The Mayfair Apartments

Four Tips to Living with a Messy Roommate

Four Tips to Living with a Messy Roommate

Four Tips to Living with a Messy Roommate

Are you wondering how your roommate makes such a disaster out of the kitchen each time they cook? Do you want to ensure that your roommate keeps all of your common areas clean after using them? When you are living with a roommate, you want to be sure that you find common ground and compromise on most things. However, if you have a messy roommate, you may be finding this difficult to do. Many of our residents share their apartments for rent in Gainesville, FL, as we offer spacious floor plans that make this possible. If you live with a messy roommate, we suggest trying these few tips to make it easier to live together in a shared space.

Try to Understand

Before you jump to conclusions, take the time to understand their living style from their perspective. Are they swamped at work? Do they always leave a mess? Are they disorganized, or are they gross? Many people have issues when it comes to organization of their closets or clothes, and others have a tough time cleaning up each and every day. Try to understand the reason that they leave messes by talking to them about their lives before jumping to assumptions.

Set Boundaries

When you cannot handle looking at their mess, it is important establish clear boundaries and ground rules in your apartment. Keep certain areas off limits, like your bedroom or your desk space, so that they don't use your stuff. Also, implement cleaning procedures of common, shared spaces, like kitchens and bathrooms, so that each of you has to follow the same responsibilities. Be respectful of one another first and foremost.

Encourage Organization in Common Areas

If your roommate is always messy in your common areas, take the time to make joint investments in some organizational supplies. Baskets, containers, shelving units, and other storage solutions can encourage your roommate to clean everyday essentials. Also, these can make a large impact on the overall aesthetic and function of the entire unit.

Agree on Swapping Chores

If your roommate is incapable of cleaning to your standards, you may want to have a discussion about swapping out household chores. Perhaps your roommate is good at other chores, like paying bills or performing routine maintenance in your apartment. Consider giving your roommate some of your other jobs in return for adding more of the cleaning responsibilities to your plate. This way, you will still all have your responsibilities, but your apartment will also be clean.

These are four of the ways you can handle living with a roommate that is messier than you. When you live in our apartments for rent in Gainesville, FL, you will have access to many spacious, multi-room apartments that make sharing with a roommate much easier. Contact us today for more information!

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