The advice
Dr Petra Boynton, a psychologist specialising in relationships, says there's plenty you can do to minimise the stresses of moving in together
1 Feeling crowded by the other person's possessions is a big problem. Talk about this before you move in to your new home. Keep the living room as a 'neutral zone' if this helps. Come to an agreement on where your individual areas of the flat are.
2 Be prepared to compromise on space. Few young London couples can afford a flat big enough to house all their possessions, so things are going to get thrown out. Women often assume that men are less attached to possessions, but this isn't the case. Men need familiar objects around them, too.
3 Women have a tendency to be dominant about interior-design issues. Try to make big decisions together. If one of you is taking the lead, at least run ideas past your partner before implementing them.
4 Don't let your home become the sole focus of your life. Don't stay in all the time (a natural temptation when you've invested so much in it). If you enjoyed going to the cinema before you lived together, keep it up afterwards - the wallpapering can always wait.
