Although sharing a house can be an interesting chapter in life, it is not always a pleasant ride. Cohabiting presents unique difficulties, regardless of your situation.
It is easy to believe that sharing a home will be simple until the dirty dishes build up, the noise levels increase, or someone invites a surprise guest.
There are strategies to overcome these challenges without aggravation. Let us discuss how to create clear expectations and ensure everyone enjoys communal living with equally shared responsibilities.
The Craft of Effective Transmission
In terms of sharing a house, open communication is really vital. Although this sounds clear-cut, many believe things will simply work out. The spoiler is that they hardly do.
Right from the start, have a good chat with your housemates. Later, talk about all the basics, such as deadlines for payments, rent cleaning chores, personal limits, and visitors. Discuss all this and best have it in writing – who’s doing what and when.
Good communication is not limited to talking about possible issues. However, one excellent approach to make sure everything goes smoothly is through consistent checking in. It helps nip any minor problems before they become a large drama.
Recognising Various Ways of Life
When you share a house with others, no two people will live exactly in the same manner. As a matter of fact, every member of a home will probably have very varied daily habits, either marginally or dramatically.
For example, one can be an early bird, and the other likes Netflix marathons late at night. Realising that everyone’s life is different is one of the first steps towards controlling expectations.
The challenge is to determine how to let these variations coexist without negatively impacting others. For example, if your flatmate has to get up at six in the morning for work, hosting a night party isn’t ideal.
Similarly, if one flatmate works from home, they will probably value peaceful surroundings during the day. Therefore, if your lifestyles differ completely, you should respect your flatmate’s time and space.
You can start by talking freely about these matters, like quiet hours and taking turns in throwing the trash. Remember, be adaptable yet assertive enough to talk about problems before they become more serious.
Creating a Maintenance Plan
One of the best strategies to avoid more conflicts is prior open communication. Every person has different ideas about hygiene. For instance, while one person’s definition of “clean” is scrubbing the dishes, another’s is deep-cleaning the entire apartment every week.
Furthermore, a cleaning schedule guarantees that no one feels that they are contributing more than their fair share and that all communal areas remain reasonably clean.
Talk first about the frequency of particular chores that should be done, such as cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, …etc. Stick to your fair share after you have firmly established it. If everyone performs their duties, there will be less resentment or clutter accumulating.
Furthermore, when things start to become out of control, do not hesitate to bring in experts. That’s particularly helpful if your lease is almost expired. The last thing you want is to lose your deposit over an unclean property.
In that case, a move-out cleaning company can be a lifesaver. It’s one less thing to worry about.
Personal Restraints and Common Areas
Living with roommates requires one of the most critical skills to balance shared areas with personal limits.
Realistically, it can be difficult when people have differing ideas about privacy. For example, some renters are content to share everything, including groceries, the sofa, and even clothing.
Others would rather keep things separated. Though there is no right or wrong approach, it is imperative to agree on limits to prevent misinterpretation.
For example, discuss your boundaries regarding borrowing kitchen utensils, cosmetics, and so on. This way, you can avoid any miscommunication.
Another topic you should discuss is hosting guests and people spending the night. Since shared spaces have to be respected by everyone, you should establish a rule of informing each other when anyone is coming or sleeping over.
Resolving Conflict and Adaptability
Living with people is not always easy, and occasionally problems will develop. For example, a flatmate can frequently forget to throw out the trash or often leave their laundry in the common bathroom.
Whatever the problem can be, it is important to handle it coolly and constructively. Thus, talk first one-on-one with your flatmate about the problem. Approach the problems in a non-confrontational manner to be able to solve them.
For instance, instead of saying, “You never clean up after yourself,” say “I” statements. To elaborate further, say something like, “I feel frustrated when the dishes are left in the sink.” This helps your flatmate to be more ready to find a solution and less prone to feeling attacked.
In addition, flexibility is quite important. When you live with roommates, this means that you’ll have to make compromises every now and then. It’s nice to let things slide when your flatmate is struggling at work or going through a personal problem.
Another week, your housemate will trade cleaning responsibilities in response to an unanticipated schedule conflict. Being flexible means knowing that life is not always ideal. Yet, that does not mean you should let others walk all over you, either.
Conclusion
When you live with flatmates, problems are bound to arise. People have different habits, which can often clash with each other, creating conflict. However, firm boundaries and clear communication can make a happy living situation.
By striking a balance between feeling comfortable in your home and compromising to keep things smooth, you’ll make sure you have a harmonious home.