When Is It Too Soon To Move In Together?

Traditionally speaking, it's been somewhat taboo for couples who are only dating to move in with one another. Moving in together is a major issue with most couples once the relationship begins to get serious. It's more of a big deal with men than it is with women. Men begin to wonder what things will change for him; Will he have to come home at a certain time? Will he be able to hang with the fellas like normal? How much cleaning will he actually have to do himself... you know, the typical male stress factors. For most couples, the choice of whether to move in with one another is already decided for them. That is, if they have certain religious or cultural beliefs. But nine times out of ten, the reasons for moving in together aren't for the right reasons.

You've heard the saying, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free" right? I'm sure you have. So if you're just dating and haven't taken the next step in the relationship such as engagement or marriage, why do you need to move in together? Some couples do it because they practically spend every free moment they have together already. Others do it for economic reasons. And with the way the economy is going right now, I wouldn't doubt it if we seen an enflux of cohabitation going on. For couples who may be engaged, they may feel that prolonging the evitable is a waste of time, so they go ahead before the big wedding day and move in together, only to find out that they can't stand being in the same household, let along same room for more than a day together.

I think I'm straddling this fence on this subject. On one hand, it makes sense to move in together before you're married because it let's you really get a good look at the person who you're dealing with. You pretty much get to know all of their quirky habits and flaws. When that day comes and you get super serious in the relationship, you can look back and really think about everything that you've seen in the last few months, years, etc... and ask yourself, "do I really want to spend the rest of my life with this person?" If you answer yes, then I think moving in was just what you're relationship needed to convince you that he/she was the one for you. Now, on the other hand, if you and your mate move in together and you start arguing every 5 minutes, and you can't stand to hear the key unlock the door when they come home, then no, moving in together was a bad decision. Maybe it means that you aren't meant to be together, or it just might be that the timing is off. There are a number of things that could play into this.

But when is it too soon to move in together? If you just met the guy/girl a few weeks earlier and already you have a key to his/her apartment and he/she wants you to move in with them, you may want to step back a little bit and think things through. Sure, some couples meet, get married in a months and live long and happy lives, but these cases are very rare and far and few in between. If you are having second thoughts about moving in so quickly, always go with your first mind. Listen to your gut and wait a little bit until the initial dating has waned a bit and things have started to settle. At that point you can decide whether or not moving in together is a good idea. If at any point you feel that moving in together is not a good idea, then you might be right!