5 Steps For Surviving (Temporarily) Moving Back Home With Your Parents

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We’re not gonna sugarcoat it — moving back home to live with your parents isn’t exactly a treat in most cases. If you’ve been out in the world for a few years and you’re planning to make your way back home temporarily, you’ll need a game plan. Why? So that you can get the hell back out into that world and be the boss you are. And before we forget, we should say that this point in your life is not a step back — if anything, it’s a step forward. But while you’re under your parents’ roof, there are ways to not go crazy.

Here’s our five survival tips for making your cohabitation as seamless and drama-free as possible.

1. Plan an exit strategy.

Whether you plan to run back to the big city or just get your own place in town, the goal is to get out from under your parents’ feet. Make your intentions clear with your parents from the beginning by setting a timeline for move-out and micro-goals that will help you along the way. Maybe your goal is saving enough money for a down payment on a house or perhaps you’re looking to celebrate financial milestones and hitting that target savings. Or, if you just need a few months to find your balance after an awful job, make small goals for each mental health milestone you’ve made.

2. Be a good roommate.

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Just like any other roommate, your parents are sharing a space with you. Make sure you’re as respectful as possible by not making too much noise, hogging the kitchen or forgetting to pitch in for household supplies. Keep your space and common areas clean, and figure out a cleaning schedule with your parents so that you’re contributing. And just because it’s your parents who have unconditionally loved you for your entire life, consider doing nice things for them like running necessary errands or going grocery shopping without being asked.

3. Respect the rules.

You can do what you want away from home, but when you’re under your parents’ roof, you go by their rules. Especially if you’re not paying rent, you don’t really have any say in how things operate. Whether you’re forced to turn your lights out at 9 p.m. like when you were a kid or wash the dishes immediately after you eat, you’ll have to oblige.

4. Set boundaries.

While abiding by your parents’ rules, you should also set some boundaries of your own that work for all of you. Think of it as an agreement or the same conversation you’d have with new roommates. You should talk about what is and isn’t allowed, as well as your preferences for how you live together. For example, maybe you’ll ask them not to come into your room without knocking. Whatever you decide, stick to it.

5. Make time to actually hang out with your parents.

If you had to move back home, you’re probably fantasizing about all the things you’ll do when you aren’t sharing a space with your parents, but take a second to appreciate the situation you’re in. Not many adults can spend this much time with their parents. Some may not even see their families more than a few times a year. So hang with your parents, bond with them, have breakfast with them. It’s sacred moments like these that are far too few the older we get, so soak it all in before you bounce.