Deciding to move in with someone you care about can be a scary decision. Unfortunately, the anxiety of the situation doesn’t go away the second you both agree to do it. There are a lot of uncertainties and potential issues that you have to anticipate. That’s why we made a list of steps for shifting to a new life with a significant other. That way, the transition won’t be as shell-shocking as it is for some couples.

Be Open and Honest With Each Other

This point may seem obvious since you should base your relationship on openness and honesty in the first place. However, it’s important to talk about everything with your significant other in this transitional period. When you two are living together, you can’t keep things from each other. If you try to, it will cause more trouble than it would have if you talked about it right away.

Decide on Who’s Bringing What

If you both currently live on your own, there will be some overlap of certain household items. You need to decide on who’s bringing what to the new place. For example, if you both have couches but only have room for one, you’ll need to talk it out and figure out which one is better for your needs. Maybe they have the bigger couch, but you don’t like how it looks. Compromise by letting them bring theirs, but you get to pick out a slipcover that will fit it perfectly and look great in the process.

Set Some Ground Rules

Here’s where being open and honest is key again. Both of you are accustomed to living a certain way. While you can both adjust to accommodate each other, there will be certain things that you or they will prefer to get done a certain way. It’s good to get these out in the open before you go through with the move.

If you need to, don’t be afraid to make a list of these things. It’s good to know what to expect out of each other before you are living together. Also, be aware that this list is ever-changing. Problems will arise, and you will need to stay mindful of how your actions affect the other person.

Build a Budget

One of the most crucial yet overlooked steps for shifting to a new life with a significant other is building a budget together. Since you won’t combine your finances as a married couple would, it’s a little more difficult to gauge who is responsible for certain bills. Fortunately, online banking has become easier to navigate. Sending each other money electronically is easier than ever. This should help stop money-related arguments before they even happen.

Pay Attention to Yourself

One of the biggest mistakes people make is focusing on the relationship and their significant other rather than themselves. If you’re having trouble adjusting, you need to realize it because no one knows you better than yourself. Failing to do this will lead to more significant issues down the road in your relationship.