Whether you have young adult children still trying to afford an apartment or older parents on a fixed income, multi-generational living is a regular circumstance for many Evansville renters. Certainly, the number of multi-generational households in the United States is rising. According to the Pew Research Center, one in five Americans currently live in multi-generational homes, a number that has increased greatly in the last few decades. Even though there are a lot of advantages to different generations of family members sharing a home, some challenges can make it stressful at times. The following are several helpful tips you may utilize to help keep things working well for everyone.
Communication is Key
Sharing a house might imply a lot more time together. But it can also give rise to little everyday annoyances that can breed resentment if they remain unaddressed. Irrespective of whether you’re living with parents, adult children, or both, it’s important to communicate always and openly with each member of the household. It is best to avoid passive-aggressive “hints” or tactics – they rarely work. Instead, go for having honest discussions about boundaries, personal habits, schedules, and anything else that will affect the whole family. It may feel awkward initially, but the more you communicate, the better off everyone will be in the coming years.
Define Responsibilities
Even though combining households can help everyone save money, you still 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, you have to properly define who is responsible for what. To give an instance, everyone in the family should know who will pay for what and how much. The same principle uses for cleaning and maintenance of the house. Each person should have assigned responsibilities and tasks that help contribute to the smooth running of the house. Consider adopting this list from AARP to ensure you’ve covered all the important topics. Everyday life will be much more enjoyable for all family members when each one has a clearly defined role and set of responsibilities.
Protect Privacy
Living together in a house may make it hard for others to have appropriate privacy and personal space. However, these components are a fundamental part of long-term happiness. Regardless of what size your current living situation may be, you must do everything you can to make sure that each family member has a way to create and enjoy a bit of private space. Even in shared rooms, you can hang curtains or use other dividers to contribute extra privacy, if necessary. Then, if things become too crowded, make time to get out of the house and do whatever you want. Ask your family members to do the same. A little time away may do great for a tense situation.
Set Realistic Expectations
Even though you may love your parents and adult children, it will likely take time and additional patience to make a living together a pleasant experience for everyone. Families can grow together if given the support and compassion each person desires. Try not to dwell on small irritations, and instead, celebrate the little victories and good things about having your family under one roof. Little by little, you can work on having good communication and peaceful coexistence that will make your multi-generational home a pleasant place to be.
If your existing rental home is too small for your multi-generational family, it may be a perfect time to trade up! Visit Real Property Management Results to discover what our professional Evansville property managers have to offer or check 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.
