Moving out can be an exciting experience. Still, do you know what adds to the fun? ROOMMATES. You’d think that they would vibe with you, and all of you will probably end up becoming friends for life! Sounds familiar? It is what a classic trail of daydreams sounds like.
Finding a roommate is already a challenging task, but actually going through with it and living with a stranger is far more challenging. While finding a roommate, we expect them to share responsibilities and may even hope that they're a clean freak like Monica from the popular sitcom FRIENDS, and manage all the house chores themselves! Well, that's a daydream too. Finding the perfect roommate can be difficult but not impossible! With a trustworthy roommate finder like Cirtru, these dreams can be transformed into reality through an algorithm that is straightforward and intuitive!
Nowadays finding a roommate in metros like NYC, San Diego, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco is fairly easy but you might need to consider a few rules beforehand like dividing the common work, communicating plenty & often, and adjusting to each other's needs.
Welcome to Roommates 101. We’re going to give you some easy tips and tricks to make living with a roommate fun and trouble-free! Communication is probably the most essential part of any relationship. When you listen only to reply and not to understand, many things go wrong. After going through this article, you’ll know how to understand your roommate even when they don’t say a word!
Check these tips on how you can divide house chores while living with roommates
1. Talk about household chores beforehand
It is best to understand your prospective roommate’s plan of action and tackle any miscommunication that might happen later.
Has your roommate moved in already? No worries. You can sit them down and schedule how the house chores like grocery shopping, loading the dishwasher, laundry, etc. can be divided according to what your day/week looks like and also set up a budget with them. Cooperating with each other’s schedules and respecting the time put into the chores is of utmost importance. If you find your roommates not interested, you may have to step forward to work and assign them the house chores yourself.
2. Assign responsibility based on enjoyability
If your roommate is interested in cooking for the house while you enjoy the exercise that vacuuming the carpet gives you, it is best to take up what you like most! This way, you both can ensure that neither of you will starve to death or overly depend on taking-outs or end up having severe back pain or sprain while cleaning the house. A smart strategy is key to a happy household!
3. Make a fixed time-table
Your roommate may work odd hours, and it is best to assign them the jobs that fit their work hours. You may also try asking them to do the chores on weekdays like grocery shopping or laundry on the weekends. In the same way, you can cook a healthy breakfast on alternative days to help them get much-needed nutrition!
4. Set a punishment for breaking the schedule
Incentivize sticking to the rules by putting money on the line! Have you missed your task? Put a dollar in the SLOTH JAR! Nobody likes to part with their pennies, and hence this approach is perfect if you want to stay on track! The money collected can be used to throw a house party as a reward for being such accountable roomies!
5. Identify chores that drive homesickness away
Being homesick can set in lethargy and take away the motivation to do household chores. Always keep into consideration all the hardships that they might be going through.
The best way to make your friend feel better is to distract them. You may use this opportunity to take them grocery shopping and pick up your dry cleaned clothes. You could also take a detour to their favorite cafe and bond over a piece of cheesecake!
Shared chores would make them feel better, and, of course, you can tick things off the to-do list! Cooking together and awakening the inner chef in you is an excellent option, as well. Don’t forget to wash the dishes after cooking up a storm! If you want to rent a room with better amenities like a dishwasher or washing machine for your convenience, head straight to Cirtru for help. In case you are looking for a roommate with whom you can share these responsibilities peacefully, the first step is to advertise your room for rent on Cirtru.
6. Communicate often
Roommates MUST communicate. You may be a family of mismatched but must work together to build your home! You don’t always need to have the same interests or perspectives to connect!
TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS. Don’t expect telepathic powers from your roomie. Put up a to-do list on the refrigerator so that your roommate can get the work done. You may assign specific tasks to avoid any misunderstanding. They can even cross off the chores done for the month.
You may wish to go for turns like a robin round for daily chores like cleaning and cooking. If all of you are in day jobs, you may make cleaning a weekly task for convenience. You can take the lead of setting healthy boundaries with your roommates. It is just a matter of polite and logical conversation.
Conclusion
Each home is different, and so are the dynamics, even between the roommates with best qualities living together. Communicate through any differences in opinions and find yourself working together in a perfect partnership! Remember, it’s always a two-way path! If, after all your efforts, you still cannot keep up with your roommate, find a more compatible one with Cirtru!
