Friends are more than just having someone to call to when you need advice. The cherry on top is that it’s good for your overall health and wellness. It can reduce stress or feelings of isolation, help in personal development, and support you through challenges. With so many great reasons to nurture friendships, it’s not surprising to see friends deciding to move in together.
Living in the same house or apartment with your best friend can be exciting, fun, and memorable. But it can also be frustrating, stressful, and invading on some days. If you’re planning to live with your close friend, here are some useful tips to ensure the experience will not ruin your friendship.
Pay the bills
Money, especially the ones for the bills, can be a cause of chaos between friends. That is why you must keep it formal and organized. Treat those utilities and rent as a business with due dates and responsibilities. This might seem like a serious and boring discussion for two fun best friends, but this is a vital discussion to start. Decide what system works for both of you. You can pay the rent while your friend pays for the utilities. If the amount for each is big of a difference, you can agree on doing 50/50 for the overall bills.
Share the food
The third important thing to talk about with your best friend is the food. Ask each other how you feel about sharing food. It might be easier and practical to share groceries for your daily meals and grocery needs. Once you’ve decided on the common items to share, you can then talk about the items you’ll shop separately, such as snacks or desserts.
Or you can agree on sharing all groceries. This could work if you love sharing food. However, if you’re not comfortable with people taking your food, you need to make arrangements. Be honest with each other and make arrangements that will benefit your wallets and personal preferences.
Show love and appreciation
Living together does not mean you should fall short on nurturing your friendship. Don’t skimp on showing love and appreciation to each other. Think of unique and personal gifts that your friend will love. It doesn’t have to be grand or expensive. You can write them letters saying how grateful or happy to have them as a housemate.
If there’s a special occasion to celebrate, such as a birthday or promotion, find a personalized gift box shop that can help you craft a unique custom present for your best friend. Or, you can prepare a special dinner and movie night that both of you can enjoy. No matter what you opt for, always consider your best friend’s personality. Other things to consider are going on an adventure, baking a treat, or helping them out on chores.
Set some boundaries
Living together with your best friend can be exciting, but you two also need to give each other space and create some boundaries in the house. If one of you goes to their room and closes their door, it’s an obvious sign that the other shouldn’t bust in. Respect each other’s alone time. Set rules within the house to have a peaceful living space that suits both your lifestyles and habits. Identify the common areas wherein both of you can bond and talk and make your bedrooms your private spots.
Aside from the rooms, it’s best to have your own spaces on the refrigerator or pantry cabinets. The last thing you want to happen is your friend’s meat juices mixing with your frozen vegetarian meals.
Talk about guests
Discussing the other people you can invite over is another crucial factor to talk about. Maybe you are excited about having your other friend over for dinner or a sleepover, but your best friend is uncomfortable with it. Surely, you also don’t want to have other people disturbing your quiet Saturday TV time or waking up on a Sunday with guests scrambling all over your kitchen.
When living with your best friend, you both need to be conscious about your shared space. Always give a heads up or ask for permission before having guests in your common areas.
Living with your best friend can be a great way to strengthen your compatibility and bond. But to do that, you both need to be rational and practical with your decisions once you move in together. This is a serious step to take, so be sure to have a deep discussion before anything else.
