Whether you have young adult children still trying to afford an apartment or older parents on a fixed income, multi-generational living is a common thing for many Milford renters. In reality, the number of multi-generational households in the United States is expanding. According to the Pew Research Center, one in five Americans currently live in multi-generational homes, a number that has multiplied in the last few decades. Even though there are a couple of advantages to different generations of family members sharing a home, some challenges can make it stressful sometimes. Here are a couple of essential tips you can employ now to aid in keeping things working well for everyone.
Communication is Key
Sharing a house could bring about a lot more time together. However, it may also lead to little everyday annoyances that can breed resentment if they remain neglected. Regardless of whether you’re living with parents, adult children, or both, it’s important to communicate habitually and honestly with each member of the household. It is a good idea to avoid passive-aggressive “hints” or tactics – they are rarely effective. Rather, have transparent discussions about boundaries, personal habits, schedules, and anything else that will affect the entire family. It might seem challenging in the beginning, but the more you communicate, the better off everyone will be someday.
Define Responsibilities
Even though combining households can help everyone save money, you need to discuss who’s responsible for the cost and work of keeping up the home with your family members. To make a multi-generational household work, it’s important to directly define who is responsible for what. For instance, everyone in the family should know who will pay for what and how much. The same thing applies to cleaning and maintenance of the house. Each individual should have assigned responsibilities and tasks that help contribute to the daily work of the house. You need to use this list from AARP to guarantee that you’ve covered all the important topics. When everyone has a clearly defined role and set of responsibilities, daily living will be a lot more exciting for all family members.
Protect Privacy
Living together in a house may pose a challenge to others to have proper privacy and personal space. However, these factors are a fundamental part of long-term happiness. No matter what size your current living situation may be, you need to do all you can to guarantee that each family member has a way to create and enjoy a little private space. Even in shared rooms, you can hang curtains or use other dividers to create more privacy, if demanded. Then, if situations start to look too crowded, find a way to get out of the house and do exercises you love. Urge your family members to do the same. A little time away can work wonders for a tense situation.
Set Realistic Expectations
While you may love your parents and adult children, the odds are that it will take time and a lot of patience to make a living together a pleasant experience for all. Families can grow together if given the support and compassion each person necessities. It is a good idea to not dwell on small irritations, and alternatively, appreciate the little victories and good things about having your family under one roof. Piece by piece, you can work on having good communication and peaceful coexistence that will make your multi-generational home a lovely home to live in.
If your existing rental home is too small for your multi-generational family, now is the time to trade up! Communicate with Real Property Management MetroWest-Worcester to know what our professional Milford property managers have to offer, or explore our listings online.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
