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Step 1
Box up and store redundant things.
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Step 2
Write an agreement that covers financial responsibility for the rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance and other monthly expenses. Keep it simple but precise. Include what happens if one party becomes unable to do his or her share, and the conditions under which the agreement can be dissolved.
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Step 3
Pay special attention to cooking and shopping. Decide if you'll share groceries or if you'll each need your own cupboard space and a way to label your food. Make kitchen cleanups each person's individual responsibility. See 308 Organize Cupboards and Drawers, 306 Efficiently Use the Refrigerator and Freezer and 57 Live Better Through Labeling.
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Step 4
Have a frank discussion about house keys, cleanliness, music, children, pets, smoking, alcohol, drugs, overnight guests (including lovers and relatives) and any other area of potential friction. Agree on ground rules and stick to them.
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Step 5
Come to an agreement and make compromises when decorating any common areas. Maybe you get to decorate one room or area (or floor), and he or she gets to decorate another.
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Step 1
Go through your belongings, choose the best items and eliminate the rest. See 12 Get Rid of What You Don't Want, 97 Plan a Move and 146 Organize a Storage Unit.
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Step 2
Set up a joint checking account in addition to your individual accounts, and use it for shared expenses. Or, save receipts and split expenses at the end of the month.
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Step 3
Consider selling your individual homes and purchasing a totally new place together so it doesn't feel as if one person is moving in on the other's turf. (This is particularly true if children are involved. See 264 Blend Families.) Or, play it safe and rent both of your homes out until the relationship has proved itself.
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Step 4
Make sure both of your signatures are required on checks, and avoid buying hard-to-divide items (such as furniture) from the joint account.
