Moving In With Roommates

Living on your own can be a fulfilling experience because you’ll be able to live independently. You won’t have to ask other people for their help just to get things done around the home. However, with the number of bills and chores, you’ll have to take care of, living alone can also be stressful and expensive. You’ll basically have to divide your time and energy between school or work, run errands and chores inside your home. If you don’t want to be burdened with all of these things, consider moving in with a roommate. Choosing this option (rather than living alone) isn’t only cheaper, but this can also help you create and maintain long-term friendships.

There are a lot of benefits you can experience once you move in with a roommate. For starters, the responsibility of accomplishing chores and paying the bills will now be divided. But on the other side of the coin, this kind of living arrangement also has several setbacks. When you have a roommate, your privacy might be compromised, you might need to deal with your roommates’ noisy friends, or you might not be able to do the things which you can freely do before. Before moving in with roommates, it’s important that you consider the following first:

1. Go through the living arrangements: When you already know who your roommate will be, schedule a day with him or her to go through the living arrangements. If both of you already saw the apartment or home you’re going to move in, discuss how both of your will maximize the available space. Who will take which room? What appliances will be shared in the living area? What items can be shared and what is considered as personal property? Discussing this matter will allow you and your roommate to maintain each other’s privacy without compromising the space in your home. You don’t want to bring your own microwave when your roommate already bought theirs for the both of you to share, right?
2. Talk about pet peeves as early as possible: Regardless if you’re moving in with your best friend from high school or an acquaintance from your college class, it’s important to discuss each other’s pet peeve. If you’re a neat freak, who can’t sleep when piles of soiled clothes are still visible, communicate with your roommate about it. In the same manner, if your roommate doesn’t want any loud music when they are trying to sleep or study, respect these, as well. When you know what your roommate dislikes, you’ll know what to avoid.
3. Discuss the bills and how they’re going to be paid: Having a home without any water or electricity isn’t only stressful and inconvenient; in worse cases, this can even become the reason why your relationship with your friend or roommate will become short-lived. As early as possible, discuss how bills are split and who will actually pay them. You can decide to split all of the monthly bills which can include electricity, water, gas, and rent. You might also need to pay for your internet connection, cable, and phone every month so make sure that you include those in your discussion with your roommate.
4. Figure out what you can and can’t share: When you’re living with a roommate, expect that they will have access to all of your purchased goods, and other valuables. And while you don’t mind letting them use your coffee maker or toaster every morning, communicate with them if you are uncomfortable with them using your things. Make sure that you’re doing this in a calm and friendly to get the right message across. While you’re at it, take time to listen to what your roommate is willing to share and not share with you. You might have been using their favorite mug in the past and didn’t know that they are actually not pleased every time you do so. When both of you are on the same page, it’ll be easier to maintain a healthy and positive relationship.

Preparation Is Key

Moving in with roommates might seem fun and exciting, but when you’re doing it long-term, this living arrangement can be challenging. It might even become the reason why your relationship with your roommate and other social circles will be adversely affected. To steer away from this direction and ensure that moving in with roommates will only bring positive results, be prepared. Don’t jump into making this decision without having a discussion with your roommate. When both parties know what to expect and learn how to adjust, moving and living with a roommate can come off easier!