Depending on who you ask living with your partner can be a huge NO NO, my mother wasn’t fully for it when I told her and my father I was going to move in with Jeff and my dad (although he didn’t want his baby girl to leave the nest) thought it would be a great idea.  Some people say it’s terrible for many reasons, religion, romance etc but I personally couldn’t fathom marrying someone I’ve never lived with.  My older brother told me that I’ll begin to really learn Jeff when I live with him.  The little things I never saw before that I will inevitably hate and little things I’ll love.  Living with someone everyday of your life is a lot different then staying with someone Thursday night through Monday morning.  If you’re interested in the 5 things living with my partner before marriage has taught me then keep reading!

1.One of us will be the clean one. Now when I say clean, that doesn’t mean the other is “dirty” I’d use the word messy.  Luckily in our apartment I’d say Jeff and I both have our little quirks, We both have our own laundry hampers yet always have a pile of clothes on the floor midway through the week, Jeff doesn’t change the roll of toilet paper and I will almost always leave an empty glass on the coffee table, (and I never take out the trash) That’s Jeff’s job for sure! But always remember when living with your partner – the little things you two both do now, you’ll more than likely still do in 10 years so make sure nothing is a deal breaker and if you’re the messy one(more so me) you’ll always be the messy one!

2.You will both complain about hair being everywhere.  Jeff has dreads (and very curly hair) and I am naturally with very curly hair.  For me wash day is every Sunday and is a complete task of prepooing, shampooing, conditioning (twice) detangling and of course styling.  It’s a whole ordeal and although Jeff isn’t getting is hair done every week we both inevitably have little curly cues EVERYWHERE! they have literally taken over the apartment which makes vacuuming a must! He will always say my hair is clogging both the shower and sink drain (because it probably is) and he will always have little curly pieces of hair in the carper, and couch and bed for that matter! it will continue for the rest of time.

3.Storage Space Wars! Listen I definitely have more shoes and maybe even clothes than Jeff but I am very good with my storage of said wardrobe items and him not so much.  I like to see everything, I like it to be hanging and I like my shoes to be placed perfectly on my shelf, turn to Jeff’s side of the closet and well, there’s clothes and shoes and shopping bags, and overnight bags! Best thing I’ve learned form this aspect of living together?  When we buy a house make sure it has His and Hers closets!

4. You’re not cooking dinner for just yourself anymore! Grocery shopping and meal planning and cooking dinner isn’t just about you!  Luckily Jeff is pretty adventurous in his food as I am I and we’re always into trying new recipes (enter my Pinterest Food Board) But cooking for a 200+ lb man is definitely something I’ve had to adjust too.  I like to have left overs so I tend to cook way more than food for the two of us for dinner and lunch the next day but I’ve definitely learned that I do have to keep in mind when I’m planning and cooking dinner!

5.Just because you live together doesn’t mean you’ll see each other all the time.  Jeff and I have almost opposite schedules.  My schedule is always the same I work Monday-Friday 8:30Am to 5PM and Jeff’s changing weekly.  He’s almost always 10AM-7PM on Mondays, and either 9AM-6Pm or 11AM-8PM the rest of the week with an alternating Saturday schedule.  Me being a creature of habit (and a creature who likes my sleep) I am always almost sleep or at least in bed by 9:30PM which really only gives Jeff and I an hour together during the week.  Then enter Saturdays when he’s working I see him when he gets home around 7PM and Sundays are our days to have fun (unless it’s football season of course) Just because you’re now living with someone doesn’t mean you’ll now see them way more often than before!

Living with your partner is way more fun than living with a room mate! It’s not as bas as some people try to make it seem.  You’ll definitely get annoyed at times and learn things that you’ll probably hate for the rest of your life but it’s not that serious! Truthfully Jeff knew I was messy BEFORE I moved in with him so there was no surprise that I left cups around when I moved in! Everything is pretty much the same as before we lived together except now He comes home to me everyday and I have a pretty awesome “roommate”