Moving In Together... Stress Free!

There are three significant milestones in every established and committed relationship. The first being traveling together, the second is meeting the parents and the last one is the ever nerve wracking move in. Sharing your space with the one you love can be both blissful and abysmal, with some luck and by following these easy guidelines, you and yours are sure to settle comfortably into your humble abode. Start with communication, it's crucial that personal needs are discussed, whether it's in regards to how the bills will be paid or how to decorate the bathroom. Usually one love bird will move in with the other, rather then finding a separate place of residence. If this is the case then set boundaries, talk about what stays and what goes. Out of common courtesy, any memento's of past relationships should be packed away. As to paying the bills, pay according to percentages. If your plumber boyfriend makes 20k a year and your lawyer's net salary is 70k, divide the lower salary by the higher salary to get the ratio of what you both should be paying towards your bills. If you don't want to be nit picky about who pays for what, allocate certain bills (he pays hydro, you pay cable). The number one topic that couple's fight over is money, communication can put frugal partners at ease and make the move financially fair for all. On the moving day, have all of your close friends around to help unpack, or paint. Their reward can either be alcohol or a barbecue once all the work is done. This is a great way to save money and is a great way for friends to meet. When it comes to decorating, compromise is crucial. If you find yourselves fighting between different d