By Laura Seaman
Moving in with your partner is a big step. Sure, maybe you’ve spent the night at each other’s apartments before, or gone on a trip where you shared a hotel room or lake house, but this is something else entirely. Living together means more than just sharing a house (which is a big responsibility on its own), it means sharing bills, personal space, and secrets that may have been hidden before. Despite the intimidation that comes with this decision, there are a few good reasons to take the plunge and move in with your mate:
Share the Cost
Living together gives you half the rent and none of the transportation costs that came with two separate living spaces and the drive it took to visit one another. That’s one utility bill, one water bill, and one gas bill. You’ll also only be using one set of furniture. Just be sure that splitting these costs doesn’t lead to conflict. Establish ahead of time who will pay which bills and how much each of you will pay.  With another living companion, paying the bills might be a bit more complicated, but they will be much less expensive.
See Their Habits (and Vice Versa)
There are plenty of habits you may not get to see while you’re dating someone. People tend to hide their bad habits when they’re trying to impress, so you might have a pet peeve they haven’t revealed. When someone is at home, they’re much more comfortable with themselves and they can’t help but show their little quirks. It may be something as little as biting their nails, or something difficult to ignore, such as counting having to walk through a doorway three times. It’s important to see these habits before taking your relationship too much further, because there might be one habit that pushes you over the edge, and the sooner you find this out the better.
Related:Â What You Need to Know Before You Move In Together
Seeing the Ugly Side
When you’re dating, situations rarely arise that will bring out a person’s temper. While living together, you have the chance to see their tempers flare. This may not seem like a pro, but you will be thankful for it in the future. Moving in with your partner is taking your relationship to the next step and seeing a side of them that they wouldn’t normally show you. This step may not be pleasant, but it’s very important and cannot be overlooked if you hope to maintain a stable relationship.
Learning to Share
With one place to live, one set of furniture, and maybe even a pet, sharing is essential to staying in a happy relationship. It may be something we learned as children, but it seems to get harder as we get older. It’s difficult to share a home; that’s why so many people argue with their families growing up. Once you learn to share more of your home with your partner, you can then learn to unwind and share more of yourself. It will be the most open and honest that you’ve ever been with each-other, and that is something you might not get when being apart.
Related: QuickieChick’s Video Dating Tips: Moving In with your Man
Long-Term Decisions Come Up
Living together is a big step in a relationship. For many, it means further commitment; it’s a trial-run before marriage. However, what if not everyone involved feels that way? When going on a date, the subject of children and marriage isn’t likely to come up. But when you’re living together, you and your partner are bound to talk more, and these serious subjects will likely come up. This is the perfect way to find out if your mate made the move to become something more, or if maybe you both have something more to talk about.
Living together can be tough, and many people advise against it. However, it’s these hardships that truly make it worth the risk. If your relationship can’t make it through the step of living together, how can it make it through marriage? The pros might not be as happy or pleasant as expected, but as with all learning experiences, it is necessary.
Do you think it’s a good idea to move in with your mate? What’s your experience? Let us know in the comments!
