Whether you’re moving into a two-bedroom apartment with your best friend or a three-bedroom townhome with complete strangers, it’s important to establish some ground rules early on.
Maybe you’re cool to share a coffeemaker but your Jo Malone shampoo is off-limits. Maybe you like to play music while you cook but your roommate prefers a quiet home.
No matter who you’re sharing space with, a conversation right off the bat about likes and dislikes will significantly reduce the potential for future conflict and awkward situations. Here are five common roommate situations and how to handle them in the friendliest and most diplomatic manner.
1. What’s mine is mine
Unless you’ve established a shared budget for household items and groceries, neither of you should be taking each other’s food or using each other’s toiletries without permission. Many roommates label their respective items before placing them in the refrigerator or bathroom cupboards. As a last resort, you could keep expensive beauty products in your bedroom and purchase a beer fridge to store any treats.
2. Respect each other’s schedules
Most roommates have conflicting sleep schedules, but it doesn’t have to turn into a conflict. If your roommate works late hours, maybe refrain from grinding coffee beans at 6 a.m. Similarly, if your roommate showers every morning at seven on the dot, don’t hop in the tub at 6:58. Both of you should be willing to make some compromises for continued peace in your new
Gold Seal apartment.
3. Keep it clean
Sit down with your roommate and determine what chores need to be done around your Gold Seal apartment on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Do you loathe washing floors but don’t mind doing dishes? Maybe you can negotiate a deal. Start with a list of what you and your roommates don’t mind doing, and then split up the rest. For deep seasonal cleaning, set aside a day and tackle the big jobs together.
4. All visitors welcome – occasionally
More than likely, you and your roommate will want to have visitors to your
Gold Seal apartment. Whether it’s for the night or the weekend, a few basic rules will help everyone feel more at home. First, give your roommate advanced notice if you plan to invite a friend over. Second, establish a limit on how long guests can stay. You should also decide on the frequency of guest visits.
5. Friendship goals
Rather than watch Netflix alone in your bedroom every evening, why not suggest watching a movie together in the living room. Or go out and grab a bite to eat. You don’t have to be best friends, but it is important to be friendly and do things together, beyond the daily chores and weekly housework.
For more tips on living with a roommate, or to view
apartments for rent by Gold Seal Management in Toronto, be sure to visit goldsealmanagement.com today.