What You Should Know About A Living In Together Relationship

Love is a wonderful feeling. Being in a relationship with someone who understands you and makes you feel special is just cherry on the icing.

When we are in love, we just can't see beyond our partner. We want to spend every waking (and sleeping, for that matter!!!) moment with them. But that just isn't possible with our busy jobs and hectic schedules. Sometimes, a 24-hour day just feels too damn short.

If you are in a serious relationship and are facing a time crunch, you start looking for solutions. Although there are a lot of solutions to this problem, the one that has caught up with the youth of today is living in together.

Living in together for a couple is a next big step in a relationship, just short of a marriage. It shows the commitment and trust the partners have in each other.

Living in together means sharing a space, finances, responsibilities and a lifestyle together. Couples need to be secure about each other in order to start living in together. This will also ensure that they get to spend maximum time with each other and may also come across hidden qualities about each other.

In a society backed by strong cultures and traditions like ours, living in together before marriage is frowned upon. But this isn't deterring the young generation from opting for live-in relationships to announce their level of commitment to their partners. Live-in relationships provide the flexibility of relationships without the baggage of marriage.

Couples are living in together for a variety of reasons. It can be because they have a hectic work life and are not able to dedicate enough time to their partners, or also as a way of getting to know their partners better. It will also provide an insight about the different personalities of their partners. If your partner has suggested the idea of living in together, it is a sign of commitment.

However, living in together comes with its own set of problems. You need to lay some rules, so there is a clear divide in responsibilities. Financially too, you need to make things clear. All the rules and regulations need to be clearly laid out to avoid arguments later.

If you are looking for a go-to guide for your live-relationship, you are at the right place.

In this article, we will tell you certain things you need to remember before starting to live-in together. Follow these guidelines for a happy relationship, which your partner and you will cherish for life.

1) Deciding On An Apt Location:

The location for your new apartment should be right between the work places of both of you. This will reduce the commute timings which both of you can spend doing constructive work (If you know what we mean!!!).

2) Dividing Responsibilities:

Can your partner handle doing the laundry or the dishes? Whatever it be, dividing responsibilities among yourselves will make both your lives much easier and less hectic. It will also give you a clear idea about what to expect from your partner and if he is ready to give you a helping hand in the household chores.

3) Thinking About The Finances:

How will the household finances be shared between the both of you? Will there be a joint account for it or will it be easier to assign a set of household expenses between both of you? If your partner is paying the phone bill, you can take the electricity and grocery bills under you. With a clear set of rules, there will be no space for arguments at all. Also, with the expenses divided between the both of you, you might be able to save more for vacations, etc.

4) Making A Clear Set Of Rules:

Your partner and you may have different opinions regarding certain things or can have different likes and dislikes. So, making a set of rules will help. Be clear with your partner about ordering take-outs only on weekends or reserving the weekends for inviting friends over. Also, small things like food not allowed in the bedroom or shoes should be restricted to outside the door, etc., should be clearly set, as these small things could escalate into bigger issues later on.

5) Giving Each Other The Space:

Sometimes, it is important to give space to your partner. If your partner is upset regarding some issue at work or family and they do not want to discuss it with you, it may be wise to leave them alone. Create an alone space at home where either of you can spend some time without each other. This will reduce frustration and also the chances of fights among you.

6) Knowing Each Other Better:

The biggest advantage of living together is that you get to know your partner from the inside out, which just wasn't possible with a few hours of meeting him daily. You will be confronted with the qualities of your partner you never knew he possessed. Things like their ability in the kitchen or doing household chores, or even if they can manage a few repairs around the house, etc., can be learnt. Also, if you have different likes and dislikes, you need to find a middle ground and work your way around each other.

7) Do Not Treat It As A Testing Ground For Marriage:

This is the worst mistake that live-in couples make. If you are planning to live in only because you want to see how it will be like after you get married, it will never work. This will keep you in a negative space and you will be more prone to finding your partner's faults all the time. Moving in together should require the same commitment and dedication which is required in a marriage. Only then, you will be assured of a long-lasting future.