Before you decide to move in together…
The act of moving on together with your partner is always a very big step in the relationship. It signifies a level of comfort that you have with one another in terms of spending time together. When you take that step and you move in together, you are essentially bringing yourselves closer to that lifetime commitment phase of the relationship. No one should be understating just how significant of a step this is in any relationship and you shouldn’t be taking a decision like this lightly. A lot of thought and preparation must go into this decision and you can’t afford to just be nonchalant about it.
So before you embark on this significant milestone in your relationship, you have to make sure to have done your fair share of due diligence. The act of playing house isn’t a game at all and it can potentially either enhance or destroy the dynamics of your relationship. That’s why you don’t want to be moving in together if you’re not ready for it. You risk prematurely destroying your relationship just because of your eagerness to rush into things.
So what are the things that you and your partner need to think about before you move in together? At this point, you’re fairly confident that your partner knows you well. You have established some kind of synergy in your relationship and you’re confident that it’s enough for the both of you to keep things working. But is it really? If you’re unsure, then this list is perfect for you. Just read on until the end of this article to find out the things that you and your partner need to know about one another before you actually decide to move in together.
1. Do you have similar sleeping habits?
Is one of you an early bird while the other is a night owl? Do both of you like to go to sleep fairly early at night? Or do both of you stay wide awake up until the wee hours of the morning on a constant basis? You need to know these things before you actually start sharing a bed together.
2. What are your standards of cleanliness and orderliness in the living space?
This can be a potential point of conflict for a lot of couples. Remember that everyone has different standards of personal cleanliness. What may seem neat and tidy for you might be sloppy and disorderly for your partner. Remember to talk about your house rules in terms of cleanliness.
3. Where do you stand on having pets around the house?
Are you okay with having furry creatures around the household? Perhaps your partner has an allergy that you’re not aware of. You don’t want to find that out the hard way by bringing a dog into the household and eventually having to return it.
4. Do you plan on having kids around in the future?
Similar with the topic of having pets, you and your partner need to talk about the prospect of having kids together. Does the home that you’re moving in together have a conducive environment for any future children? These are important things that you need to talk about.
5. What are your boundaries when it comes to privacy and personal space?
Just because you’re moving in together doesn’t mean that you have to give up your entire sense of individuality and privacy. You are still entitled to some personal space and boundaries. But of course, you have to be laying it all out in the open with your partner before you actually move in together so as to avoid conflict.
6. How will you manage your finances together?
Money is a tricky subject and you want to get it out of the way as early as possible. How will you be distributing the expenses in terms of the upkeep and maintenance of a home? Will one side be shouldering more of the financial burden than the other? Will you both be paying equally?
7. How frequently will you be having sex?
Another big motivator for couples to be moving in together is the prospect of having sex as much as possible without having to worry about compromised privacy. But of course, you have to make sure that your expectations are on the same page. You don’t want to end up expecting more than what your partner is willing to offer.
8. Will you be having guests over often?
Are you a social butterfly who loves having friends over the house all the time? Then you have to make sure that your partner is the same way. Otherwise, you are going to be having a lot of unnecessary arguments.
9. What does your ideal future home setting look like?
Do you plan on living in a condo? Do you want to build and own your own home in the suburbs? How many bedrooms do you want? What city do you want to live in? These are all things you need to talk about before you actually move in together.
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