Real Talk: moving in together

Recently my beloved brother and sister-in-law purchased their first home together and began their new life together as home owners. What an accomplishment! They've lived together before, but celebrating their new home inspired me to write a blog about moving in with your significant other for the first time.

Moving in together as a couple is one of the biggest milestones in a relationship, and it takes a lot of growing and planning until you are finally ready for that step. Zach and planned maybe 9 months ahead when we finally decided to move in together. Not only did we need to figure out our own living situations beforehand, but more so we had a lot of growing and learning to do. 

If I had one big piece of advise to give couples that want to move in together for the first time, I would say take it slow, very slow. Make sure you are going to be able to: 

• Keep your independence: make sure to have a girls' night every once and while. Yes, your man is the most important person in your life but make sure your girls always get the love they had before you moved in with him. You are a hot indepedent woman who don't need no man! But you can have both.
 • Accept his/her probably messy habits and embrace them: everyone gets lazy and doesn't want to take out trash, pick your battles wisely.

• Be okay with him popping with the door open, and peeing with each other in the room. 

• Be ready to not have as much alone time. I think one of the most unexpected issues that arise after that step is the alone time. Whether you're living alone or with roommates beforehand, you usually have s lot of time by yourself. Make sure to have a serious discussion with him/her so you can be open and honest when you need to just take some alone time.

I think a lot of people end up breaking up after moving in together because they rushed into it. It is 100% ok to say you're not ready for it. Living with your boyfriend means knowing exactly what he does at any given time of the day. Before you make the step, spend the weekend or maybe a week together at each of your places so you know exactly what you're hiding from each other (like Zach sleeping with his eyes open in a puddle of drool or me being absolutely obsessed with onions) before you make the choice permanent. It can be hard, and you will argue, but as long as you keep it light, share he workload around the house, and always remind each other how in love you are, you'll be just fine
 :) xo