Not Living Together

When I read wedding blogs, it sometimes seems like Mr. Hyena and I are the only engaged couple who aren't living together prior to the wedding.

We had the opportunity; right after we got engaged, we purchased a house. We talked about moving in together, since it would only have been about a year before we would be married. Both sets of parents were on board, but for some reason, it didn't feel like the right order of things for us. So we passed. I maintained my current residence with my kitty-boo, while he moved into the house and got a roommate for the school year.

personal photo, text added by moi

This arrangement works out fine for us. Sure it'd be nice to not have to drive back and forth to see each other. Sure, it'd be nice to have the DVR at my house. And sure, I would really like to be able to go ahead and decorate our house the way I want. Of course I'm already slowly moving things in ("Honey, I'm helping you by moving all my books in now. That means you won't have to lift so many heavy boxes later!"), but for the most part, I'm enjoying the last months of having my own space.

Some of my favorite things about having my own space:

• I can keep my house as clean — or as messy — as I want without anyone getting mad. (Except me. I get mad at myself sometimes, when my house looks really bad.)
• I don't have to worry about the expenses of a combined household yet. I can continue to be neurotic about my money while shopping for things he will never understand (a Slap Chop for a friend's birthday? Duh).
• Decorating! Apparently when I move in with a boy I can't make stuff girly anymore. Sniff.

On the other hand, I will also be glad for the moving-in-together phase when it comes after the wedding. I've heard it is difficult to make all these transitions simultaneously, but I guess that's a challenge we'll face as it comes.

Anyone else not living with your fiancé before the wedding? What is your favorite thing about living on your own? Any advice on how to make all these transitions easier?