Whether you have young adult children still trying to afford an apartment or older parents on a fixed income, multi-generational living is a usual arrangement for many Granbury renters. In reality, the number of multi-generational households in the United States is multiplying. According to the Pew Research Center, one in five Americans currently live in multi-generational homes, a number that has steadily risen in the last few decades. While there are countless advantages to different generations of family members sharing a home, some challenges can sometimes make it stressful. To aid with maintaining things working well for everyone, the following are some important tips you can utilize instantly.
Communication is Key
Sharing a house can signify a lot more time together. But it can also give rise to little everyday annoyances that can breed resentment if they remain untreated. Whether you’re living with parents, adult children, or both, it’s important to communicate consistently and clearly with each member of the household. Find ways to avoid passive-aggressive “hints” or tactics – they are rarely effective. Instead, choose to have direct discussions about boundaries, personal habits, schedules, and anything else that will affect the entire family. It may feel strange initially, but the more you communicate, the better off everyone will be in the end.
Define Responsibilities
Even though combining households can help everyone save money, it’s still vital 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, keep in mind to directly define who is responsible for what. As an illustration, 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. Every member must have assigned responsibilities and tasks that help contribute to the proper operation of the house. Think about employing this list from AARP to guarantee that you’ve covered all the important topics. Once everybody has a directly defined role and set of responsibilities, the regular day will be much more enjoyable for all family members.
Protect Privacy
Living together in a home can make gaining enough privacy and personal space an issue for everybody. However, these qualities are a major part of long-term happiness. Irrespective of what size your current living situation may be, you should do everything you can to ensure 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 add more privacy, if needed. Afterward, if things get too crowded, seek ways to get out of the house and do everything you enjoy. Tell your family members to do the same. A little time away might help greatly in a tense situation.
Set Realistic Expectations
Even though you may love your parents and adult children, the odds are that it will take time and more patience to make a living together with a pleasant experience for everyone. Families can grow together if given the support and compassion each person desires. It would be better not to dwell on small irritations, and rather, appreciate the little victories and good things about having your family under one roof. Step by step, you may work on building great communication and peaceful coexistence that will make your multi-generational home a pleasant place to be.
If your present rental home is too small for your multi-generational family, this is the right opportunity to trade up! Contact Real Property Management Trailhead to find out what our professional Granbury property managers have to give, or peruse 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.