When two people decide to move in together, it takes more than just agreeing on a place to live. There are a lot of factors involved when bringing two separate lifetimes of things into one space.

Now, I am not talking about the college student sharing a dormitory with eight other scholars. I am talking about couples that are just starting out and moving in together for the first time. You know, real life adult stuff with bills and jobs and more bills. Before you try to incorporate everything from both sides into your dwelling, there are a few things you should take into consideration.

 

INVENTORY

Before making the big move, take inventory of what each person is bringing into the home. Each one of you is probably going to have different styles of furniture and accessories. Try to find a common denominator in both of your collections, such as fabric colors or wood finish. This will help to make your mix-and-match furniture pieces work better together.

Also, you may not need two sofas or two coffee tables. Choose from the pieces that fit the space the best, and also are in the best condition. You should do this with all of the duplicate furniture and accessories. Just remember to be fair. You need to work as a team and allow in a few “special” items from both sides, even if you think they are ugly. I know it may be hard to believe, but your hot pink with purple polka dots area rug is not going to be loved by all who encounter it, so pick and choose wisely.

 

Have a garage sale before you move any items into the house. This will save a lot of time not having to pack unnecessary items when moving. And with the money that you will make from your garage sale you can buy a few new house items that you need; and you can do it together. But remember to find things that you both like as a couple.

A quick note on furniture: Milk crates are not considered true furniture unless you are under the age of 22, so please return them to the back alley of the grocery store where you found them.

 

SPACE PLANNING

Be realistic about how much you can actually fit into each room and also what use you plan for each room. A common problem is too much stuff, and not enough room.  The end result is an office as part of the dining room — not the nicest look during dinner parties.

You want to feel comfortable in your new space, not cramped. Measure the furniture that you will be using, and make a furniture plan so that when you bring furniture into the house you will already have a place for it. This simple step will save you so much time and headaches. Remember also to measure all of the doorways that you plan on bringing your furniture through. If the furniture isn’t going to fit these entries, won’t it be nice to know that before you haul it up three flights of stairs? Don’t laugh -- this happens all the time. Be proactive in your planning and your move-in will be a breeze.

 

MIX IT UP

Now that you have placed your furniture in your new home, it is time to take a look at what type of accessories both parties are bringing to the table. Understandably, if your furniture tastes are different, then most likely your taste in accessories will be, too. It can be a fun, yet a challenging adventure, trying to somehow make all different types of accessories work together. Here is a tip: start by grouping your accessories into like categories.  Pillows, candles, pottery, wall art; you get the picture. See if the colors or designs of these items can complement (not match) to create a collection.

 

The more eclectic your joined collections turn out to be, the more interesting you will become. You will understand what I mean when you have your first dinner party.  Keep like items grouped together. Try using three or five items together at a time. By staying with odd numbers in groups, the collections never look symmetrical, which is more interesting to the eye.

Have fun and enjoy your new living arrangement, and remember that it may take a little time to get used to each other’s habits and idiosyncrasies. Be open to change and you will probably learn a lot of new things.