It’s always a big deal in the movies when a couple decides to move in together. Whether it’s a one-person asking their partner with a romantic gesture, or even simply blurting the question out. Sometimes it sort of just happens naturally, where one part of the couple ends up spending so much time at their partner’s place without really leaving. The latter version always appealed to me more, as I never really got the big deal about making a fuss out of it.

Big deal or not, romantic or practical, moving in together definitely marks a milestone in a relationship, and it can sometimes be a scary one at that. When you move in together with your partner, things are bound to change. You go from seeing each other however many times a week you’re used to, to suddenly having them there all the time. When the newness wears off, reality kicks in. Maybe one of you has moved into the other’s place, and it’s taken time to have the place feel like both of yours and not just one person. Or maybe you’ve gone ahead and moved into an entirely new place together, and it finally feels like home. Things begin to change, you notice things you didn’t know before.

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Silly things might bother you, like the way the toilet paper roll hangs, or the way they place their toothbrush on the side. The thing is, none of us are perfect, and the older we get, the more habits we develop and the more we get used to things being the way we like them. Living with another person, and sharing your personal space (and your bed) permanently, can bring difficulties with it. The main reason this milestone is so big is that it really is a new chapter of your lives together. Instead of having you separate individual routines, and seeing each other when you can, you’re beginning to live your lives together. You become a crucial part of each other’s day-to-day lives, and that’s exciting. Your lives have started merging together, and you can truly appreciate having each other as a partner in life.