Communal living arrangements and shared homes are getting more and more popular as young people strive to save money on the cost of living. This is a practical option for lots of people, especially students, if they want to save cash or if they just don’t want to live alone. Moving into a shared home can be a great experience for many people.
But just be realistic about your expectations. You may envision nights chatting with a glass of wine with your roomies, or sharing all your clothes together, or eating every meal together while laughing about your shared experiences. It can be all that and more, of course, but there are challenges that come with having a roommate. It’s wise to be prepared for those times when you just want some privacy and can’t get it, or when you disagree on fundamental issues such as who cleans what and when.
Consider these points to ensure a smoother move and a more enjoyable shared living experience. You’ll want to hire reputable movers to get you moved in quickly and efficiently.
Find Compatible Housemates
First things first: you have to find a roommate or roommates you can actually stand to live with. This may take some time. If you already have a partner or friend in mind, great! If not, time to start researching. You may be able to choose your roommate after finding your own place, or you may be moving into an already-established communal living arrangement.
Whatever the case, it’s important to be realistic about your expectations and what you want to get out of the situation. Do you want someone who is quiet and keeps to themselves? Or do you want someone energetic and up beat who will get you out of the house and trying new things?
Think about your own personal quirks, behaviors and preferences and make sure they match. If you’re a night owl and you choose a roommate who insists on lights out and quiet by 9 p.m., this arrangement likely won’t work. But if you’re morning person and your roommate sleeps till noon while you tiptoe around, this is an equally unsatisfying arrangement.
Do you want the apartment to be a gathering spot for all your friends or would you rather a quiet oasis? How long do you plan to stay in the home or apartment? Do your roommates have pets?
Have the Money Conversation
You’re obviously saving money by sharing a home with one, two or more people, but there are still financial obligations that need to be heeded. How will the rent be split up? You may not think it’s fair to split the rent evenly for your tiny bedroom vs. your roommate’s large one with walk-in closet. Now’s the time to be honest.
Who will be responsible for paying the landlord each month? Set dates on the calendar for when the rent and utilities are due. Talk about who will purchase which household items and when.
What You Should Bring
If you’re the one moving into the shared home that’s already occupied, essentials such as major appliances and sofas will already be there. But if you’re all starting out on your own from scratch, you’ll have to talk about what you will each bring to the table. You don’t need two kitchen sets, but you may need a few different lounge chairs or lamps.
Before moving day, you may want to start a group text to see who will bring what to the new apartment. You don’t need four microwaves, so make this clear. It’s also wise to delegate tasks. Assign someone to be in charge of décor, and another in charge of stocking essentials like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Establish House Rules
You may have lived by your own house rules in the past, but everybody’s idea of “rules” is different. You may take out the trash once a day, but your roommate may wait till it piles up and starts overflowing. Same with dishes. You may do the dishes right after eating, but your roommate may wait till the end of the day to do all of them. You may want to come up with a cooking schedule, where everybody takes a different night and trades off.
Well before move-in day, sit down together and make those important decisions about everything from chores to finances. You may even want to put it all in writing, especially if you don’t know the person very well. This will hold all parties accountable.
This is the time to set limits about other people visiting the apartment or having parties. You may not want a roommate that hosts parties five nights a week. You may prefer your peace and quiet, so choose a like-minded person OR tell your party-loving friend to keep the get-togethers to once or twice a week.
Make Compromises
Living in a shared space means you have to make many compromises with others. Do all you can to respect the needs and boundaries of those living around you. Courtesy and compromise are critical. These issues can seem small but can mean a great deal to someone else. For instance, maybe you don’t hit snooze seven times before getting up in the morning so your roommate isn’t interrupted. Or maybe your roommate agrees to limit their showers to 10 minutes instead of 20 so you have enough hot water.
In the End
Deciding to split rent with a roommate, whether a best friend or virtual stranger, will bring with it both benefits and drawbacks. A roommate can provide companionship, a way to offset housing costs and a person to commute into work with. However, it can also be challenging to spend so much time so close together.
Building ground rules from the get-go will help make sure everyone is on the same page.
Contact Olde World Movers
To get a free quote on your upcoming move, contact us in our Fort Worth office at 817-618-1557, our Frisco office at 972-362-1779, or our Euless office at 817-406-3653.
