If you’re thinking about moving in with friends, know that it is not going to be all sunshine and rainbows. On the one hand, you’ll have great company at all times, but on the other hand, there are many things that could go wrong and ruin your bond. In this blog post, we hope to give anyone considering this option some tips on making the whole process easier – so read ahead for all of the information you need!
Is It a Good Idea to Move in With Friends?
Are you considering taking the plunge and moving in with your friends? It can be a great option, but it can also come with challenges. Before you make a decision, it’s important to consider both the pros and cons of living with pals and define your reasons for relocating. This can be both exciting and challenging. It should not, however, be a stressful experience.
By being aware of the expectations placed on each member of the group, having clear communication channels, and remembering to have fun along the way, you will be on the right track. Sharing an abode – either as roommates or housemates – will become a more pleasant journey for all involved. Let’s take a look at what to expect when you move in with friends.
The Pros of Moving in With Friends
One of the biggest advantages of living with your friends is that you have company all the time. You will always have someone to hang out with, watch movies with, or share meals with. Plus, if you’re finding yourself feeling lonely, having roommates can help fill that void. On top of that, it’s an excellent way to save money. Whether you split the rent evenly or assign certain bills to different people based on their income level, sharing a place is a great way to save on housing costs.
Living With a Friend: A Smart Way to Cut Costs
Relocating into a new apartment is an exciting, albeit expensive. If you’re looking to save some serious cash while still having the experience of living by yourself, you could consider cohabitating with a friend. It may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of great benefits to co-living. Let’s take a look at how sharing space with someone can help you save money on rent and utilities.
The most obvious benefit of living with someone else is the money saved on rent and utilities. Even if you’re only splitting rent for one bedroom in a small apartment, you can still shave hundreds off your monthly costs. If you decide to go all in and get a two or three-bedroom, then the savings become even more significant. You will also save money on utilities such as electricity and water if it’s split between two people. Each person would pay half compared to one person paying for all expenses alone in a big city.
Shared Resources
When relocating alone, everything is yours – and yours alone – but when living with someone else, things become much more cost-effective because of shared resources. For example, instead of buying multiple housing appliances for the kitchen and bathroom, you can now buy just one set and split the costs between both parties. This can make the whole relocation process more efficient. Additionally, if either person happens to own something that the other needs (like a car or tools), then those resources can easily be shared without any additional expense incurred by either party – it’s like getting something for free.
Emotional Support
Living with another person isn’t just about saving money – it’s about creating a support system that makes life easier. When times are tough or when something goes wrong, having someone there who understands what you’re going through can make all the difference in the world – not to mention that they will likely be able to offer advice and help out practically as well! Plus, since roommates often share meals together, grocery costs can also be reduced significantly over time since most dishes are cheaper when made in larger quantities. This can sometimes feel much more pleasant than living on your own.
Doing Chores Together
Living with roommates comes with many relocation benefits – from splitting the rent to having someone to hang out with. But one thing that people often overlook is how it can make doing chores easier. When you live with other people, you don’t have to do all the chores yourself. Instead, you can divide them up and get them done in half the time. Here’s why this is an advantage of having roommates.
When you live alone, there’s nobody to help clean up or take out the trash. That means all those household chores fall on your shoulders alone – which can be a lot for one person! But when you have roommates, it’s much easier to split up those tasks, so everyone has a role in maintaining the home. For example, maybe one person takes out the garbage while another handles vacuuming and dusting. This way, no one is overwhelmed by trying to do all of those tasks at once – they are divided equally.
Why Moving in With Friends Might Not Be the Best Idea
On the flip side, there are some disadvantages worth considering before making this big step. For starters, there could be tension if one roommate is not paying their portion of rent or other bills on time. This issue can easily snowball into resentment between roommates if left unchecked. Additionally, unless all roommates are extremely organized and tidy people, then shared spaces like the kitchen and bathroom might become unsightly quickly, leading to conflict over chores and cleanliness standards.
Finally, if things don’t work out between roommates – for whatever reason – it could lead to an uncomfortable situation where everyone has to find new places to live suddenly or awkward silences while everyone tries to avoid each other in shared spaces like the living room or kitchen. This is one of the common moving mistakes that might come out if you don’t think this through carefully.
The Cons of Moving in With Friends
Living with your closest buddies can be a great relocation hack for saving money and maintaining close relationships. However, it is also important to consider the pros and cons of living with friends before making this big decision. Here are some of the common cons associated with moving in with friends that you should keep in mind.
You Might Miss Some Alone Time After Moving in With Your Friend
A big factor that should be considered when deciding if relocating with your buddies is right for you is how much alone time you need or enjoy. When you live with other people, there will always be someone around, and it can be difficult to get a moment alone. If alone time is something that you really value, living together might not be the best choice for you.
Learning About Roommates' Habits Can Sometimes Be Awkward
Living together means that you will learn a lot about each other’s habits – some of which might make you feel uncomfortable. For example, maybe one of your roommates likes to do yoga every morning at 5 AM, or perhaps another has an obsession with cleaning after every meal. While these aren’t necessarily bad things, it’s important to keep them in mind when considering living together, as these things can take some getting used to!
There Might Not Be Enough Available Space for Everything You Both Own to Store
When living together, space can become an issue quite quickly! It might seem like there is plenty of room now, but once all your belongings are moved into one place, things could start feeling cramped pretty fast. Having extra items lying around could lead to clutter which nobody wants. If this could potentially be an issue for all involved, then storing some items away ahead of time might be a good option, so everyone has enough space to feel comfortable. This is why you have to be smart and decide what to keep when relocating and what items to get rid of or keep in storage if you don’t need them very often.
How to Have a Stress-Free Move-In With Friends
Relocating with your lifelong bestie might seem like a dream come true, but as we already mentioned, there are also some downsides to this event. It’s important to remember that living with someone, even if it’s your best friend, is no easy feat. To avoid awkward situations and petty fights, follow these relocation tips for a stress-free move-in.
Set Ground Rules Right Away
The first step in avoiding any kind of conflict is to set ground rules right away. This means having an honest conversation about expectations, responsibilities, and boundaries. Be sure to cover topics like rent payment deadlines, shared kitchen areas, guest policies, noise levels, and how you will divide up chores. Knowing exactly what is expected of each person will help prevent any misunderstandings or feelings of resentment later on down the line.
Create a Chore Schedule
Chores are one of the biggest sources of friction between roommates. To avoid this problem from the start, create a chore schedule that everyone agrees upon and stick to it. Make sure everyone contributes equally by assigning chores based on everyone’s availability and skill sets. If someone needs help getting their chores done or falls behind on the schedule for some reason, be willing to lend a hand whenever possible so that everyone feels comfortable knowing their work is appreciated and valued.
Create an Emergency Fund
Living together also means sharing finances which can be tricky territory for some people. Before you move in together, set up an emergency fund that all roommates contribute towards to pay for unexpected expenses such as repairs or replacing furniture if something breaks. Having this fund established ensures that no one is responsible for caring for all the financial costs associated with living together.
Tips for Relocating With Friends
Relocating with your friends is an exciting adventure. It’s a chance to experience a new culture, meet new people, and make unforgettable memories. But relocating to another state can also be daunting. To ensure a successful relocation, you need to have access to reliable and high-quality long-distance moving services.
The first step in finding the right moving company is researching different companies. Look at customer reviews online, ask friends and family for recommendations, or even contact the American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) for more information on reputable companies in your area. Once you have narrowed down your options, make sure to get cost estimates from each company so that you can compare prices and services offered before making your decision.
Get Quotes From Other Movers in California or Seattle
Another great way to find reliable moving services and avoid potential relocation scams is by asking friends for referrals. If you know someone who has recently moved, they may be able to provide useful insight into which companies offer quality relocation and storage services at reasonable prices. You can also contact these companies and ask them for quotes to calculate potential expenses.
Look at Reviews and Ratings
It’s important to read reviews and check ratings when choosing a long-distance moving company and professional movers from Seattle to California. This will give you an idea of what past customers think about their experience with the company as well as any issues they had with their packing services. You should also look out for red flags such as negative reviews or customer complaints which could indicate bad business practices of a cross-country moving company or unsatisfactory service levels when hiring cross-country movers in question. Experienced professionals will give you proper relocation tips, making it much easier to recognize them as a trustworthy team.
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Moving in With Friends Can Be a Great Way to Reduce Your Living Expenses and Have Some Company
The transition into adulthood comes with a lot of changes. One of the biggest is deciding where you will live. For some, that means finally moving out of their parents’ house and getting their first apartment and a taste of independence. But for others, it might mean living with friends. There are many things to consider before taking the plunge and rooming with your besties, but if you do it right, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
