Living Together for The First Time: Top Things To Consider
Are you making plans to move in with your significant other? Whether you are soon to be married or have decided moving in together is the next step in your relationship, it is an exciting time. First and foremost, congratulations! There is something so powerful about joining homes. Second, you’ve come to the right place. There are many important things to consider and conversations to be had when moving in with your significant other. We want to give you the best chance at building a healthy relationship while making healthy changes and improvements. Sit down with your partner and read this blog together; it never hurts to be extra prepared.
Without further ado, here are the top things to consider when living together for the first time.
Begin With A Plan: Having A Conversation
All relationships are different and there is no hard-set rule on when to move in together, so take this time to understand what is best for you and your relationship. You don’t need to rush into things! Knowing that these things take time and lots of communication is good to remember. Here are a few things to begin with when first approaching moving in with your partner.
Communication: Starting with a strong communication foundation will only benefit the relationship moving forward. Take the time to establish good communication and commit to being open and honest about moving in together.
Where you’ll live: Talk about where the two of you will live. Are you wanting to find a new place together? Or maybe one will move into the others current home? Figuring this out at the beginning will help in setting expectations and bringing excitement rather than stress. It can also be beneficial to discuss what items each of you will bring into the new home and what you may need.
Finances: Rent, utilities, and other home expenses don’t come cheap. So, make it clear from the beginning how you will be handling those responsibilities. Discussing these things early on will help to alleviate stress later in the moving process. This doesn’t mean you need to share all your financial information with your significant other but allow for you both to be on the same page for how costs will be divided.
Once Living Together: Tips And Tricks
You’ve made it past move in and are now actively living under the same roof. Yay! Hard part is over, right? Well, there most certainly will be challenges that come up as you navigate this transition. If this happens, rest your worries because we have a few tips and tricks to help cultivate a beautiful life living together.
Decorate together: You are now sharing this space together, so it’s important to make it feel like your home. Don’t allow for one person to make all the decor decisions but make it a joint effort. Talking about décor likes and dislikes can help to get you both on the same page and kickstart the decorating. Remember to have fun with it and keep an open mind!
Make time for “me”: Self-care is so important in all aspects of life, especially when transitioning into a new chapter. It can be easy to forgo self-care and alone time when living with your significant other, so put an extra emphasis on allowing time for yourself. Create a space in your home that is just for you and set time for independence.
Chores: New living space, new set of chores! Talk together about who will do what or how you want to divvy up the different daily/weekly chores. This might be as simple as each partner taking the same tasks each week or maybe, you prefer to switch it up week to week. The great thing is that it’s entirely up to both of you to decide!
Routine adjustments: There are going to be many adjustments to your daily routine so make sure to establish a good routine that works for both of you. This doesn’t mean you need to have the same routine styles but something that you both are happy with.
Quality time in and out of the house: Yes, just because you now live together doesn’t mean you should stop doing things outside the house. Remember to make time for date nights or weekend trips. Confining your relationship to the home is not a healthy habit. It’s important to have quality time in your living space but also make room for activities elsewhere.
Embrace vulnerability: It is most likely you will find yourself feeling vulnerable at the start of living together. Vulnerability can be intimidating but once you decide to welcome it, it can bring love and beauty to your relationship. You deserve to live in comfort and know you are welcome as you are.
Something To Keep In Mind
Now that we have gone over starting with a plan and tips and tricks, here are a few additional things to keep in mind as you continue your journey.
Plans for future: It is important to not only discuss the current stage of your relationship but the possible future as well. Especially when you are moving in together or already living together, you want to be on the same page. One partner might believe moving in together implies marriage and a family while the other may be thinking differently. Talk about these things and remember to have honest, open communication.
Have fun: This step in the relationship is meant to bring you joy, so have fun with it! Yes, there will be stressful times and hard things to navigate but getting through it will help you to appreciate the joy so much more.
Whew! A lot of information for you to think about, so hopefully you took notes. Luckily, you can always refer back to our blog if needed. In summary, remember to begin with a plan and work your way up from there. It’s possible you’ll run into some challenges along the way, but don’t let that discourage you. Have open communication with your partner and don’t shy away from talking about the hard stuff. Living together for the first time will bring many special memories that you will cherish forever!
If you find yourself looking for more information on cultivating a healthy relationship, check out our blog Building Trust in Relationships: A Comprehensive Guide to Lasting Connection or 10 Things You Should Be Actively Doing For A Better Relationship. Follow our Pinterest page for daily tips on dating, marriage, parenting, and single lives.
Thanks again for reading, we’ll catch you on the next one!