Things to Consider When Moving in With Someone
March 6, 2023
Moving in with another person is a big deal. In a very real way, you’re linking two or more different lives. It is difficult to move in with someone without some anxiety, whether it’s a friend, family member, roommate, or romantic partner. How do you know, after all, that they’re not terrible roommates? How do you know they’re not going to adopt fourteen cats instantly and never clean their dishes?
Sadly, there is no way of defending against any future moving-in-together misfortune. However, there is a way to protect against much of it: talk about it! Until paperwork is signed instead of after, ask the significant questions. The questions that you need to ask and answer are here! For every roommate before moving in.
There is a surprising amount of research in the psychology behind the reasons why roommates (particularly couples) move in together. Common reasons were listed in research for individuals to move in together. They were: as a test, spending more time together, being comfortable, raising a child together, or stepping up engagement.
On the issue of why there is no guaranteed “correct” answer. However, what does matter is that the priorities are lined up. Things don’t line up if one of you feels your partnership is shifting and the other is trying to reduce their financial burden. That’s when problems can start to occur.
You can spend a great deal of time with someone and not understand the truth of their spending habits. Before you do something else, write down and detail which roommate is responsible for what. Include who, to whom, where, would pay what sum. In setting it out now, stop potential money claims
Cohabiting efficiently is all about engagement and meeting desires. Figure out who is going to do what until it is appropriate to do these things. This may include duties such as washing, vacuuming, ordering groceries, and any other activities.
Work out who prefers to do those things from there and make an arrangement. It’s also going to be nice to find out who does what when you plan your move as well.
No matter how much you enjoy or love someone, there’s no one without faults. For each other, be frank about the things you find irritating. Be blunt about the stuff you prioritize, too.
Work together to make sure before they arise, you can fix these arguments-in-the-making. How are you going to fix it if one of you is a slob and the other is a clean freak? What are you going to do about it if one of you hates tigers and the other just eats Frosted Flakes? Before it’s too late, have a major, long talk with your roommate about these things.
This will be a discussion of confidence as well as logistics. Even if you have the best of intentions, things do not always turn out the way you expect. When there is only one of you on the lease, if anything comes up, it would be easier to change the situation.
When making a life-changing decision like this one, that sort of realism can be difficult to consider. That’s also a red flag if you don’t trust the person you’re with to pay their rent because their name is on the contract. To stop making a mistake you’ll regret later, work it out before you sign the papers.
Also Read : How to Make your Move Fun and Enjoyable
When people move in together, the compromise that comes with cohabitation is often not understood by them. Whenever you want, you will not be able to do anything you want. Before an issue arises, spell out the expectations about visitors and respect.
Give each roommate as much notice as possible for major gatherings or parties. Respect the interests and social personalities of each other. How can you handle it if one roommate is extroverted and the other is introverted?
You have to decide who will ultimately pay those sums, and when and how, once you have decided how you will divide the costs. Discuss who is paying for what and before the move, make a plan. Remember to pay the bills for electricity, internet plans, moving expenses, and more.
Even if your personal situation makes payment arrangements sound so clear that you don’t have to talk about them, we still suggest having the discussion. Before misunderstandings arise, it is often easier to be on the stage. A bill payment you don’t want to skip because you both thought the other roommate was going to cover it!
Life isn’t perfect, ensuring the conflict can arise at some point. The easiest way to prevent them from getting out of control is to determine how you’ll resolve disputes before they happen.
You and your desires depend on how you plan to treat them. When things get too hot, you might agree to use a mediator, ask your parents or close friends for advice, or agree to always have a means of stepping away.
You should be ready to go after you’ve had a safe chat addressing these questions. What you need to do next is to locate the best spot and hire the right moving company.
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You’ve just bought your dream home. Now’s the time to add some personal touches to make it your own, like painting the interior walls and installing new flooring. Most people complete these home renovations right when they get a new home.
Also, Read: Benefits of Moving to Another State in 2022
Why not get started before you move in? An empty house means your furniture won’t be in danger of spilled paint or other damage — plus you or your contractors can take advantage of open space. And most importantly, you and your family can limit exposure to renovation dust and odors that can be hazardous to your health.
So, as tempting as it is to move in right away, try tackling these three home improvement projects before the moving trucks show up.
1. Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling
Remodeling the kitchen is a priority for many homeowners when moving into a new home. There are many simple ways of personalizing and revitalizing outdated looks, like adding new appliances, countertops and vanities, changing out fixtures and hardware, or replacing or refacing the cabinets.
But if you’re going to install new or refaced cabinets and you’re going to finish them on site, make health a priority. The formaldehyde used in cabinet glues will be released into your home (what’s known as “off-gassing”) for a long time, so choose cabinets labeled NAUF (No Added Urea Formaldehyde)
During finishing, contractors and homeowners should properly ventilate the house and wear a respirator
2. Painting The Walls
Changing the color of the rooms in your home is a simple project that can personalize your home for little cost. But take precautions, Unless you use low- or no-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints, you are polluting the indoor air with volatile organic chemicals — such as benzene or formaldehyde — that you really don’t want to breathe in. Low- or no-VOC paints are available in many colors and price points, so making them a priority is easy
3. Flooring Installation & Refinishing
In a new-to-you home, you might be lucky enough to find something salvageable underneath that old carpeting. But in many cases, the floor will need to be refinished. If you do it yourself, take precautions when prepping, sanding and applying the new finish. Open all the windows and put up barriers to contain dirt and debris for easy cleanup.
Note that a water-based finishing system will produce significantly less smog than an oil-based system, which will off-gas for six months to a year, A water-based system, on the other hand, may off-gas for only 48 hours.
If you opt for installing a new carpet, be aware that it actually gives off a lot of fumes. It’s one of the big nasties when it comes to off-gassing, Look for wool as opposed to synthetics and a floor underlayment with low VOCs(Volatile Organic Compounds). If the house already has carpet, be sure to get it professionally cleaned (you don’t even want to think about the dead skin cells and mites that might be lurking within).
Moving can be stressful enough — make it less complicated by getting some of your home improvement projects out of the way before all the boxes and furniture get in the way.
