Moving in with your significant other is one of the most exciting milestones in a relationship, but it is not without its anxieties. You will have to think about things like shared money and space that you might not have considered before—and if you are feeling nervous about how to make this big step work for you, you are far from alone.
Fortunately, there are a lot of steps that you can take to make this transition easier.
Be honest with yourself.
It is important, to be honest with yourself. Be honest about your own feelings and needs, as well as your partner’s feelings and needs. Ask yourself: What do I need from this relationship? What do I want out of life? How much time can I spend on my hobbies? How much money will I spend on myself this week (and how much will my partner spend)? How many nights a week can we go out with friends (and what activities are/aren’t off-limits)?
These questions may seem trivial at first glance, but answering them honestly can help keep the two of you on track in the future by communicating any issues before they become problems that lead one or both partners down a path toward anxiety.
Make your financial situation concrete.
You and your partner should discuss your financial situation as soon as possible. Establishing a joint bank account is one of the best ways to do this. This account will allow you to pay shared expenses, and it gives both of you access to important financial information at any time.
Now that you are officially a couple, it is also important that each person has some kind of plan for how they will pay for their own expenses (like rent). You may want to keep separate accounts until your finances are completely intertwined. However, if one person is still paying off student loans or credit card debt while the other is saving up for a house down payment, this could be an issue in the future.
If either person has difficulty managing their money outside of the household budget or feels like they are not getting enough back from supporting themselves financially (e.g., buying groceries), then it might be time for some serious discussions about whether or not moving in together is really what is best for them both long-term.
Come up with a plan for dealing with shared belongings.
Make a plan for what happens if one of you breaks something, loses something, or wants to get rid of something. In other words, make sure that both of you are on the same page about how much stuff you are going to bring into the new apartment and how much space it’s going to take up. Understanding each other’s tendencies will help you avoid conflict down the road.
Schedule couple’s therapy before you move in together if at all possible.
If you and your partner are both open to it, couple’s therapy is a great way to work through the challenges of moving in together. Couple’s therapy can help you and your partner talk about how you feel about the move, as well as how you feel about each other.
If one or both of you does not want to go into couple’s therapy, that is okay! It may be helpful for a therapist who will participate in family counseling sessions with couples where one spouse has anxiety issues.
If you are looking for couples therapy or marriage counseling in Abu Dhabi, look no further.Maudsley Health is here to help.
We provide a full range of services that are designed to help you and your partner overcome any issues you may be facing in your relationship. Whether it is communication, trust issues, or commitment problems, our team of experts will work with both of you to find solutions that work for both of you.
Contact us today to book your appointment with our professionals!
You and your partner can live together, with less anxiety, if you are proactive about setting rules and boundaries.
One of the best ways to do this is by clarifying what each person needs from the other. This can be especially challenging when it comes to living arrangements.
Be honest with yourself and your partner about what makes sense in terms of dividing up household tasks: Is it fair that one person does all the cooking while the other always clean up afterward? Figure out a plan for dealing with shared belongings so neither one feels overwhelmed when cleaning up after themselves then stick to it!
If things start getting too tense in between these discussions, take a walk together around the block or have some fun together outside (exercising outdoors increases serotonin production).
Anxiety is a tricky thing, and it can influence many aspects of your life in negative ways. But that does not mean you have to be held back by it, or that you cannot start tackling it head-on with the person who matters most.
We hope this list will help you take the first steps towards making your home a safe, happy place for the two of you to live together, free from stress and worry. You deserve to feel comfortable with the person who loves you!
