roof.
There is always some madness in love… But there is also some reason in madness….!!!!
