Save Yourself a Headache With These Tips For Living With Roommates
August 18, 2016Whether it’s at college, in early adulthood or just at a point in life where we’re looking to save on expenses, most of us live with a roommate at one time or another. Having a roommate can be a great experience, but it also has the potential to be a nightmare if you end up with a roommate you can’t stand. To keep that from happening, here are some survival tips for living with roommates.
1. Choose Your Roommates Wisely
Let’s hope you were going to do this anyway. If you weren’t, for motivation, may we direct you to some terrifying (and occasionally hilarious) stories of roommates that, well, didn’t quite work out.
Don’t be one of those stories. Be open about what you can and can’t deal with in your day-to-day life, because your next roommate is going to be a part of it. Before you make any decisions, lay it all out for them and listen while they do the same for you.
2. Make Sure Financial Obligations Are Clear From the Start
This is one of the most important tips for living with roommates. Don’t ever sign a lease with someone until you’ve clearly discussed how much of the rent each of you is responsible for, as well as how you’ll be splitting any bills for things you’ll share, like electricity, internet, Netflix, etc.
You might also want to discuss what would happen in the event that one of you were to fall short financially some month. Money is a common topic for people to argue about, but you don’t need that in your house. It’s easy to avoid.
3. Pick and Choose Your Battles
Some people are more intent on getting what they want than others. But as long as you have a roommate, you’re going to be on the losing side sometimes. Accept that, or it won’t work out.
Does your roommate have a habit of piling garbage up on the floor when the garbage can is full? Definitely bring that up. But if they sometimes mess up the alphabetical order you’ve arranged the DVDs in, just let it go.
4. Don’t Use Your Roommate’s Stuff Unless They Offer It
Don’t slowly pillage your roommate’s peanut butter a spoonful at a time so they won’t notice. Know what you can use and what you can’t.
How do you know? Start by preemptively offering to share whatever you’re comfortable sharing, and go from there. Don’t use anything of theirs unless they’ve explicitly offered it for you to use.
If you both want to share everything, that’s awesome, but being a good roommate means respecting your roommate’s space and property. It’s fair to expect them to do the same.
5. Don’t Be Passive-Aggressive
If you’ve got a problem or a concern, speak up. Don’t say you’re fine with a bit of clutter if you’re actually boiling inside every time your roommate leaves a book out on the coffee table.
And don’t leave passive-aggressive notes for your roommates, either. They’re funny to read online, but don’t make your home life internet fodder. Just talk about it.
6. Discuss Options Before Your Lease is Up
If you’re thinking of moving out when your lease is up, let your roommate know well in advance so they can plan accordingly. If you don’t have a lease, let them know as soon as you can. You should talk about whether you want to continue living together or go your separate ways before the official decision has to be made.
Sharing an apartment with a roommate can be a good way to trim expenses and save up some money. At Chestnut Square, we offer our residents upscale living in one- and two-bedroom units right in downtown West Chester, PA. You and anyone you live with can be very happy here.
To learn more about Chestnut Square, schedule a tour online today to come take a look. You’ll love our modern floor plans and world-class amenities.