4 Things You'll Notice About Yourself If You're Ready To Move In With Your Partner
Deciding to turn your bae into a live-in cuddle machine might sound like all fun and games, but the truth is that transitioning from having your own space to cohabitation is not a decision that should be made lightly. Fortunately, knowing if you're ready to move in with your partner doesn't have to be a complicated thing to figure out. After all, spending a certain amount of time in a happy and healthy relationship leads many people to ask themselves the question: Why live apart when everything is some much more fun together? But, in order to ensure you're in the right headspace to take this step, it's important to be extra aware of what's going on inside of yourself.
Needless to say, there isn't a certain amount of time that you have to be in a relationship before moving in together, because every couple and every relationship is different. That's why being able to self-assess your own individual readiness is a crucial part of the process. So, if you and your partner have been toying with the idea of living under one roof, here are some things you'll notice about yourself that signal you're ready to make the move.
01You're feeling fully committed.
"When you happen to be spending the night at each other's places and you know you want to be together 'forever,' moving in together can be a good way to take both the relationship and the commitment to one another a step deeper," marriage and family therapist Shira Etzion previously told Elite Daily.
Once you feel like you could see yourself with bae in the long term, moving in together could also be a way to test the waters before making an even more weighty commitment, like getting engaged.
02You trust them.
Trust is one of the most important parts of any successful partnership. So, if you feel like you totally trust your SO, then this is certainly a good sign. "The best place to be in a partnership is to know that you are not depending on someone who you don’t feel safe with or trust to house you," said Etzion.
03You're ready to tackle any challenges or disagreements.
"When you move in together your relationship will forever change and that often means challenges and problems that have to be overcome," clinical psychologist Joshua Klapow previously told Elite Daily. "It’s not just about lifting toilet seats and cleaning hair out of the drain. It's about seeing the person in a less than favorable light, seeing them every day, and losing the novelty of the relationship that often drives the attraction in the early stages."
In other words, if the thought of bae being sprawled out on the couch in their sweats, aggressively shoving a burrito into their mouth, and farting sounds kind of cute to you, then you're good to go.
04You feel confident that it's what you both want.
If you're feeling any sort of pressure to go along with moving in together, then it might be time to explore your concerns a little deeper. It could just be that you need more time, which doesn't mean anything's wrong with your relationship.
"Moving in together is not a sign of how much you love someone. It is a joint lifestyle agreement made together," explained Etzion. "It can create all sorts of obligatory feelings which stunt a direction a relationship may naturally go. Put the pedal on dependency until it feels like a choice, not a circumstance."
Ultimately, if you're having any doubts or anxiety surrounding adjusting your living situation, don't panic. It's OK to take as much time as you need to nail down the source of your trepidation. "You should feel in your heart of hearts that this is something you want to do for you and for your happiness," added Dr. Klapow. So, if you're still not sure, there's absolutely no need to rush.
