I’ve lived away from my parents since I was 20 (nearly 21) years old. I’ve lived with one roommate at times, and at one point, I lived with nine. Of course, when you have that many people in one household, there will be issues from time to time. But for the most part, I’ve enjoyed living in the company of others.

When I graduated college and moved across the country, I finally had a place all to myself. I never knew how much I hated having roommates until I didn’t have them. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made some of my BEST friends from living with them, but I cannot express deeply enough how great it is to live by myself.

Not having to worry about who left dishes in the sink because who else could it have been? Not having to share the washer and dryer, not having to worry about food being missing from the fridge (because I OBVIOUSLY ate it), and not having to worry about walking around naked and peeing with the door open.

I can sing as loud as I want in the shower, Facetime or chat on the phone as loud as I want at all hours of the night… I could seriously go on.

And then along comes boyfriend.

Fast forward about a year later and now he lives with me.

Backing up just a bit to fill you in on everything that happened in between… *clears throat* AHEM.

I’ve always told myself I wouldn’t cohabitate with a significant other unless I was absolutely sure I was going to marry them. However, my boyfriend was over at my place nearly every day already and his lease on his apartment was about to expire.

Plus, I’m not complaining about the financial advantage this gives me with him paying half my rent and utilities.

But even with that said, there are some things you learn along the way when your significant other and you finally decide to take that plunge and advance your relationship to the next level…

Allow me to explain:

1. No more extensive space in the fridge.

I swear my fridge had hardly anything in it when I was living on my own. You would think that I was starving by looking inside. In a matter of less than 24 hours, my fridge is bustling with a bunch of s**t and it slightly irritates me and overwhelms me. Every time I open the door I’m like WHAT THE… Oh yeah, my boyfriend lives here now.

2. Laundry fills up FAST

This guy has so many dirty clothes added to the wash every. single. day. When I lived alone, I did laundry once every two maybe three weeks. Now I will do laundry and think hell yeah, don’t have to do that for 14 more days… I come home from work the next day and I swear the washer is filled to the rim.

3. He moved all his stuff in.

HOW DARE HE. Jk, but seriously, not used to sharing my space with others and having “his and hers” in every room. I’m used to everything being mine (including the entire bed… which I guess it still is according to him).

4. No more singing loud in the shower, calling my mom at midnight or peeing with the door open. 

I work nightside about half the week which means on those nights, I don’t get home till 11 or 1130 p.m. But then I have my nightly routine where I like to shower and sing very loudly, blow dry my hair (also a loud endeavor), call my mom and vent (this can very well turn into an exciting conversation), and do my business with the door open because there’s no one else in my apartment with me to care if I shut the door. Now that I have #bae sleeping in the room next to where all of these things would happen, I have to come home quietly, keep quiet in the shower, shut the door to dry my hair and take a final dump (or pee… did I say dump?)

Even with all the things I miss about living on my own, here are some things that I love about moving in with my boyfriend.

1. I always have someone to come home to.

2. Many of the chores I stress about doing due to coming home late many nights, are already done by the time I get home.

3. Financial benefits of splitting half of everything.

4. Always having the option to cuddle at night.

5. Constant foot rubs. #winning.

Moving in definitely has some negatives, especially if you’re like me and enjoy being on your own and having your own space all the time. But the benefits can outweigh those things… sometimes ;]