Are You Ready To Move In?

It’s easy to get swept up in the romance of it all, especially the idea of playing house. But anyone at this stage of the dating game must have asked themselves: how long do you date, and how long do you wait, before you decide to become mates…as in roommates?

The prospect of living together and finally being a mini-family can be thrilling, not only because it sounds cozy and enjoyable, but also because it feels like a down payment on your relationship. Taking that step sometimes feels seamless because you are spending so much time together anyway. Maybe he’s cleared out a drawer for you already, or maybe he goes home only once a week these days to water his plants and gather his mail. How different could living together possibly be? The answer is…very.

It can make things a little bit harder because, instead of dividing space, the person who already lives there has to literally make room which, by nature, means giving some things up. There are a few points you should be aware of before becoming domestic partners because that very term implies that you will share – not just the love, but also the housework, the bills, the pet care, lawn work, the actual square footage, and whatever else goes along with cohabitating.

Talk before you start packing those boxes. Make sure you both understand what it will entail – it’s certainly more than just candlelit dinners and breakfasts in bed. Understand that making it official in that sense also brings along an accountability factor that wasn’t there before as your expectations of each other will change. Discuss how you plan to share the responsibilities, whether they are financial or practical. It is important to have a plan about how you are going to proceed.