Life with a roommate – what’s to know?

It’s not the place you live in, it’s the people you live with. That is, at least one of many pearls of wisdom that surround life with a roommate. Living with a roommate can be quite great, but you need to be aware of all the little things that can go wrong so you can deal with them on time. Do not think that living with someone is going to be a breeze. There will be issues. But, what will determine the success of your relationship is how you deal with them.

How to find a roommate

The first thing you need to realize is that you cannot be roommates with simply anyone. Not that there is anything wrong with either them or you. The thing is that people are different and you need to find someone that is just different enough so that you can live with them. Generally, the more similar you are the better. But, keep in mind that there is such a thing as being too similar to your roommate. That is not good as you will help each other emphasize bad sides. Let us elaborate.

The right roommate can help you grow like no one else.

What should a roommate be like

There is no ideal roommate for everyone. But, there is an ideal roommate for you. You only need to know what to look for. Look for someone that is similar to you, but not too similar. You want someone who you can live with, but who will help you go outside of your comfort zone. If you are too messy and unorderly, get a roommate that is more organized. If you are too tidy and shy, find someone who is more relaxed and who is outgoing and who will help you socialize with new people. It’s not easy to get out of the comfort zone, but you need to do it if you want to grow.

Interview

An interview is mandatory. Even if you have known the person for years. If you haven’t lived with them before, you don’t know what their living habits truly are. The most important thing you need to have during the interview is honesty. Both you and your potential roommate need to be honest if the interview is going to work. Tell them that there is no point in being dishonest as everything will come out eventually. Therefore, it is much better than you know how you are and whether you can live together. But, know, that even if they say that they will be completely honest, always take what they say with a grain of salt.

Talk with your potential roommate honestly so that you a better idea on what your future life might be like.

How to organize your life with a roommate

Once you are done with the interview you can simply relax and enjoy your new life with a roommate, right? Wrong! If you have any sense about you, you are going to spend some time organizing your life and getting things in order.  But, that doesn’t mean that you have to cold and calculating, just careful. If you like them, you can start your relationship by giving them advice on moving to NYC. Help them find affordable movers in Brooklyn and help them move in. They will appreciate it once you start your life with a roommate.

Sharing living space

Start off by figuring out how you are going to share your living space. If you are in a situation where everyone has their own room, great. You will have the space needed to make your room feel like home. But, even if that is the case, you will still need to share some space like the kitchen and the bathroom. Know your schedules and figure out how not to be in each other’s way. If you have to be, make sure that it is for the least amount of time. The less you bother each other with everyday issues, the better. That goes triple if you have to share a room with each other. That is when living with a roommate can get complicated.

Moving in

Help each other move in. Moving in is complicated and you will do both your roommate and yourself a favor by helping them out. Offer them a hand in unloading trucks and unpacking their stuff. But, keep in mind that you can’t help them with everything. If they have heavy items you should figure out a plan so that they can bring them in with ease. Experts can help you with your furniture and its relocation, and you shouldn’t shy away from getting their help. The easier your move is the better start you will have in your new life with a roommate.

Cleaning

Cleaning is usually the biggest issue, especially if one of you hasn’t lived outside of their parents home. Until we start cleaning after ourselves we simply have no idea of how much mess we actually make. Your best bet is to separate everything. If something is dirty or messy it needs to be completely clear who did do their job. And don’t do each other any favors. Explain why it is important that you clean after yourself. And, once you know what it truly means to clean, you can start doing each other favors.

If you figure out how to deal with dirty dishes without arguing, you will make your life with a roommate much easier.

Ground rules

Next thing you need to do is to lay down some ground rules. The more you live with someone the more you will realize how you will need some rules, while you can forget about others. But, never the less, you need to figure out some rules that you are going to abide by. How are you going to store food? When are you going to pay for the bills? What happens if someone brings someone over? When do you go to sleep and what changes when you do? Even though you might that these things are self-explanatory, trust us, they aren’t. You need to deal with them as soon as possible.