Moving in together? Here are four tips to make it easier

Relationships

Moving into your first home together with your partner is an exciting step. But it can also be stressful if not handled well. These four tips will ensure your move is as smooth as possible.

Whether you’re newly in love and planning your first move with your partner, or whether you’re combining homes and histories, and moving in together later in life, sharing your first home is a big step in your relationship.

But it’s also one that requires careful planning, lots of negotiation and openly shared expectations. To help you make your move as smooth as possible, here are four areas we recommend considering and working on.

1) Work together

While not many people enjoy the actual process of moving, moving in with your partner can seem exciting at the outset. But it will still require planning, hard work and some negotiation, and could possibly be your first big relationship test.

To make the process easier, break it down into smaller steps and tasks, and agree together who will do which jobs and take on what responsibilities.

You’ll also need to make big decisions, such as what home you agree to rent or buy. Or maybe one of you is moving into the other’s home.

Wherever you’re setting up home together, make sure you agree from the outset what style you both want your new space to have. Feeling at home is important for everyone, but creating a space where you both feel comfortable together can be a bit harder to navigate.

To help you find common ground it can be good to take a style quiz or look into online interior design services – a professional will help take the stress and confusion out of the process, particularly if you want to embrace an entirely new design, or elevate your tried and tested style to a new level.

2) Talk through your plans and feelings

Moving in with a partner is a big step for both of you, and it’s important to share your ideas of how things can work, and what you do and don’t want.

It’s much easier to start with all your cards on the table, than surprising each other halfway through the process. By openly discussing your expectations, non-negotiables and desires you can ensure you’re on the same page, and identify where you’re each happy to concede, and what you really want to hang onto.

For example if you have a couch you really love, or a table that has sentimental value, you need to explain that. And likewise, let your partner know if you need a quiet corner somewhere for your desk, so you can work in peace.

Remember that you’re both going through a big life change, and while it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving into your first shared home together, there will probably be teething problems too. You’ll need to get used to each other’s habits, preferences and be respectful of your individual needs for space.

3) Work out the logistics in advance

The most efficient way to work out what you have, what you want to keep and what you can get rid of, is to create an inventory. This may seem like an unnecessary, time consuming step, but being organised now can save time and expense later.

You can quickly identify duplicate items, and anything you need to buy for your new home, and keep everyone on the same page throughout the move.

Measure your new home before you move to make sure your furniture will fit, and get an idea of how you may want to arrange it. You may even decide to make a plan of the layout, to make any decisions and purchases of new furniture easier.

A design plan will also help you and anyone helping on your moving day to quick identify where everything needs to go.

4) Know when to call in help

If you can afford movers, then hire them. Because as well as taking the strain by physically moving your belongings, they’ll take away much of the stress of coordinating everyone helping, and the packing of the van.

You can even go one step further by hiring a removal firm who’ll pack for you, leaving you to focus on how to make your new space feel like home.

Knowing what projects you can tackle yourself and what is best left to someone else is another good way to avoid clashing styles (and arguments!) while settling into your new home.

Unless you’re a confident and enthusiastic DIYer, attempting large home improvement projects yourself can end up wasting time and more money than a good professional. It can also add unnecessary stress on your relationship.

So consider whether you’re ready and capable of tackling some of your more ambitious projects, or whether you’d be better off hiring help.

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Photo by Brooke Winters