These 43 Women Are Dumbfounded By Their Discoveries About Men After Living With One

We spoke with a few experts who provided insights on domestic partnership and how it affects relationship dynamics. According to licensed psychotherapist and relationship expert Gina Guddat, the new living situation “signals an emotional commitment to both people.” 

“It lends a greater feeling of safety and security. It also gives a perception to friends and family members that it's more serious or ‘official,’” Guddat told Bored Panda. 

Lawyer and marriage and family expert Michele Locke considers cohabitating in today’s world a “smart move.” As she explained, it allows a person to know someone on a deeper level. 

At the same time, it gives them a good enough gauge of whether marriage would be worth pursuing down the line. As Locke noted, divorces are costly, which is something you would want to avoid.

For licensed mental health counselor Ariana Orosz, LMHC, living together introduces new obstacles for the couple to overcome in the relationship. And regardless of whether or not they end up tying the knot, they will need to learn to coexist “on a constant basis.” 

“A couple will have to learn to be on a similar page, or accept their partner's priorities when it comes to house chores, quality time, amount of physical touch, hobbies, and boundaries around friends and family visiting,” Orosz said, adding that financial constraints are also possible stressors.

There are also the legal aspects that people tend to overlook. According to ISU Insurance Services CEO Ryan McEachron, married couples automatically get legal protections that domestic partners don’t get to enjoy. Health insurance from employers, for one, does not extend to unmarried partners, which can cause an issue. 

“I've seen partners lose everything because they assumed ‘living together for 10 years’ gave them the same rights as marriage,” he said.

That begs an important question: Does living together strengthen a couple’s relationship if they’re not married yet? According to Michelle Cantrell, LPCC, owner and clinical director of The Center for Growth & Connection, it depends on how and why couples decide to cohabitate. 

“When both partners intentionally choose to move in together from a place of alignment, emotional readiness, and shared values, it can deepen intimacy and help solidify the foundation of their relationship,” she said, adding that the opposite may happen if a couple chooses to move in together because of convenience, financial pressure, or a desire to “fix” their disconnection.

If cohabitation is what a couple decides on for their next step, Orosz advises discussing priorities before doing so. The conversation must include the boundaries around visiting family members, date nights, even seemingly menial topics like handling house chores. 

“Definitely don't brush it under the rug or else you'll be tripping over it every day,” she said.