Moving in with your partner is very exciting, but it’s also quite a challenge. And if you’re moving into a home they already own or rent, this is rather different from moving into a new home together. You’ll want it to feel like your home, and they’ll have to adjust to you moving into their space.
Here are some tips for moving into your partner’s home…
Your partner will need to feel that you’ve created a space for both of you, so make sure there’s room for his or her things that will increase their comfort and make them feel more at home.
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We’re not talking about major alterations, but make space in the bookcase for instance, and in the wardrobes, the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. If your partner is surrounded only by your stuff it will still feel like your home and not theirs as well.
When you live with someone and see them every day, you soon realise they’re human! If they have any annoying habits, you’ll see them in full colour. While it’s exciting to move in with someone you love, the realities of everyday life can bring you back to reality rather quickly.
If you’ve lived by yourself for any length of time, you will need to adjust to having someone else in the house. Things they do differently might annoy you and things you do might irritate them, so both of you will need time and understanding to adjust to your new situation.
Living with someone else can strengthen your relationship, but there will probably be some challenges to overcome. When you’re in love it can be difficult to discuss the mundane aspects of living together such as bills and who pays for what.
Living costs are an important topic so you need to talk about how expenses will be split, and if there’s a mortgage how will your partner contribute? Factors like how much you each earn will colour your decisions about what is a fair splitting of expenses.
For a living-together relationship to work, both you and your partner have to talk about everything from the major to the minor. Discuss what you both expect from the situation and don’t forget one of the most unromantic topics: who does which chores.
This is one of the most mundane aspects of living together but you should decide early on about things like who puts out the garbage bins, who cleans the refrigerator, the cooking and washing up etc.
Resentments over one person left to do all the chores can escalate so think about a cleaning schedule and some ground rules. Importantly, though, have some fun, choose a day to band together and tackle the weekly house cleaning jobs like vacuuming, mopping, and cleaning the bathroom. Play some music!
You both need to be realistic, and although you might have a strong commitment to the relationship and work hard to keep it, sometimes things just don’t work out. What then? Neither of you wants to be left high and dry, so if your partner wants to leave, you need to be prepared to cope with both the emotional and financial situation. Your partner will need somewhere to go and the funds to cope, so make sure you add these things into the equation when discussing your plans to live together.
Above all, best of luck and enjoy life with your partner and making a home together!
Author’s Bio
Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in-depth understanding of many different industries including marriage, law and home improvement. As the owner of Integral Media, he is now utilising his knowledge and experience with his rapidly increasing client portfolio to help them achieve their business goals.