Whether you’re a college student and you’re looking to save money on rent, or you’ve recently just sold your house, and need to live with a friend temporarily, living with roommates can be a practical solution for many scenarios. However, despite how convenient it may be, sometimes living with a roommate can lead to clashing with those sharing our living space. In some cases, full-fledged conflicts can arise, and you may dread being home at all.
To help you keep the peace with your roommates and enjoy a positive living experience, here are some of the best tips to keep in mind.
Communication is Key
As with any relationship, communication is a crucial part of keeping the peace. Establish your expectations and communicate them regularly. The more honest and open you can be with each other, the more you can resolve misunderstandings as quickly as possible.
Rather than harboring frustrations, bring things up as they arise. Since you may not always have the same schedule as your roommate, you might want to consider starting a group chat, or other form of digital communication where you can keep track of everything having to do with the home. From shared chores, to important events, keeping everything in one place can help avoid confusion.
Choose The Right Roommate
Sometimes despite your efforts, certain personalities simply don’t mix. That’s why, it’s important that you choose who you live with carefully. Never go for a roommate based on price alone. Carefully go over whether you think you’d be a compatible match with candidates before making your choice, otherwise, you could find yourself in for a miserable living experience.
Respect Boundaries
One of the biggest challenges that many roommates find with a shared living situation is a lack of respect for each other ‘s privacy. It’s important that you respect any boundaries that your roommate has, even though you may not always agree with them. Mutual respect is crucial if you hope to successfully navigate your living situation. The happiest roommates are ones that respect each other ‘s personal space and rules.
Tidy Up
Not everyone has the same expectations when it comes to a clean home. You may find that your roommate is cleaner than you, or vice versa. Regardless of what your personal cleaning habits are, it’s important that everyone cleans. It’s everyone’s responsibility to do their part in participating with household chores and responsibilities, just like in the real world.
Handle Finances Responsibly
Money-related problems are usually top of the list when it comes to roommate quarrels. It’s important that everyone is clear on exactly what their share is of the rent, as well as the bills. Paying on time and agreeing on what expenses should be shared is critical if you hope to prevent financial disagreements.
Consider starting a shared Excel spreadsheet or using a finance app to keep track of shared expenses as they come up. That way, you have a clear record of who has bought what and when. The more accurate of a record you keep, the less risk you have of disagreeing about expenses.