Moving in with your partner can be an incredible experience! Living with bae means having someone to come home to, someone to split the chores with, someone to cook for (or someone to cook for you) and someone to Netflix and chill with all day.
Living with your partner can be a lot fun, but if you’re someone has lived alone or with their family for a long time, or you’re someone who requires a lot of alone time, it may be a difficult adjustment for you. If you’re the type of person who is very particular about their space and their things this also comes with many unforeseen issues when you’re sharing tight living quarters.
Dr. Kathrine Bejanyan, a dating and relationship consultant states, “Coexisting in the same space can be psychologically challenging, especially if you’ve been use to having your own place. We like our stuff, we like them to be organized a certain way, we have systems and structure. When our stuff is touched, moved and our system messed with, it could feel like an invasion.”
Constantly staring at your babe’s collection of teddy bears, or wading through a pile of nostalgic concert flyers may bring you to the brink of a breakup- but the good news is that there are ways to cohabit with your significant other while maintaining your sanity! We’ve got excellent tips on how to share a tiny living space with your partner while strengthening your relationship from top relationship experts!
Embrace Sizing Down
You and your partner may be madly in love– but that doesn’t mean that your totally fond of everything they own. Maybe they hate your vintage mirror, or maybe you can’t stand a bookcase they’ve hung onto since college- regardless of what it is you’ll inevitably find yourselves making compromises and sacrifices. Ariel Okin, an interior designer with Homepolish, suggests says “It’s important to take stock of what both of you will be bringing (if you’re combining pieces) or if you’re starting fresh, what you want your ‘splurge’ pieces to be. Communication is always the answer!”
Create Space For Each Other
It’s important that you both have space for your things. If one of you is moving into your partners space, this is especially important. Clearing out your closet, emptying out drawers, or adding a little extra room on a bookshelf is all it takes to create a space for your partner.
Bejanyan, a dating and relationship consultant says, “When you’re warring about where the shoes go – the shoe-rack or thrown on the floor – stop for a sec and ask each other why this is so important for the other person that they’re willing to tear their hair out over it…Trying to understand and accommodate each other’s style can significantly deepen the understanding and respect in the relationship and make it easier to live together.”
Don’t Forget The Closets!
If your apartment space is small, chances are you have limited to zero closet space to share between two people. Don’t let lack of closet space get between you and your love! Okin says, “Many of my clients in NYC share small spaces in creative ways. If you and your cohabitant happen to be sharing a closet, creating an equitable division of the space — and getting crafty with boxes, risers, and unused areas, like top storage — makes for an easily shareable situation.”
Create An Aesthetic Together
Orkin says, “It’s really important to start with a cohesive idea of what you want your space to look like: reference images together, discuss what you envision your space to look like — talking it out is key.” A great way to plan out your space with your partner is to create a Pinterest board where you can both share ideas for home decor!
There’s Always Room For More Storage
If your apartment has a lot of unused space (think weird nooks and crannies where nothing quits fits) this is the perfect space to add storage! Orkin says, “Oftentimes, people forget about the top parts of their closets, pantries and more…Every square inch is usable!”
