3 Month Trial: How to Start Multigenerational Living on The Right Foot

Living in a multigenerational household—where multiple generations of a family share the same home—is becoming more common in the United States.

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans now live this way, and many families report stronger relationships and better financial stability as a result. However, combining households isn’t always easy. Different lifestyles, habits, and expectations can lead to challenges if families aren’t prepared.

If you’re thinking about inviting extended family members to live together, starting with a trial period is a smart way to test the waters. A trial lets everyone experience the benefits and challenges of living together without committing right away.

Why Try Multigenerational Living?

Before diving into the roadmap, let’s talk about why multigenerational living is worth considering. Families who live together often enjoy:

• Financial savings: Sharing housing costs like rent, mortgage payments, and utilities can save each person hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars every month.
• Built-in caregiving: Grandparents can help with childcare, while younger family members can assist with elder care. This reduces the need for expensive daycare or nursing homes.
• Stronger relationships: Spending more time together helps families bond and create memories across generations.

But it’s not always smooth sailing. Privacy concerns, financial disagreements, and different lifestyles can cause tension. That’s why a trial period is so important—it allows your family to figure out what works and what doesn’t before making a long-term commitment.

Phase 1: Preparing for the Trial

The first step is planning. A successful trial starts with clear expectations for how your family will live together during the test period. Here’s how to prepare:

Create a Family Agreement

Sit down as a group and write out an agreement that covers key topics like:

• Money: Who will pay for what? For example, you might decide that grandparents contribute 30% of the mortgage, parents pay 50%, and adult children pay 20%.
• Space: Which areas of the house are private? Which ones are shared?
• Responsibilities: Who will cook, clean, or take care of children or elderly relatives?

This document doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s just a starting point that you can adjust as needed during the trial.

Make Temporary Adjustments to Your Home

Before moving in together, try small changes to see what works. For example:

• Use room dividers or curtains to create private spaces.
• Add extra storage shelves for everyone’s belongings.
• Test out shared schedules for bathrooms or kitchens to avoid conflicts.

These adjustments don’t have to be expensive or permanent—they’re just meant to help you identify potential problems early on.

Phase 2: The 3-Month Trial Period

Once your family agreement is in place and your home is ready, it’s time to start living together! A three-month trial period gives everyone enough time to settle into new routines while still being short enough feel manageable.

Month 1: Establish Routines

The first month is all about figuring out how daily life will work. Use tools like shared calendars or apps (e.g., Cozi) to organize things like:

• Meal planning and cooking schedules
• Laundry days for each person or family unit
• Quiet hours when everyone agrees to keep noise levels low

Hold short weekly check-ins as a group to talk about what’s working and what needs improvement.

Month 2-3: Test Challenges

Once routines are established, introduce “stress tests” to see how well your family handles challenges like:

1. Financial pressure: Pretend one person loses part of their income and practice covering their share of expenses as a group.
2. Caregiving overload: Simulate an emergency where one person needs extra care (e.g., someone gets sick). How does everyone pitch in?
3. Privacy concerns: Ask each person to rate their satisfaction with personal space weekly—this helps identify any issues early on.

Phase 3: Evaluate the Trial

After three months, it’s time to evaluate how things went. This phase involves both numbers (quantitative data) and feelings (qualitative feedback).

Measure Success with Data

Look at measurable outcomes from your trial period, such as:

• Did everyone stick to the budget? Use apps like Splitwise to track shared expenses.
• How many conflicts occurred? Successful trials usually average fewer than two major disputes per month.
• Was caregiving balanced? Track how much time each person spent helping others—no one should feel overburdened.

Have Honest Conversations

Hold a family meeting where everyone answers questions like:

• What did we do well during the trial?
• What should we change if we continue living together?
• Do we want this arrangement to be permanent?

Encourage open communication so everyone feels heard.

Phase 4: Decide What Comes Next

Based on your evaluation, your family will need to decide whether multigenerational living is right for you long-term. There are two main options:

Option 1: Make It Permanent

If the trial went well, move forward with confidence! To make things official:

1. Update your family agreement based on what you learned during the trial.
2. Consider investing in home improvements like building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for added privacy or upgrading shared spaces like kitchens and bathrooms.
3. Formalize financial arrangements by opening a joint account for household expenses or updating estate plans.

Option 2: Part Ways Gracefully

If living together didn’t work out, that’s okay! Use what you learned during the trial to plan a smooth transition back to separate households. For example:

• Set a timeline for moving out (e.g., within 60 days).
• Stay connected through regular family dinners or visits so relationships remain strong.

Tips for Success During Your Trial

Here are some extra tips to help your trial go smoothly:

1. Keep Communication Open
   Use tools like anonymous surveys or suggestion boxes so people can share concerns without fear of judgment.
2. Respect Privacy
   Even in shared spaces, everyone needs some alone time. Create “quiet zones” or use noise-canceling headphones if needed.
3. Celebrate Wins Together
   When things go well—like sticking to the budget or resolving conflicts quickly—celebrate as a family! Small rewards like movie nights or special dinners can boost morale.
4. Ask for Help When Needed
   If conflicts arise that you can’t resolve on your own, consider bringing in a neutral third party like a therapist or mediator.

Real-Life Success Stories

Many families have used trial periods to successfully transition into multigenerational living. For example, the Martinez family tested living together for three months before deciding to make it permanent. During their trial, they discovered that setting clear boundaries around personal space was key to avoiding conflicts. Now they’re saving over $3,000 per month by sharing housing costs—and they’ve grown closer as a result.

Another example comes from the Nguyen family, who used their trial period to experiment with home modifications like adding portable kitchen islands and storage units before committing to bigger renovations. This saved them thousands of dollars by ensuring they only invested in changes that truly worked for their needs.

Final Thoughts

A three-month trial period gives your family the chance to experience multigenerational living without long-term pressure or commitment. By following this roadmap—preparing carefully, testing routines and challenges, evaluating honestly, and deciding next steps—you’ll set yourselves up for success whether you choose to live together permanently or not.

Multigenerational living isn’t just about sharing space—it’s about building stronger relationships and creating opportunities for financial stability and mutual support across generations. With thoughtful planning and open communication, your family can make it work!