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Moving in together is a big and often make-or-break step for couples. But when it comes to cohabitation, how much does the size of your space actually impact your and your partner’s happiness? Apparently, quite a bit.
Lighting brand Sofary recently surveyed 900 people about the costs and benefits of moving in with their significant others and found that when it comes to square footage, couples truly need their space — 1,800 square feet, to be exact.
On average, Sofary found that people who were satisfied with their romantic relationship had 12.8 percent more living space than those who were dissatisfied. In fact, the study argues that as little as 100 square feet could make the difference between a happy couple and a dysfunctional one.
For baby boomers, satisfied couples lived in 1,835 square feet of space on average, as opposed to 1,733 square feet for unhappy couples. But for millennials, the square footage to happiness ratio was a lot less tight. While happy millennial couples had an average of 1,810 square feet of space to share, unhappy millennial couples shared an average of 1,566 square feet.
Despite the soaring costs of rent, though, the majority of couples aren’t rushing into cohabitation simply to save some cash. Nearly three-fourths of surveyed couples (73.6%) moved in together because they felt they were ready to take that next step in their relationship. Meanwhile, 45.7% of couples moved in together because doing so made it easier to see each other.
In contrast, just over one-fourth of couples (28.1%) moved in together to save money on rent, while 20% of couples did so to save money on living expenses other than rent.
So don’t let a tiny pad totally discourage you from shacking up with your partner, but just remember — everyone needs their space sometimes.
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