You may have shared a living space with family and friends in the past, but when you decide to transition and move in with a significant other, you may (think WILL) have to make a few adjustments to your lifestyle and habits. Moving in together should be an exciting step for both partners, and to make sure everyone stays in good spirits, it’s important to find ways to keep you and your partner organized and prepared for the changes ahead and have fun! Because fun coupled with a sense of humor is essential! To make this happen, you might need to have a few honest conversations with your partner before you pack up your belongings. But in the long run, it will not only allow both of you to move forward on the same path, but in turn, strengthen your relationship .
Make Smart Financial Decisions
Starting new with your significant other in a fresh space is exciting, and you’ll immediately want to start putting together the home of your dreams. When you are moving in, resist the urge to purchase all your furniture and decor before you move, and wait to invest in
higher quality pieces from companies like Arhaus. Both you and your partner should declutter and organize your current belongings, so that you can avoid buying items that you don’t need, and moving items that are no longer useful. If you have gently used furnishings, freshen them up or make them new with some DIY tips from Pinterest to save some money when you first move. Take the time to get used to your new space before you invest in new furniture pieces. When you first move, you will have to buy supplies, groceries, and cleaning materials before you begin to decorate, which can put quite the dent in your monthly budget. Make sure you are accounting for the cost of moving, necessary supplies, and your initial rent costs at first, then down the road you can spend on higher quality furniture that will last, like a
wooden dining room table or artisan wall decor.
Keep a Joint Calendar
One way to remain organized and on the same page with your partner in your new shared space is to hang a calendar in your kitchen, living room, or foyer that gives an overview of your schedules. You don’t have to keep your partner updated on your every move, but you should communicate with them about important dates, appointments, or even to plan time to spend with one another for a date night or at-home dinner. It can also act as a meal plan calendar to schedule dinners, and aid in the weekly trip to the grocery store. Having a general idea of where each other will be will also help to settle worry or panic if one of you gets caught up at work or other scheduled events. Your partner will also naturally worry, so take their feelings into account and keep
an updated calendar whether it be online or hung up in your home or apartment. The key is to keep your partner informed of what’s going on in your life, the things you want to do together now and also in the future. This will keep both of you in the loop and connected!Related:
5 Ways to Decrease the Conflict in Your Relationship and Improve Communication Keeping Your Living Space Clean
When you live with another person, you not only have to deal with the messes that you make, but the ones they make too, and have to
adjust to each others lifestyle habits. And trust me when I say, this is one of the biggest areas that couples fight about! Before moving in with someone, you’ll want to have an open discussion about how you like to keep your space and what your expectations are. Expectations are key. Don’t be hesitant to talk about them while remaining open minded. Remember, this is the beginning of what you both hope will be years together. While you should make your expectations known, you should also be patient as you both grow accustomed to living with each other. This takes time. Spending time over at your partner’s house is very different than living with them everyday. If you keep things neater than your partner, be forgiving about their habits – or look for a compromise. If you have a tendency to be messier, challenge yourself to be respectful of your partner’s preferences and learn to make small, often necessary changes.
With the help of a few apps, you both can keep a tracker of the last time you cleaned your bathroom or kitchen, to hold yourselves accountable for cleaning before any mess gets out of hand.The take home message? Find time to have the necessary and important conversations before you decide to live together. This will help you grow as a couple with the hope of preventing any arguments from occurring because taking the time in the beginning – at the front end – will help you both transition to this new life in the end!Having difficulty communicating about living together and taking the next step?
Let’s talk!
