Most romantic relationships tend to follow a reliable pattern:
- Meet
- Fall in love
- Decide to move in together
- Get married
- Have children
Now, obviously this is not an exhaustive list, nor is it necessary to reach these rites of passage in that particular order– but it’s close enough to be familiar to most people’s experiences.
Of each of these five steps, it’s arguably number three — moving in together — that can be the most difficult leap. By the time you’re living together, getting married isn’t that much of a difference, and having children is usually a natural development from there. When you move in together, however, your life changes in an instant. You no longer have your own space; you’re going to financially commit to one another; you’re going to have to find a way to live together while maintaining your individual identity.
If you have been with your beau for awhile, then you’re probably wondering if you’re ready to make such a big change to your life. Below, let’s explore a few of the signs that it’s time to give your landlord notice, contact Shiply, and move to a house that has room for two…
1) You’re Already Half-Living Together
If you’re already spending consecutive nights at one another’s homes, are rarely parted for the duration of the weekends, and have a stash of items you keep at their house– well, you’re pretty much already living together. You might as well take the plunge; you clearly care for one another, are able to spend large swathes of time together without arguments, and are building a solid foundation to grow from.
2) You’re Constantly Talking Even When Apart
On the nights you don’t spend together, are you and your partner constantly on the phone, texting one another, or talking online? Maybe you Skype as you both go about making your evening meals, eager to report to one another how your day was? These are all signs that your relationship has taken on a deeper meaning; even when apart, you can’t help talking to one another, using tech to mask the fact you’re living in different spaces. You might as well go the whole hog and live together– if only to save on your data bills!
3) You’ve Had Your Fair Share Of Arguments
It’s easy for a couple who are — for want of a better word — “just” dating to keep their relationship conflict and argument free. Each of you has your own space to decompress, and it’s easier to hide your own bad habits. When you move in together, conflict between you is pretty much inevitable– so you need to know you can both handle them. If you and your partner have had arguments and been able to come through them, then it’s a sign your relationship is mature enough for you to consider cohabiting.
If you can tick the three areas above, then there’s no reason to hold back. Your relationship is ready; all that’s left now is organising the logistics and figuring out where you’re going to live!
