How to Live With a Best Friend

Living with your best friend is by far one of the toughest tests of a friendship. You may have gotten along for years, but when you're stuck with each other all the time, the good feelings may die faster than your house plants. It can, however, be done. And you can not only survive living with your best friend, but end up even better friends than ever before.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Discuss the move before it's too late to change your mind. You may know a lot about your best friend, but you don't know what odd habits they have and if they mesh with your own idiosyncrasies? Are you both morning people? Are you a neat freak or a slob? Is the new place for partying or relaxing? These are all things that drive roommates apart, and drive friends apart even faster. You both need to be on the same page.
2. Take on a new role. You are still best friends, but now you are also roommates. You can drift apart fast if you don't carve out time to be friends, check in, and go do the things you used to do before you lived together without discussing the leaky roof, the neighbors, or the rent check. Try to do this at least once a week.
3. Cut each other some slack. Living with somebody is all about compromise. Your best friend had more time away from you before to breathe and so when they were with you they were probably more tuned in and ready to say just the right think and make you laugh. This kind of stops when you live with somebody so don't get upset if you both need space and time alone on occasion.
4. Learn to argue. It's harder to argue with a friend than a roommate about things like rent and annoying significant others and the like. You both need to set up some ground rules for how to talk about these things without storming out of the room. Learn to separate friendship problems from household problems and adjust your focus accordingly.
5. Apologize profusely when you've been an idiot, and expect the same in return. Fights will happen, so will petty arguments, so will mistakes. Nobody's perfect so don't expect your best friend to be the perfect roommate and chances are, you'll stay friends. But if it really isn't working out and you're both on the verge of calling it quits, just find a peaceful way to move somewhere else and get new roommates.