moving – Elizabeth Yuen

It’s happening: Ben and I are moving in together! After being together for a little over two years, we’ve decided that when he graduates from Kenan-Flagler Business School (May 2018), we’re going to take the leap and move in together.

This was not a lightly made decision. Ben knew for a while that he was going to ask me to officially move in with him, and I made it perfectly clear that it’s something I wanted. It’s something we have been discussing for a while now, especially as we move onto the next chapter in our lives.

Since we’ve decided to move in together, I’ve been spamming my Pinterest boards with DIY ideas, incorporating both his style and mine, and taking a look at apartments. I’ve also been looking for advice to make the transition from living a single life to living together smooth.

Here are a few tidbits of advice that have stuck with me:

Live by Yourself
This piece of advice was given to me by my mom. In order to have some sense of independence before taking a huge leap of living with your significant other, it’s really important to live by yourself for a period of time. Which is why, as soon as I could afford it, I decided to get an apartment for myself.
Decide Why You’re Moving in With Each Other
Yes. You are going to save money. Yes. It will be convenient no longer having to drive to each other’s places. No, these are not the reasons you should move in together.
Discuss Finances
Who’s paying for what? Are you joining your finances or keeping them separate? Do either of you have debt? These are important questions to answer before you move in together.
Know Where You Stand in Your Relationship
If you’re looking to move in just to settle for less than marriage (when that’s something you want), then you’re moving in for the wrong reason. It’s important that the two of you are clear on where you are in your relationship, your views on marriage, and have a timeline for when you want those things to happen.
Respect One Another’s Space
Normal people need time alone. It’s important to think about how you’re going to respect each others’ space when you move in together. Ben and I are looking for spacious apartments that will have 2 bedrooms so we can get our much needed alone time.

What advice do you have for couples moving in together?

Written by Liz Britton

I am officially moving tomorrow (hello adult world), and I am running around in a frenzy trying to make sure everything is just perfect for my move. I have a fantastic partner who is ready to help me move, a loud but loving mother who is ready to get her shopping and decorating on, and a moving outfit that says, “I’m here to get work done.”

But before I even get to my new apartment (pictures to come), I need to be confident that I have everything I need for a successful move:

Goodwill It

Bag any unnecessary items and give it all away. If it’s not coming with you or you have no need for it, get it out of the way before you even start to pack.

An Overnight Bag

Because the last thing you’ll want to do is plan out your outfit for the next day or have to drag out all of your tightly packed things in order to get ready for work on Wednesday morning.

Cleaning Supplies

I am a neat-freak, and I will scrub every last inch of that place before I actually start to move in at 10:00am tomorrow. I’ve given myself an hour to get some major scrubbing done before I need to really unpack everything.

My list comes equipped with:

Cleaning Spray

Paper Towels (all of the paper towels)

Lysol Wipes

Vacuum Cleaner

Swiffer

Get Cups/Glasses (if you already have them, make them easy access!)

Or, in my case, Mason Jars! (Because ‘help me, I’m poor‘ is a real struggle, my friends). My best guess is that with all of the moving you will be doing, you’re going to get sweaty and gross. Lifting things up
and putting them down is a huge work out when you’re walking up a few flights of stairs.

Make sure you do everyone a favor and have a few of these bad boys at the ready. The people helping you out will be thirsty and will need a glass of water to keep them going strong.

Label Your Boxes

Buzzfeed suggests color-coding.

Pick a color code for each room and label that room’s boxes accordingly. Label the door of each room with the corresponding sticker/tape so that movers know where to place the boxes.

Take Pictures of Your New Place Before You Move In

Not only will this help with getting a good look at what you’re starting with, but will also help you when you need to move out in a year or ten and want your deposit back.

Last but Not Least: Make Sure You Have Everything You Need

These are just a few of my move-in survival tips! Leave a comment below with a few of yours!

Tag: moving

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