The choice to move in together is not one to be taken lightly. Joining your life with someone else is a big step. Then again, if you and your partner feel that you are ready to go for it, then there are some things you should take into consideration. Although many couples are perfectly happy living together, cohabiting with your partner often takes a bit more work. Living together can be complicated, so here are a few helpful tips with suggestion on how to make living together work for you.

Cleaning and keeping tidy – Cleanliness can lead to many arguments when a couple is living together. If your partner is tidier than you, it’s vital that you work a bit harder at keeping the apartment clean. Whilst it is possible that your partner is obsessive with cleanliness that an average person cannot match up to, you need to try to work with your partner to find a fair balance so that the two of you are mutually pleased with the status of the apartment.

If you find the context reverse, where your partner isn’t living up to your standards of cleanliness, you’ll need to work something out. Maybe your partner can be in charge of a few specific tasks. Maybe there is something your partner prefers doing, like cooking or organizing the bills. Try to work together, playing off each other’s strengths. When living together it’s critical that one person doesn’t feel like they are doing all the work.

Paying the bills – As much as you love your partner, you should bear in mind that she should play an equal role to help with the house bills. It is unfair to count on one person in a relationship to support another. Bear in mind to pay your share of the bills to stay away from any financial issues from arising. You need to be cautious if your partner seems to be running out of money every now and then, especially towards the end of the month. Lending your partner money, or paying for your partner’s portion of the bills can set a dangerous precedent. You never want to think of your partner as a financial strain, or worse, a useless bum.

Time together and time apart – The leading challenges of staying in the same house is managing the time to spend together. It’s key to continue the activities that are important to you. Moving in with your partner should not turn you into the same person. Don’t expect your partner to give all his time to entertain you whenever he is free. You both should have separate lives. Similarly, it is a problem if your partner suddenly becomes too possessive and can’t handle the fact that you have your own life outside of him or her. It is important to spend quality time with your partner, however, giving yourself some break from facing your partner is just as important.

Annoying habits – No matter how well you know a person, you will constantly be surprised from what you learn about them when you move in together. Like it or not, both of you will have habits that the other party can’t stand, whether it’s the loud snoring at night, leaving socks all over the place, or tidying up the bed. The truth is, nobody is perfect, and there are probably things about you that bother your partner as well. Make an effort to look beyond the minor habits and focus on the positive aspect of things.