Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Move in With Your Partner

Moving in with someone you love is an exciting step in any relationship, but it’s also a very big one. Transitioning from dating and living alone to sharing a home is a major milestone that can bring you closer or possibly reveal areas of your relationship that you haven’t fully explored yet. Before you start packing, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on your relationship and your readiness for this next chapter.

Start by asking yourself these important questions about your partnership and what living together really means to you. You might uncover insights that surprise you, may make you change your mind or just help set the stage for a smooth, happy transition.

Are We Doing It For The Right Reasons?

You want to be sure that you’re moving in together for the right reasons and not because you think it’s the ‘normal’ thing to do when you’re in a relationship. Why not try it out for a month and see how you get on? Don’t rush into anything because you think it’s what’s expected of you.

Will We Be Able To Give Each Other Space?

Having your own space is important, and before you move in together you need to be sure that you give each other the space you both need. Having time to yourself is good for any healthy relationship. Even if it’s just an hour to chill by yourself without any distractions. It will do and your relationship the world of good.

How Often Do We Argue?

If you argue constantly, then what makes you think you’re going to argue less when you live together? While arguments are inevitable (and healthy), you don’t want to be at each other’s throats every day over who didn’t wash the dishes.

Can We Handle Each Other’s Levels Of Tidiness?

Perhaps they’re a neat freak whereas you don’t mind leaving a few dishes in the sink now and again. Is this something that’s likely going to cause an argument? What may start as a cute quirk in the beginning, could soon become an irk for you or your partner.

Are We Both Financially Ready For This?

If you’re going to be splitting the bills then you need to sit down together and make sure you’re both able to pay your fair share. The last thing you want is money stress. Before moving in together, discuss all your outgoings and set yourself a budget.

What’s The Pet Situation?

If they have a pet already and you aren’t an animal lover, then this will more than likely cause problems. Or do you both have pets of your own? You want to bring your animals together in a happy environment and introduce them slowly if you’re going to make this work.

Will Their Friends/Family Be Around Often?

If your partner has a games night with all of their friends every other Friday, are you going to be okay with this? Or will you have family members turn up at your door unexpectedly? You don’t want this to cause friction between you both, so discuss it first.

Are You Comfortable Seeing Them At Their Worst?

When you live together, you get to know each other on a whole new level and share aspects of your personality that no one has seen before. You want to be certain that you feel comfortable seeing your partner at their absolute worst.

Have They Seen You At Your Worst?

The same applies to you, too. Some days, you may not be the best version of yourself, and your fuse might be a little shorter than usual. If you’re in a strong relationship, then it’s a no-brainer that you should feel comfortable with them seeing you at your worst. And if you live together, they’re probably going to see it more often.

Are You Quick At Resolving Arguments?

When you have an argument and you live separately, it’s easy to take yourself back to your place to cool off. If you’re living together, it’s not that easy. What starts as a tiny disagreement can soon blow up into an explosive argument if not handled correctly. And if you’re on top of each other all the time, then this is more than likely going to happen if you don’t resolve them ASAP.

Do You Spend Most Nights Together Already?

Perhaps you sleep over at each other’s place most nights already and feel like you know your partner well enough to take that next step. Perhaps you even have your own toothbrush at their place. This is a good way to try out living together before actually committing.

Are You Both In It For The Long-Haul?

If you’re thinking about moving in with someone then chances are you’re pretty serious about them. It’s an exciting leap in a relationship that proves you’re both in it for the long haul. Living together will bring you closer together and help you get to know each other in a whole new way.

Can You Share House Chores?

The times when women were supposed to take care of the house by themselves are long gone. Men are now expected to play their part, too, but have you already discussed who will do what and when? Does your partner expect you to do everything, or is he willing to share responsibilities? Have a chat to figure out how to handle all your house chores before deciding whether sharing a house is a good idea.

What Are Your Rules?

Most people tend to have some sort of rules regarding their house. While you may agree to all your partner’s rules, chances are that some of these will sound crazy to you. For instance, are shoes allowed in the house or not? Are pets restricted to the outside area? Is it ok to leave the plates in the sink for one night?

How Loud Are We?

This may sound ridiculous to some, but – just like your tidiness levels – your noise levels must be checked before signing that contract. While some don’t care about music, others may not be able to live without it. If this is the case for both of you, you must ensure you have similar tastes. You surely don’t want to listen to a genre you detest 24/7. The same goes for night hours. If your partner tends to go to sleep way after you, you need to ensure he won’t be too noisy.

Who is Making the Meals?

When you are together daily, you will likely eat most of your meals together, too. So, who is cooking those meals? While ordering takeout is nice, it is not something that you should do every single day. You also don’t want to live with someone who only cooks for themselves or expects you to cook every meal. Working out a meal plan is just as important as picking the best dinner time show. Maybe you will cook, and he will do the dishes, or maybe you will take turns cooking. It doesn’t matter what the arrangement is as long as you both agree!