House sharing is a great idea if you’re living solo, want to save money and are looking for a way to make friends.
However, navigating the world of house sharing can be tricky at first as you try to work each other out and determine who does what around the home.
Here are some things to consider to ease the stress of house sharing and make that home environment a happier one to return to.
Working from home while house sharing
House sharing might be great for the bills, but it’s not so good when you have to work from home together during a pandemic. There are ways to make things a little easier though.
Ensure your desk space is easy to move if necessary and try to set up a rota with your housemates if you have one main dining table that offers plenty of room.
Chairs with castors and laptops allow you to move from room to room with ease, ideal if your housemate is on lots of calls one day and you want to some quiet in another room.
Make your room a limited space
No one wants their housemates barging into their room or paying a visit when they’re not there. So, lay some ground rules straight away that knocking is essential if the door is closed and that anything in your room is off bounds unless they ask.
It sounds petty but when sharing a house, you need a space that is your own where you can get away from everything.
Keep any belongings you don’t want to share in your space
This means if you’re not a fan of sharing your fancy shampoo or don’t want someone else to dip into your supply of chocolate biscuits that you find somewhere to house these in your room.
Optimise your storage space to make more room for these personal items. Beds with drawers, storage ottomans and under bed storage boxes are all ideal for tucking these types of belongings away.
Play your part in keeping the house clean
That means doing your dishes, helping to tidy and clean the communal areas, tidying up after yourself as you go, not leaving possessions around the house and yes, even cleaning the bathroom.
Replace the toilet paper in the bathroom, put your shoes on the shoe rack and wipe any spills straight away to keep your home neat and your housemates happy.
Of course, these rules apply to them as well so encourage everyone to play their part.
Understand people’s strange ‘quirks’
We all have things we do that others might find odd. It’s a good idea to work these out when sharing a house with others and understanding how they might impact you day-to-day.
Maybe someone works night shifts so is more like a vampire than a housemate and you only see them in the evenings or perhaps there’s a girl who gets up at 4am for a morning run and lets the front door slam.
Of course, if anyone has quirks that become a problem, you’ll need to reach out to them to let them know but understanding how people live and their little ways of navigating the world can be interesting and make spending time together in such close quarters a little easier.
It’s also important that you’re aware of your own quirks and the effect they can have on other people. A study by NYU discovered that people living together in college dorms didn’t realise just how much distress their actions caused others.
While something may not seem like a big deal to you, it can easily upset others. Be open to honest conversations and ease the stress of house sharing whether you’re a student just starting out at university or a professional living in a big city.
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