In today’s society, it’s very common for family members of different generations to live together, either permanently or temporarily. With the cost of housing and other prices rising, this can be a financial necessity or just a convenience. But when you’re going from living by yourself or with your own nuclear family to joining forces with others, this transition can be a tough one to maneuver. So to help ensure things go as smoothly as possible for all parties, here are three ways to prepare when family is moving in with you temporarily. 

Know The Exit Strategy

If everyone is coming into this situation knowing that things will only be temporary, it’s good to outline how temporary this will be and what needs to happen for this temporary situation to resolve. 

In some instances, you might be waiting for a family member to get enough money to live on their own, for a personal housing situation to open up, or for them to get moved into an assisted living facility of some sort. Whatever it is, talking about the future together with an idea of how and when your family member will move out will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals. While this exit strategy doesn’t have to deal with all the particulars right now, having this conversation now can help it not become taboo later on. 

Talk About Boundaries Beforehand

Along with discussing how long this temporary living situation is likely to last, you’ll also want to talk about what boundaries will need to be respected on both sides. 

Especially if you have kids or your family members are bringing their kids, setting up boundaries for things like discipline, parenting roles, cleanliness, and more will save you a lot of hard feelings and resentment that could build up. Just make sure that each side shares what they’re needing and expecting from this arrangement upfront, as changing boundaries later on can be a difficult transition. 

Figure Out How To Handle Finances

Now that parts of your lives are going to be intermingled with another person or family, parts of your finances are going to be, too. And because talking about money and finances can be awkward for many people, having a conversation about this in the beginning can be incredibly helpful. 

As part of this conversation, talk about if compensation will be given, who will be responsible for what portion of what bills, how the sharing or separation of food will work, and more. By doing this now, you can avoid running into issues later on after someone has felt taken advantage of. 

If you’ll soon be having an extended family member moving in with you, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare for this new twist in your life.