10 Truths About Living With Your Partner | Reality

5. Finances need to be discussed openly, honestly, and constantly.

Money is one of the biggest factors in divorces. If you make money and he makes money, then your money is yours and his money is his. You aren’t married yet, so keep it separate and have a place where you can put money together for vacations, going out, etc. Even though it’s your significant other, it shouldn’t be any different than a roommate situation yet. If you weren’t dating, you’d expect that from each other.

6. Respect one another.

Otherwise, living together doesn’t work. You have to respect that this a different human being than you and that you may live in different ways. This is another person’s home too, not just yours. Therefore, your sanitation habits may need review. Shower daily, shave your stupid legs, clean up your beard trimmings, and just do the damn dishes when you are done with them. The world will remain at peace with zero resentment or disgust.

7. Pick and choose your battles.

The temperature in your home will always be a problem. If you’re female like me, you’ll probably always want it warmer and he will always want it colder. And he will probably want the fan on too(God, help me!). Just put on some fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt; your time will come. Be patient.

8. Time apart from each other will be necessary.

Living together makes it hard for anything to go unmentioned in your lives. The most exciting things you’ll talk about will mainly be what happened at work since that’s the only time you spend apart. “Ugh, Bill brought ANOTHER egg salad sandwich today. That’s three days in a row, can you believe that!?” Having a weekend here or there with your friends or family sans partner is healthy. It gives you a fresh perspective, a little break, new stories to share, and the chance to crave your partner’s attention (AKA you miss them).

9. You will laugh a lot.

One of the greatest joys of living together is the laughing. You have a partner in crime through everyday life now. That makes them a part of all your silly, ridiculous moments. You no longer have to laugh by yourself when you accidentally run into the wall or slip down the stairs. And never again will you chuckle alone when you drop the lasagna on the floor right after taking it out of the oven. Awkward moments are way funnier when you have someone you love staring at you while you do it.

10. There is no way to prepare you for it.

This is the biggest truth about living together. There is no right or wrong way to do it, either. You have to determine what works for you as a couple, which takes time and practice. So give yourselves that. One bad day doesn’t determine a bad life. There will be highs and lows, but mainly a lot of mediocre days. Still, choose to enjoy those days. It means you guys are making it work.