Questions Before Moving In Together
Sort the dishwasher argument before you own a dishwasher.
- Players
- 2 players
- Length
- 25–45 min
- Cost
- Free · no signup
- Long distance
- Works long distance
Ready?
Sort the dishwasher argument before you own a dishwasher.
- Players
- 2 players
- Length
- 25–45 min
- Intensity
- Sweet
Free · No signup · Nothing you answer is saved
How do you play Questions Before Moving In Together?
Questions to ask before moving in together cover the domestic specifics — how rent and bills split, what "tidy" actually means, who does which chores, how guests and family visits work, and what happens if one of you loses income or the relationship ends. Answer specifically rather than generally.
How to play
- Do this before you sign anything.
- Answer specifically. "I am pretty tidy" is not an answer — describe the kitchen at 11pm.
- Write down what you agree on, especially the money answers.
- Where you differ, decide the rule now rather than discovering it later.
- The break-up question is uncomfortable and worth doing anyway.
Why couples love this game
It converts a hundred small future arguments into one slightly tedious conversation. Nobody enjoys discussing the thermostat in advance, but everybody prefers it to the version where it comes up at eleven at night in February.
Almost nobody breaks up over the big things when they move in together. They fall out over the washing up, the thermostat, whose friends are round on a Tuesday, and who is supposed to have bought the bin bags.
These are those questions, asked before the lease rather than after. They are small, specific, and slightly boring — which is precisely why they are worth twenty minutes now instead of six months of low-grade friction later.
The aim is not agreement on everything. It is knowing where you differ before you are sharing a bathroom.
Example questions
- How do we split rent — evenly, or by income?
- What about bills, food, and the things neither of us thinks about?
- Do we have a joint account for the house? What goes in it?
- What is your definition of tidy? Be specific.
- How often does the place actually need cleaning?
- Who is doing which chores, named out loud?
The full game has 22 of these, shuffled every time you play.
Who this game is best for
- Anyone about to move in together
- Couples six months into living together who never had this conversation
- Long-distance couples about to close the distance
- Anyone who has lived alone for a long time
Tips to make it better
- Specific answers only. Vague ones are the whole problem.
- Do the money questions properly and write the answers down.
- Do not skip the break-up question. Agreeing it while you are happy is a kindness to both of you.
- Redo it a few months in — some answers turn out to be wrong.
Frequently asked questions
What should you discuss before moving in together?
Money, mess, guests, and space. Couples rarely fall out over big philosophical differences when cohabiting — they fall out over the washing up and the thermostat.
Is it pessimistic to discuss what happens if we break up?
It is the opposite. Agreeing who leaves and what happens to the deposit while you both like each other is far kinder than working it out during the worst week of your year.
We already live together. Is this still useful?
Yes, and it usually surfaces two or three long-running irritations that nobody has ever named out loud.