9 Tips for Moving Back in With Your Parents

There are many reasons that you might find yourself moving back in with your parents. For me, it was a sporadic break up, after which I found myself moving across the country without any savings for a new apartment. For others, it’s an opportunity to keep costs low while they job hunt, pay back student loan debt, or save up for a big purchase. And for many, it’s just the best option in an ever more expensive housing market.

Regardless of why you’re moving back in with your parents, you’re definitely not alone in the endeavor. Fifteen percent of millennials were living with their mom and/or dad in 2016, according to the Pew Research Center. Moving back home is a more popular choice for the millennial generation than any generation prior, and it’s become an increasingly acceptable course of action for those who are struggling or looking to save on housing costs.

Whether you’ve been through it before or are embarking on it for the first time, moving back home after living on your own is a tricky endeavor that comes with a new set of rules than you might be used to. To make it work, you’ve got to find a balance between how your parents live, how you live, and the expectations each party has for the other. Fortunately, it’s not incredibly difficult to foster a positive living situation as long as you go in informed. Here are 9 tips for moving back in with parents that may help you out.

Be grateful

Help out where you can

Ask about (and respect) the rules of the house

Set some sort of timeline

Spend quality time with them

Have realistic expectations

Make the most of your time there

Keep your routine – and social life – as intact as possible

If there’s a problem, talk about it

Moving back in with your parents can be a tricky undertaking, but it’s not the end of the world. Look at your move back home as an opportunity to better get to know yourself and your parents as an adult. Most importantly, appreciate the time you have together, as well as the time you have to figure things out on your end. You won’t live at their home forever, but if you do it right, you’ll always remember that period of your life fondly.