Aww, darling! From sneaking around with your partner and crashing with them when their parents weren’t around to now moving in with them, are you making the big move? Congratulations! But before you start creating a new Pinterest board with all those cosy home decor ideas or filling your head with all the Bollywood-esque dance-in-the-refrigerator-light moments, let’s talk about what it means to move in with the love of your life.

Life’s not Bollywood, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be drama. So, here’s a handy guide to everything to keep in mind before you make the big move.

1. Talk finances

Let’s be honest, babe. Pyaar se pet nahi bharta, so you better talk finances before you move in with your partner. We are hardwired to not talk about money, but you gotta break out of that cycle. How will you divide the finances? Who is responsible to pay for what? If you are going to split the finances, what will be the percentage of the divide? Financial compatibility can make or break the relationship, so sort it all out before you move in together.

2. Make a chore chart

If you are moving in with a papa ki pari or maa da laadla who has never raised their hand to even take a spoon out of the kitchen, things are going to be tricky. Living together means splitting the chores, and if you don’t divide them from the get-go, congratulations, you just became an unpaid househelp. Spoiler alert: They will not do the dishes just because you did the cooking. You’ll have to spell it out for them. So, before you make the big move, chalk out a detailed plan that works for both of you.

3. Talk about personal space

Moving in with your partner sounds so romantic. After all, you get all this uninterrupted time together. But that doesn’t mean you have to be in each other’s face all the time (unless you are making out). You’ll need your personal space, and that’s perfectly alright. Maybe you want some time alone to read a book while your partner just wants a few hours alone to binge-watch their favourite movie. Let each other be. Respecting each other’s personal space makes the time together more meaningful. 

4. Communication is key 

By communication, I don’t mean just nodding your head or giving one-word answers. When you live together, you are likely to see different sides of each other. Some you’ll like and others you won’t. So, it’s important to communicate not just what’s working in the relationship but also what’s not working.

5. Are you on the same page?

If you decided to move in together on a whim without discussing your long-term plans, you better stop now. Don’t just assume you know your partner’s plans. Are the two of you heading to the same destination? For you, it might be a serious step, but for your partner, it might be just a way to spend some time together. It’s better to talk about it before you take the plunge than to get your heart broken later.

6. Be ready to see their non-glamorous side

Moving in together won’t be the fairytale romance you imagine it to be. Not everything you see in your partner while living together will be attractive. They might snore like an alligator, or they might leave wet towels on the bed, much to your chagrin. You’ll have to learn to be patient, communicate, even put up their quirky habits and even learn to love them. Sure, moving in with your bae will be fun, but it’ll also be chaotic.

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Related: Why Living Together Before Marriage Is A Good Idea, Especially In India