A lot of people say that cohabiting ruins the couple instead of strengthening it. What do you say to that? Moving in together is a happy time for couples because it means taking the relationship to the next level. It is one step away from getting married so you’re excited to do it. So to hell with what other people say. Only you and your partner can determine how your moving-in together can affect your relationship.

Unless you’re getting a bigger space, moving together means you’re gonna have to lose some of your things so you won’t be too cramped and to give room to your partner’s stuff. One of the best ways to get rid of extra things is to hold a garage sale. Take out the things you don’t use anymore and earn while you’re at it.

Talk about the chores. One way or another you’re gonna have to split the house chores. You simply cannot take all the responsibility of washing the dishes, cleaning the sink, cooking, maintaining the kitchen floor, wiping the tables and taking out the trash. Divide the tasks so both of you will work to maintain your household.

More important than discussing the chores is talking about money matters. How exactly will you pay for the bills? How do you divide all the finances? Who will buy the groceries and who will pay for the cable? The sooner the rules on finances are settled, the earliest you will avoid any damaging argument. Money is among the most serious thing you can fight about, so be clear on it as a preventive measure.

Be ready to make big sacrifices. Living together means you’re almost married, which means you have to make bigger sacrifices than what you did back when you were merely dating. These bigger sacrifices might include following a curfew, getting the other’s permission before you sleep over anywhere, being responsible for the other when s/he gets sick or enduring the other person’s bad traits like snoring, or being messy. You have to live with everything, if you’re living in together. But no matter how loud the snores are, you will get through all this if you’re really in love.