Moving In Together? 3 Hilarious Non-Negotiables Before Sharing a Home With Your Partner

Loading player...
Moving in with your partner is a major milestone; equal parts exciting and if we’re being honest, a little daunting. Stacey and J Sbu recently explored that love might conquer all, but cohabitation comes with its own list of non-negotiables - especially if you want to keep the peace and avoid a household civil war.
Finances are often the first hurdle.
“When you live together, you now have double the expenses, evil,” Stacey joked. From weekly groceries that seem to vanish into thin air to the never-ending streaming subscriptions, sorting out who pays for what is essential. No one wants to be tallying up who bought the last loaf of bread or the final roll of toilet paper.
Then there are the boundaries. J Sbu didn’t hold back on this one: “Nothing kills romance faster than your partner’s cousin sleeping on your couch for a week and eating all your snacks.” Whether it’s setting limits on overnight guests, agreeing on chores or carving out personal space, boundaries prevent your home from turning into a free-for-all.
Finally, it’s the little quirks that can make (or break) domestic bliss. Can you handle your partner’s unusual morning rituals or their questionable approach to folding laundry? As one listener put it: “Don’t move my stuff and leave it where I can’t find it. And leave the toilet paper roll the right way!”
Listeners also had their own must-haves: “You must be clean. Showering is essential. Daily. Sometimes twice a day!” and “Boundaries need to be known. We don’t allow that kind of speech in our house.”
26 Aug 2025 English South Africa Society & Culture · Personal Journals

Other recent episodes

What's your favourite meal and why?

Every Wednesday, we hand the mic over to the smallest but mightiest voices in KwaZulu-Natal! The kids of our province take centre stage to share something special with us and honestly? They never disappoint. This week we stepped into the kitchen. You know that dish that makes you run to…
20 May 7 min

Have you outgrown your friends?

Palesa dropped one of those confessions that will have you stopping to think about your own life. She loves her friends, has real history with them and would not trade those memories for anything. But something has shifted and she just cannot unfeel it. The conversations, the energy, the mindset,…
14 May 5 min

Would you risk your life to stop a crime?

South Africa's crime rate means most of us have either seen something go down or know someone who has. Stacey and J Sbu put the question to KZN: if a crime happened right in front of you today, would you step in or would you stay back? Some say intervening…
19 May 7 min

Social media: Should parents be allowed to post their kids?

In the age of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, sharing milestones of your children online has become as natural as breathing for most South African parents. But here is the thing. South Africa's POPI Act exists specifically to protect personal information and a child's image is personal information. Yet millions of…
12 May 10 min

A strong confessor gets vulnerable...

Once a week, on a Thursday, Stacey and J Sbu get into other people's lives. This week we’ve got anonymous from Hillcrest, who is feeling a bit emotional about their home situation. Here's what they had to say: “I’m the strong one in my family, the one everyone depends on…
7 May 7 min