Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who have found love and thought, “This is nice. It should work out.” Or you could be a romantic and say “7 billion people in the world, and I found my soulmate.” Or you just want to be in the presence of your significant other more times than not.
We all know it: being in love is fantastic.
Soulmate or not, you’re already here-agreeing to move in together. However, there are a lot of things to consider:
Table of Contents
1. Why are you moving in together?
“Because we love each other.”
Yes, that’s true, but you’ve loved each other long before this big change.
Try digging deeper and finding that reason you want to live with each other. Do you love being around each other all the time? Have you been together long enough to take it one step further?
It is your decision, and you know yourself better than anyone.
2. What are your expectations?
It’s necessary to be aware that living together is far different from “sleeping over a lot”. Cohabitations means dealing with the other person’s attitude and behaviour around the house. Know that they could be messy or a little too organised. They could forget to pay the bills or lock the door. It’s the little things around the house that may irk you in the near future.
However, the much bigger picture is your goals as a couple. What do you want to achieve with this drastic change? Marriage? Financial implications? Before moving in, make sure both of you are on the same page.
3. How will you handle finances?
It’s essential to know each other’s financial standing. Loans, credit cards, and the like should already be presented on the table.
Remember that you will split the monthly expenses at home. Think of a fair system that can work for both of you. Will you split all the bills or assign specific utility bills to each other?
4. Have you agreed on your place to stay?
This could be the first compromise of this time of your relationship. In the process of cohabitation, you must find a middle ground. Do you want to stay at your apartment or his? Do you want to scout for new apartments or lands for sale? Do you want to live in your current town or move to a place around Geelong?
Both of you should reach a consensus that benefits you. It could be near your school and their job. It should be a safe and accessible neighbourhood for both of you as well.
5. How do you deal with conflict?
How do you, as a couple, deal with problems in the relationship? It’s crucial to think about this because you might hate each other’s guts when you’re fighting, and it’s not fair if one of you sleeps on the couch every other night.
Before cohabitating, think it through and ask yourself these questions. Know your intentions and expectations. Otherwise, you might find yourself facing a great deal of consequences. You know what they say: “Love’s never easy.”
