tips for living with your significant other
my boyfriend and i have lived together for a little over a year now and i like to think we have worked out all the kinks!! living with your sig oth can be hard and can sometimes leave you feeling more like roommates than partners, heres what we do to avoid that feeling and keep life together running smoothly!!
1. carve out alone time. living with your partner means having someone around all the time, in my experience that can lead to bickering and pointless arguments that could have been easily avoided if we had just spent some time apart. try to find hobbies you can do on your own so you can still feel like an individual while living with your partner
2. monthly date nights. my boyfriend and i schedule 2 monthly date nights, one at home and one going out. we take turns planning date night so we get to do something different each time. this is a great way to share your interests and have fun together outside your normal routine!
3. electronics free dinner once a week. my boyfriend and i usually eat in front of the tv watching a show or movie but once a week we turn off the tv, put away our phones, and just enjoy each others company at the dinner table. its so easy to pay more attention to your phone than your partner when you see them everyday, its important to be intentional about the time you spend together!
4. talk less throughout the day when you are apart. when we first moved in together perry and i would text or talk on the phone constantly throughout the day and end up with nothing to talk about once we got home. we decided to try talking less during the day to save more for in person conversations and it has made a huge difference in how we spend our evenings! we are able to talk about our days and tell stories and just spend some quality time together
5. split chores evenly. this one was really hard for us in the beginning but we have finally gotten our routine down. we each have sections of the apartment thats our responsibility to keep clean. for example, i’m in charge of bathrooms and bedrooms and hes in charge of kitchen/dining room and living room. he does dishes and i do laundry. having chores split evenly helps to make sure one person doesnt feel like they do more around the house than the other which can lead to some serious resentment and arguments! we spend sundays doing a “sunday reset” where we both clean our respective areas to get ready for the week
6. i cook you clean rule. my boyfriend and i LIVE by this rule. if i cook dinner, he does the dishes and cleans the kitchen and vice versa. this really helps us feel like we each are doing an equal part during our average day to day!
7. never go to bed angry or upset. okay so this one miiight seem cliche but its a SUPER important rule (at least in our household). making sure you resolve any problems before bed ensures that you wont have any awkward tension in the morning. remember, if you go to sleep mad you still have to wake up next to them in the morning!!
8. COMMUNICATE!!! this is the most important thing in any relationship but it becomes especially important when you live together. my boyfriend and i carve out time every week to discuss our feelings and our goals. if we have any issues with each other we form a plan of how we can fix it going forward. if youre going to live with your partner you cant be afraid to tell them how youre feeling whether its good or bad!!
living with a significant other has its challenges at times but it is one of the most fun parts of being in love. you get to really know the imperfect real parts of each other and i wouldnt trade living with perry for anything!!
#datingtips #lemon8challenge #livingwithyourboyfriend #relationshipdiary #relationshipinsights #relationshipideas #datingadvice #couplesadvice#relationshipadvice
Living with a significant other can bring joy and challenges alike. It’s essential to create a harmonious environment that fosters love and understanding. One vital aspect is ensuring both partners have their own space. Carving out alone time helps prevent the feeling of cohabitation being like mere roommate living. Couples should also prioritize regular date nights, whether at home or out, to keep the romance alive and explore each other's interests. In today's digital age, implementing an electronics-free dinner once a week can significantly enhance connection. It’s a time to engage in meaningful conversation, free from the distractions of screens. Reducing day-to-day communication can also enrich evening dialogues, allowing partners to share and connect more deeply during their time together. Equally splitting household chores is crucial; it establishes teamwork and fairness, preventing resentment from building up. Couples may find it effective to designate specific areas of responsibility or adopt a system, like the 'I cook, you clean' arrangement, to streamline daily tasks. Lastly, open communication cannot be overstated. Setting aside time weekly to discuss feelings or concerns fosters transparency and encourages growth in a relationship. This approach not only resolves minor tensions but also strengthens the bond, paving the way for a rewarding cohabitating experience.
