A Couple’s Guide to Moving in Together
Moving in with your partner can be a fantastic step forward in your relationship. This decision often indicates that you both share a commitment to each other and a desire to get to know one another on a deeper level. and are ready to share parts of your lives that will allow for more intimacy and vulnerability.
While moving in together can be fun and exciting, it’s important to ensure you’re both prepared. This is a major commitment, and if you rush into it without taking the time to work through things first, you could end up doing more harm than good to your relationship.
So, what should you cover before moving in together? Think of this guide as your starting point for the conversations and steps to take before moving in together.
Discuss Your Finances
No matter where you live, you’ll have to decide how everything will be paid for. Discussing your finances before moving in can keep you from getting into arguments and dealing with headaches later.
Talk about things like budgeting, bills, and contributing to household expenses. When you have these things in place prior to moving in, you are more likely to be prepared when the first bills start rolling in.
Divide Your Responsibilities
Creating house rules and clarifying individual responsibilities is a great way to establish a baseline for your living situation. Consider things like cleaning standards and guest policies while being open and honest about your comfort levels with different circumstances.
Who will take care of each chore? It might seem silly to divide things so rigidly, but intentional discussions can help prevent arguments later.
Design and Decor
Deciding how you will design and decorate your place together can be a fun process when paired with communication and compromise. You should both consider taking inventory of your belongings and getting rid of things you no longer need or items that will take up too much space.
While most of the spaces in your home will be shared, there will be some areas that will need to be divided, like closets, cupboards, bathrooms, etc. Determine how you’re going to divide those areas equally, allowing room for individual touches while working together to create an overall “theme” for the home.
Consistent Communication
As mentioned earlier, communicating with your partner is one of the best things you can do during this moving process. Constant communication will help you set boundaries, identify and express your needs, while staying in tune with your partner’s needs and wants as well. Consider tackling problems as they arise, rather than brushing them under the rug to get worse.
Communication also helps to establish realistic expectations as you transition into this new living arrangement. It’s exciting to move in together, and you deserve to embrace this anticipation. However, not every night is going to be perfect; you might get into arguments, or you might notice annoying habits you didn’t see before (maybe your partner doesn’t do household chores the way you would). Be patient as you adjust to living together and focus on building a home filled with understanding and love.
Set Aside Personal Time
It’s still important for you and your partner to do things you enjoy separately. Make sure you’re allowing time for hobbies and interests apart from each other. Spend time with friends away from home and encourage your partner to do the same.
This intentionality will help you both maintain your sense of self while also keeping the “spark” alive in your relationship.
If you’re getting ready to move in together or you’ve run into some issues after taking that step, consider reaching out to our office today. Working with a mental health professional can make it easier to communicate with each other while digging deeper into your personal needs.