![\"moving](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/moving-in-together-compressed.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto:\u00a0Cody McComas\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If that drawer you were gifted at your significant other\u2019s apartment has turned into half a dresser, and your toothbrush is now a permanent fixture in their medicine cabinet, it might be time to consider cohabitation. Moving in with a partner is a major relationship milestone, and both parties are likely to feel nervous in the weeks leading up to the big day. <\/span><\/p>\n To ease these tensions, it\u2019s best to purge your belongings and get organized well before the U-Haul truck arrives. \u201cI\u2019ve been in this business for 13 years, and I am no longer surprised at how little in advance people plan for this sort of thing,\u201d says Josh Cohen, the Founder and CEO of Junkluggers<\/a>, an eco-friendly junk removal company that operates franchised locations across the United States.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re about to make the leap into mutually agreed upon television shows and a never ending pile of laundry, follow these seven pieces of advice for a smooth move.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Laura D’Alessandro\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If you and your partner have been living on your own for some time, you\u2019re likely to have duplicates of furniture and other housewares. \u201cThat\u2019s where the battles begin,\u201d warns Cohen. Make a list to determine which items you\u2019re going to keep, considering factors such as size, quality and condition. Ask yourselves important questions like, \u201cIs this couch going to fit through the doorframe?\u201d, \u201cIn how many months will this particle board coffee table break in half?\u201d and, \u201cWhere did this stain on your mattress come from?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Emily May\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve selected the furniture, appliances and decor that you\u2019ll have in your new apartment, it\u2019s time to split up the remaining items into four piles. \u201cIf it lacks sentimental value, then you should get rid of it,\u201d suggests Cohen. While it may be tempting to throw all of your significant other\u2019s junk into a garbage bag, it\u2019s best to donate and recycle as much as possible. \u201cTax write-offs are a big benefit of donating to charity, but you\u2019ll also have peace of mind that your stuff isn\u2019t headed for a landfill \u2014\u00a0it\u2019s getting a new life,\u201d says Cohen. It\u2019s important to know what items can and cannot be recycled. \u201cYou can\u2019t recycle finished wood which, unfortunately, is most of the wood out there,\u201d says Cohen. Consult your city\u2019s government website or browse this handy <\/span>recycling guide<\/span><\/a> if you\u2019re still unsure.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Chloe Muro\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If you\u2019re signing a lease together, chances are you\u2019re going to be stuck with one another for six months to a year. Why sabotage your relationship before you even move in? If you absolutely must hold onto your treasured stamp collection, don\u2019t give your SO grief about their taxidermy parakeet. And if you still can\u2019t come to an agreement on which furniture items to keep \u201cyou can always get rid of both duplicates and opt to buy something new,\u201d says Cohen.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Denny Yu\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDraw out the apartment floorplan and take note of the square footage of each room,\u201d suggests Cohen. Have a game plan going into your move to ensure that the scale of your furniture is appropriate for the new space. If you\u2019re not much of an artist, there are tons of <\/span>free apps<\/span><\/a> that will help you to decide on a layout before you get started with the heavy lifting. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Meathead Movers\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n <\/b>\u201cWhen you\u2019re packing up boxes, label them by room and write down a simple bullet list of all the items that are in the box,\u201d says Cohen. This will save you from major headaches when it\u2019s time to unpack. Numbering your boxes helps, too \u2014\u00a0that way you can make sure nothing was left behind. Cohen also suggests unpacking as a team, \u201cYou\u2019ll both know where things are and can avoid yelling at eachother like, \u2018Where did you put this?!\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Nicola Romagna\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n <\/b>\u201cBefore the big day, talk to your partner about the fact that moving is incredibly stressful,\u201d says Cohen. A <\/span>British study<\/span><\/a> found that the majority of people find moving house to be more emotionally taxing than a breakup, divorce or starting a new job.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAgree to take things with a grain of salt and try to work together \u2014\u00a0hopefully you\u2019ve hired good movers!\u201d jokes Cohen.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Take inventory of your belongings.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Decide what to keep, recycle, donate or toss.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n3. Be willing to compromise.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Create a layout.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Label absolutely everything.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n6. Acknowledge that moving sucks.<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n7. Think of a storage unit as a last resort.<\/b><\/h2>\n