There’s no better test of compatibility than sharing a home with someone, which is part of why some are reluctant to try it.

Cohabitating is an essential part of marriage, after all, so it makes sense to know you can do it before popping the question. Yet some traditions bar it, and some people fall in love so quickly that they get engaged long before moving in together. And while you can learn a lot about your partner by sharing the same home or apartment as them, there is something to be said for an engagement kicking off a new chapter in your life, and maybe that chapter should feel completely new and exciting.