The Art of Combining Two Households

Whether you are a couple moving in together or you are getting married and making a lifelong commitment, the task of merging two households is not easy. And the truth is, the more things you have, the more difficult this chore can be. Everyone has ‘stuff’ that they care about, things that have sentimental value. In addition to that, in many cases each partner will already have a home of their own as well as a house full of furniture, appliances, and other items. Making decisions about which things will be used in the combined household is not always as simple as it could be.

Work Together

One of the first things you need to do is realize that as a couple you are a team, you are partners. Therefore, you need to work together in making decisions about what stays and what goes. It is usually a good idea to decide on the bigger items first. Kitchen appliances are usually easy to choose between. In most cases couples opt to keep the newer items. Sofas and comfortable chairs may not be so easy to decide on.

If you are lucky enough to have both a living room and a family room in your new home there will be little need to stress about this issue. However, in order to be fair to both partners, compromises may have to be made. The same is true of bedroom furnishings. Keep in mind that you can mix and match furniture to create a unique ensemble that represents both of you.

After you have sorted through the larger items it is time to decide on the smaller things. This might include collectibles, wall art, and other miscellaneous belongings. Designate a spare bedroom, a corner in the basement or other out-of-the-way place to store any items that you cannot come to an agreement on. This is also where you should store anything that you do not plan to keep.

Organization Is Key

As you work through the process of sorting you should also take the time to label items. You can use post-its, stickers or bins to indicate what you plan to do with the item. Depending on your situation you may want to ask family members if they have an interest in any of the unwanted items.

Another option is to have a garage sale. This is a fabulous way to generate some money that can be used to purchase something together for the home. When the sale is over you can call 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, the junk removal Dunwoody depends on for prompt courteous service. Professional haulers will load the garage sale leftovers and donate usable goods to local charities.