The things you learn when you move in together

Moving in with your partner is complete bliss, chaos, excitement and frustration all rolled into one. It’s 24/7; not like those two carefree weeks you took off work to lie on a tropical island, sipping cocktails without a worry in the world. You’ll see the best and worst versions of each other, but it’s also super fun – there’s artwork to be hung, wine glasses to be bought, and plants to be potted – it’s a nester’s dream!

Here are the things you’ll learn when you move in together.

Stability is awesome. It really is so nice to come home to your favourite person at the end of a long-ass day at work.

It’s not like a holiday. This is real life; always busy, sometimes stressful, and most likely exhausting. Try to be patient with each other – it can be challenging when you’re both at the end of your tethers.

You will learn to pick your battles. You will definitely argue more, but you learn how to fight right.  Have it out over things that are really bothering you and let the little things slide.

Gross habits. These are normally toilet related. Pooping with the door open, farting at any given moment – just be prepared to be shocked and then be prepared to accept it, ‘cus boys will be boys and there’s nothing we can do about it!

You will have to talk about money. No one likes it, but it has to be done. You’ll probably be splitting the rent, bills and groceries, so be open to talking numbers and maybe even making a budget to stay on top of things.

You will both want and need alone time. Just because you live together doesn’t mean you have to do absolutely everything together. Guys are addicted to playing gaming apps on their phones, while girls like to Netflix and paint their nails. It’s healthy to want alone time!

You will learn how to communicate better. My mind never switches off; I build mental to-do lists within 5 minutes of opening my eyes in the morning. My husband on the other hand, is the opposite. After almost 3 years of living together, I have learned that the best time to talk to him about something important is after a big breakfast and a coffee.

The sex will be less frequent. I refer back to the ‘real life’ point. Sometimes you’ll just be too tired or stressed to get jiggy. And that’s okay! The most important thing is to keep connecting on some level – through conversation or cuddles – till you have the time to really make moves (which is normally the weekend).