This month marks six months of living with Josh as well as my two year condo-versary. It’s insane to think I’ve been living in my condo since 2021. I definitely didn’t think when I signed the papers for the condo that 1. I’d have a boyfriend, and 2. He’d end up living with me. Yet here we are.

Since moving out of my parents’ house—and granted, only 15 minutes across town but still—I really feel like I was able to start a new chapter in my life and learn what it’s like to live on my own and have my own life. I think, if you have the chance, you should live by yourself because it’s very humbling and you learn a lot quickly. My parents were and are there to help me with anything I need, so I’m grateful for their support. But I’m also doing adult things—like having my gas furnace looked at for a yearly check-up.

There are little things and big things I’m proud of myself for tackling. It was also a big adjustment to learn how to actually live by myself since I had always lived with other people for the first 27 years of my life—whether it was at home with my parents or at college with roommates. Moving into my condo was my first opportunity to spend time with myself, take care of myself, and learn about myself.

My mom also thought I had been moved out longer than two years. Guess she really wanted to get rid of me—I kid, my mom reads my blog.

Now of course, throughout all of that time, I had Josh and he spent a lot of time here, but it was definitely different once he moved in. He had been living at home with his parents for about a year, and it just seemed like the right next step in our relationship. Plus it made more sense, especially financially, than him finding a place of his own.

Prior to the big move, I made a ton of lists and spreadsheets in my Google Drive, which proved helpful. There’s one we still use: Monthly Costs and Payments. We split expenses, including groceries, so at the beginning of every month I’ll update the spreadsheet for the new month with Josh’s portion of the total cost. He has full access to the spreadsheet so he can see what I’m charging him, and sometimes we’ll sit down to talk about our other expenses for the month, whether it’s for the both of us or personal expenses. So far, it’s going well. And if anything changes, I can always edit the sheets to reflect that.

We didn’t have to do too much when he moved in, like furniture wise. The only thing we did was get new desks for the office so he had a space for his computer set up. Most of his stuff went in the basement storage area, like stuff he had at his parents, but that storage area is massive so it wasn’t an issue. Within the first couple of months he said he was starting to feel comfortable here, which made me feel good. I wanted him to feel like it was his place, too, not just mine.

Now the fun stuff of living with your significant other: you have someone to come home to after work, you have someone to make you dinner (or vice versa), you have someone to hang out with at night, and you can do more spontaneous activities. Before the move, Josh and I were seeing each other about four times a week, sort of based off his work schedule. But now it’s basically 24/7. Okay, maybe less when we’re both at work and not at home. One important thing that Josh knew about was that my alone time is important to me. Thankfully the condo is big enough and having the office helps so that we can do our own things if we want: he’ll usually play an online computer game in the office while I watch TV/read/cross stitch in the living room.

I had asked if he wanted to write something for this post, and after trying for about 15 minutes while laying on the couch watching The Office, he asked if he could pass. And I said yes but I’d ask a few questions instead:

How did you feel when you first moved in vs. now six months in?

I was nervous and excited when I first moved in. Nervous, because it was a huge leap in our relationship and I have never done this before minus living with roommates. Excited, because I’d get to live with my girlfriend who I love so so so so much. I think she still loves me?

Six months in, it’s the best decision I ever made! I get to see My Cutie every day after work, hang out, cook meals together, but most importantly grow our relationship.

What do you like about living in this particular condo?

It’s a good size condo and perfect for when we need our alone time.

How do you think living together has effected our relationship?

I think it was the next big step in our relationship and it brought us closer. Right? You still love me? Right?!

How much better is living here than living at home with your family?

110% better! I’m with you! 

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I guess I’ll keep him around 😅 But I feel really good about everything right now. That feeling I first had living here where it felt like college and that I’d be moving out in six months to go back home has disappeared. This condo feels like my home now, well, our home now since Josh moved in. Sure we bicker a bit over dumb stuff here and there, but overall things have been going well living together.

PS: RIP to the bathroom fish lights that I got rid of in the fall.