Tips To Make The Leap To Living Together Smooth
When you and your partner decide to start living together, you are making a commitment to each other that you will be together for at least the term of your lease. This may have some folks thinking about marriage, babies and college savings. It may leave others overwhelmed at the thought of fitting all of their clothing into a shared closet. With all of these changes in your relationship, it’s not hard to feel overwhelmed at the thought of finding a home. Here are a few tips on how to make moving in together stress free, fun and even romantic.
Go on “open house dates” to decide what you like (and dislike)
Photo by: Sposto Photography
Before you sign up to be on House Hunters, you two should spend a Saturday going on open house dates. Bring a camera to take photos and notes of what each of you likes and dislikes. This can help give you both tangible examples of what you’re looking for in a home. Also, you will get an idea of what you two might be able to afford. To look for open houses in your area, check out Zillow’s Open House map.
Set a budget – and stick to it
After window shopping for homes or apartments, you’ll probably have a list of your living must-haves and deal-breakers. But, it is important to know how much these must haves will cost. Budget your expenses, incomes, spending habits, debts and luxuries to understand your current lifestyle. This will help you two see what each month’s rent or mortgage will do to your budget. You may also see areas where you two could be cutting costs.
Go through your existing furniture and get a storage unit for items that won’t fit in your new space
Photo by: Sposto Photography
If you two are living together for the first time, it is likely that you will have doubles of things. Coffee pots, blenders, couches, beds and even microwaves will take up excess space in your new home. The least painful way of deciding appliances and furniture for the new home is to get a storage unit. There are even services that allow you to pack your storage unit at home and they will move it for you
(PS – if you need some items for the new home, use this wedding registry guide to help you pick items out as a couple!)
Use an app to make a mockup of your new space
Photo by: Rachel McCauley Photography
If you are buying new furniture, it can be hard to visualize how each piece looks out of a showroom. On home remodel shows, interior designers show clients a personalized mockup of what the finished space will look like. While that once seemed like television magic, the app Design Home offers users the ability to create digital versions of their homes. Place furniture currently available at many retailers in each room to see how it will look when completed. For example, you can decorate it using pieces featured on the app and then purchase the actual furniture from your design.
Add personal touches with decor and accent pieces
While many couples would prefer to use paint color and custom hardwood floors to express their personal taste in their homes, most rental properties do not allow painting and not everyone can afford brand new flooring throughout their entire house. A cost-efficient way to reflect personal style and add color is to decorate with your interests in mind. Sites like Pier 1 Imports or even Ikea have decor for every room of your new home in a variety of colors, materials, patterns and price points to showcase your individuality.
Enjoy the process friends and cheers to new chapters of life!
