Born and raised in Portland, Milly has had a lot of experience moving and writing about the relocation process.
Everything You Should Know About Moving in With Friends
Living with friends can be a great way to ease the transition of relocating to a new area. However, even though you may have the comfort and security that comes from moving in with friends and living with people you already know, there are still certain things you should consider before making the plunge. From budgeting correctly to setting expectations upfront, this blog will provide you with some valuable tips on how to share your new space with friends.
Moving in With Friends Will Help You Save Money
Why do people move in with friends? Not only can living with friends be a great way to enjoy your independence and build meaningful relationships, but it can also help you save money. Living with friends means sharing the cost of living, which makes affording a larger and nicer place much easier than if you were relocating to a new city alone. Since each person is paying less, it’s possible that you wouldn’t even have to save money in order to increase your relocation budget. Not to mention, splitting household bills means more money for other things, such as fun nights out.
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You’ll Need to Have the Money Talk Sooner Rather Than Later
Relocating to a new home with friends can be an exciting prospect, but it’s important to establish some ground rules – and one of the most important topics to discuss is finances. If you’re not careful, money issues can quickly become a major source of conflict and put a strain on your friendship. Rent, utilities, and other necessary household expenses are key points to consider if you’re all up to a shared living arrangement after getting long-distance moving services.
How to Split Expenses Between Friends?
The easiest way to manage rent payments is to split them evenly between roommates. This way, you won’t have any arguments over who should pay extra or less, and everyone will have equal responsibility for paying the rent on time each month. The same goes for utilities – you could agree to split all utilities evenly. At the same time, you can decide that each person is only responsible for their own electricity and water usage.
It’s also important to decide who is responsible for any household expenses that are shared by all roommates. This can be done by having each roommate contribute an equal amount towards these items or by having one person take responsibility for purchasing them one month – whichever works best in your situation. It’s also wise to establish clear guidelines about what kinds of items are considered “shared” versus personal belongings before moving in together so that everyone knows what they’re expected to contribute financially.
Every member of your new household needs to be aware of their financial responsibilities
Establishing a Routine Will Save You a Lot of Trouble
While you may look forward to having fun together, sharing meals and stories, and making memories after organizing a move, it is also important to consider how you will manage your schedules and routines when living together. It is essential to discuss these topics before moving in so that everyone is on the same page.
Understand Each Other's Schedules
Before you start with relocation day preparations, it is essential to understand each other’s daily schedules. What time do you have to wake up? What time do you go to bed? If one person works late while the other gets up early, establish a plan that works for both of you (such as keeping noise levels down at night or using headphones when watching TV during the day). Knowing each other’s schedules can help you figure out what activities you can enjoy together and when there will be more downtime for individual pursuits.
Establish Rules About Common Spaces
Living together involves occupying common areas such as the kitchen and living room together. Discuss what type of cleaning/organizing system should be used and make sure that everyone agrees on it before planning the move to another city (or at least shortly after). Creating a cleaning schedule that rotates between housemates or assigning certain tasks to specific people can help keep things organized and running smoothly.
Decide How You Will Share Stuff
It’s important to decide how you will share resources such as dishes, furniture, or appliances. It may be useful to make a list of all the items you plan on sharing so that everyone knows what belongs to whom and who is responsible for taking care of them. This can help prevent confusion about who owns what and make sure that everything is handled properly.
Consider Everyone's Needs
Think about each individual’s lifestyle – do they need lots of quiet space, or would they rather spend time socializing? Do they have different dietary restrictions? Would they prefer scheduled movie nights or game nights? Keep an open mind and take everyone’s preferences into account when deciding how things should run around the house.
Living With Friends Means Having Less Privacy Than Usual
You’ll have less privacy than if you decided to live on your own – which can be difficult for some people. Once you unpack after the move, you might find yourself having less personal space than before because your roommates will likely be around quite often. However, it doesn’t mean that privacy needs to go out the window entirely! Everyone deserves their own personal space, so make sure not to invade anyone else’s belongings without permission or leave your stuff all over their side of the room – and make it known that you expect the same. These small courtesies go a long way toward maintaining harmony in the house.
Nurturing Good Communication Is Key to a Successful Roommate Relationship
To ensure that your roommate relationship is successful and conflict-free, it’s important to foster good communication habits from the start. When it’s time to move, it’s important to establish expectations right away. This will help set up boundaries and help everyone feel comfortable in your shared space.
At the same time, whenever there is an issue between you and your friends, even if it’s something small, it’s important to bring it up immediately instead of letting resentment build up over time. Don’t be afraid to express how you feel about something and explain why it bothers you. However, keep in mind that it should go the other way around, as well. If your roommate has a problem with something you are doing, don’t get defensive – listen respectfully and try to work together toward a resolution that everyone can agree on.
Communicate your expectations and needs clearly, and you won't have any problems
Even Far Away From Home, You’ll Have Someone to Support You
Moving away from home can be stressful, especially when you don’t know anyone in the area. However, if you decide to get a white glove moving service and move with friends, you’ll always have someone to rely on during difficult times. Having this kind of support right from the start can make you adjust to a new place a little faster and avoid having symptoms of relocation depression.
When moving away from home, it helps to have somebody there that’s just as excited about exploring your new city as you are. Having a friend with you makes it easier to take risks and do things out of your comfort zone, such as trying new restaurants or attending local events. Plus, sharing these experiences together will create long-lasting memories that will keep your friendship strong even after one of you moves again.
Living With Friends Will Make You Feel More Secure
A friend is someone who you can trust, not a stranger you’ve met through Roomi or another popular roommate app. You don’t need to check their background or contact their references to ensure they are a dependable roommate. You won’t need to be on guard in your shared apartment because your friend won’t steal from you or cause you harm in any other way. It can make you feel more at ease, especially if you’re relocating for the first time.
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You’ll Be Able to See Your Friends for Who They Really Are
When you live in such close proximity to your friend, you might begin to see sides of them that you didn’t know even existed. You could be shocked to learn how disorganized, petty, or self-centered your friend is. Or you might find some of their lifestyle choices bothersome or some of their eccentricities intolerable. It might come out that you didn’t actually know each other that well.
At the same time, it’s important to realize that no one is perfect. Everyone has flaws and shortcomings, and this can become especially true when living in such close quarters. It can be difficult to accept these flaws or mistakes, but the key is to remember that you, too, have flaws. Try to be more understanding – communicate with your friends about the things that are bothering you so you can come to an agreement.
You don't know someone until you live with them - as the saying goes
Moving in With Friends Tips That Will Make Your Move End up a Success
Choose the place you’re going to rent – find some good apartment or house-hunting tips, and look for places that suit all of you and are located in a safe area,
Make packing plans – so you don’t overfill your new apartment with a lot of unnecessary stuff when packing furniture, appliances, and other bulky items, think about what each would bring or buy,
Get packing services or find some of the best packing tips that will help you move your belongings safely and damage-free,
Once long-distance movers unload your belongings, start unpacking – decorate and arrange your new place together so it can soon start to feel like home for everyone living in it. If you don’t know where to start, make sure you check some hacks from the following video:
Get White Glove Moving Services and Start Your New Adventure Stress-Free
Moving with friends is a wonderful way to start a new adventure together in the same city, and with a little planning, you can make sure it is one of your most memorable experiences. However, when the relocation day comes, make sure you have a relocation expert by your side. Getting help from an experienced white-glove moving company such as Long Distance Movers will ensure you have a smooth move – which is a necessary precondition for starting your new life on the right foot.
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