We found an apartment!!

lisalaroc · December 2010

So I am not sure if I've mentioned before or not, but FI and I both live with our parents at the moment - about 20 mins apart from each other. It's been a looooong 4.5 years, especially since we started dating in college and got to see each other a lot more often. We have been researching apartments online and went to visit a bunch earlier this week.

Well... we found one! We are in love with the whole community, the management was fabulous, they have great ratings from renters online. It's a one bedroom but has a den so we will have a little "office" type space. I am soo excited! We were nervous that our move in date is a little sooner than anticipated because the apartment is in high demand, but then we realized our move in date is our 5 year dating anniversary!! Annnnd like a crazy woman I totally cried when I noticed haha.

Now the tricky part will be getting by living together before we've had our shower and don't have everything. Like a microwave, vaccuum...

Any advice for us?! I am sure there are lots of fights to come with moving in together.

LaRositaMonita · December 2010

Great news! Where will you be? I am in the camp that moving in together is the best thing you can do before marriage (sorry, Catholics). DH and I officially moved in together after I graduted, but livd together for short periods before that as well (mostly summers, while I was interning/working/taking classes near Philly and he had already graduated). It was the easiest thing I ever did, and DH is the best roommate I've ever had.

Bride_to_be_2011 · December 2010

Congrats!

Stacylynn702 · December 2010

Congratulations! That's exciting!

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_found-apartment?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:74a2965e-b0a6-4ab2-bc9c-8f8d08d6c119Post:d7a87c51-3afc-4fae-8a52-4d1e4d5d6385">Re: We found an apartment!!</a>:
[QUOTE] I am in the camp that moving in together is the best thing you can do before marriage (sorry, Catholics).
Posted by LaRositaMonita[/QUOTE]

I'm a practicing Catholic but couldn't agree more. We've lived together since 2005 and bought our house together in 2007. I thought it was going to be a problem at church getting married, but our priest couldn't have cared less.

jackiebean26 · December 2010

congrats!!!

[Deleted User] · December 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_found-apartment?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:74a2965e-b0a6-4ab2-bc9c-8f8d08d6c119Post:4a71a13b-bf11-45bf-bd69-3aa6c6716a12">Re: We found an apartment!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Congratulations! That's exciting! In Response to Re: We found an apartment!! : I'm a practicing Catholic but couldn't agree more. We've lived together since 2005 and bought our house together in 2007. I thought it was going to be a problem at church getting married, but our priest couldn't have cared less.
Posted by Stacylynn702[/QUOTE]

<div>I'm Catholic and we live together.</div><div>
</div><div>As for the stuff. I would tough it out personally or try and bum stuff off people. We haven't had a microwave for almost 2 years. It seems silly to me to buy cheap stuff when you will get nicer stuff as gifts very soon. Also you don't need tons of stuff sitting around or maybe I have been in Europe too long (this is <em>very</em> possible.) I have been the most shocked/ not sure of what to do with myself out of any of my trips home this time. </div>

miguelhilary2010 · December 2010

Congrats! H and I were 3 hours apart after I graduated college! I don't know how me made it through a year and a half of seeing each other every few weekends.

My advice:
- Moving, physically moving all your$hit, is stressful and annoying. Avoid fighting with FI while moving.
- If you need some basics, hit up Value City/Marshalls and get dishes, glasses, silverware and stuff CHEAP. Get whatever works for the time, don't be picky about colors/patters. If you can upgrade after your shower, donate the interim stuff or pass it off to a friend who could use it... or have a yardsale

- Discuss roles/expectations before or right after you move in. Like, who will cook, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping etc. It's not to assign chores, but just to make sure you are on the same page with expectations and don't end up resenting the other for not doing anything.
- Don't feel like you have to be super-housewife. You are not replacing his mom. You are partners together.

RecoveringActor · December 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_found-apartment?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:74a2965e-b0a6-4ab2-bc9c-8f8d08d6c119Post:540c813a-67f4-4be2-8c94-022255db3eb4">Re: We found an apartment!!</a>:
[QUOTE] <strong>Discuss roles/expectations before or right after you move in.</strong> Like, who will cook, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping etc. It's not to assign chores, but just to make sure you are on the same page with expectations and don't end up resenting the other for not doing anything. -<strong> Don't feel like you have to be super-housewife. You are not replacing his mom. You are partners together.
</strong>Posted by miguelhilary2010[/QUOTE]

THIS.

I'm also Catholic, and we've lived together since 2006 (and bought a house together in 2008--we're twins, Stacy). And honestly it was one of the smartest things we did. But absolutely have roles/expectations hashed out beforehand. Gzilla doesn't cook, so I told him that if he wants me to move in and do all the cooking and all the dishes, he's out of his mind. So he's my dishwasher. Sometimes.

Amerbutt81 · December 2010

Congrats! Major thumbs up to living together beforehand. You never know someone until you live with them.

nicole8586 · December 2010

Congrats!

I would see if any family or friends were getting rid of any household items. We had all hand me down stuff before the shower. Our couch is still hand me down!

We are all very bad Catholics! It also think it was very beneficial for us to live together before getting married.

lisalaroc · December 2010

We are Catholic as well

Our parents seem okay with it, though my parents are a bit of a mess cause I am the baby and the only girl... which I do understand.

I figure we do have some stuff as engagement gifts that we can use - we got 1 of 2 sets of our dishes and we do have some hand me downs from family so I think we can get by. It will only be 2-3 weeks before my shower so it isn't long to deal with it.

We found a place in West Chester - not sure if anyone lives out that way.

Annnd as for the discussions, we've definitely already done this. We were both raised sort of in complete opposite ways so we are hoping to mesh them together. My family is a little TOO particular about cleaning & very much of the mindset that the women cook & clean while the mean sit and read the paper while his family is generally just laid back about everything, sometimes too much. So we have talked about that and agreed we want a nice balance. And we've already talked about cooking because even though I can bake up a storm and cook a few things, when it comes to stir fry or any kind of meat, FI is a better cook than I am!

Cmrpsu03 · December 2010

Yay for my date twin! We are Catholic and I moved in with FI before we got engaged- memorial day weekend of 2009. We had only been dating for 8 months, but we are in our late 20's and we knew we were going to get married. My fam was a little upset (only girl, first born here) and it was a bit hard at first. I took some of my friends' advice and knew they would get over it, and they did. We got engaged April '10. The rest is history er uh future I guess!

We bought everything cheap as peeps above said- and registered for the good stuff and are now giving away what we don't want to family/friends who may be in need. Def the way to go!

Congrats on the apt- for a second I was hoping you were going to say my complex in Media-Middletown but oh well!

lisalaroc · December 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_found-apartment?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:74a2965e-b0a6-4ab2-bc9c-8f8d08d6c119Post:385546d2-b3e6-48ce-9b52-d6d3bc918955">Re: We found an apartment!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Yay for my date twin! We are Catholic and I moved in with FI before we got engaged- memorial day weekend of 2009. We had only been dating for 8 months, but we are in our late 20's and we knew we were going to get married. My fam was a little upset (only girl, first born here) and it was a bit hard at first. I took some of my friends' advice and knew they would get over it, and they did. We got engaged April '10. The rest is history er uh future I guess! We bought everything cheap as peeps above said- and registered for the good stuff and are now giving away what we don't want to family/friends who may be in need. Def the way to go! Congrats on the apt- for a second I was hoping you were going to say my complex in Media-Middletown but oh well! :)
Posted by Cmrpsu03[/QUOTE]

Aww - we looked in Media for a bit but both really wanted West Chester. Hopefully it all works out, we haven't officially been "approved" yet but I am sure we will be fine.

drink227 · December 2010

I was able to hid that DH lived with me for ten months before we were married. My mom and brother knew and his family knew, but we had to keep it hidden from some family friends and especially my grandparents. It almost slipped a few times, but we all were good a covering things up.

I agree with LRM.

Good Luck and Congrats!

Bride_to_be_2011 · December 2010

I have a microwave if you want to take it. FIs mom got us one for Xmas. (I am not sure if mine is just noisy now or slowly breaking, but it works, so if you want it we will not throw it out.

happywithhim715 · January 2011

@lisa- I went to West Chester University. West Chester is a great area... Exton is awesome for shopping!! My FI and I move into together in August 2009, one month after getting engaged... I am a praticing Catholic, but I couldnt disagree more with their "rule" about this. We got all of the "adjusting" out of the way, so it did not disturb our newlywed stage after being married. So happy that we got an apartment together, and a house will be soon (Settlement is Feb 2011!!)

As for our items, our apartment came with a microwave, but we bought our vaccum from Kohls.... used Kohl's cash and a coupon... it was pretty cheap. As for plates, glasses, silverwave.. We found cheap dishes/bowl/coffee mug set on clearance at Kmart, a 24 piece glass set there too... We bought our silverware at Target... We didnt go fancy as we knew we would have a shower with nice stuff... I would ask family first then stalk the ads!!

We found an apartment!!

Re: We found an apartment!!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards