The 411 on Living with Roommates

College is crazy! Running around from class to class, writing one paper after another, keeping up with your friends and social obligations, studying for exams…it can all get a little stressful. Then, after a long day of studying in the library, you get home and your place is a mess and you have absolutely zero desire to do anything about it! We’ve all been there, and chances are, half that chaos spread across your living room slowly seeping into your kitchen isn’t all yours. It’s a little you, and the person or people you are living with; your roommates. Now, living with roommates can be awesome! But it can also get a little irritating. So avoid the stress this semester and get organized! Make a chore and bill chart. It sounds a little old school, but it will preserve your sanity and guarantee that everything is split evenly. Hang it somewhere in your kitchen where you can always see it, like on the fridge or right next to the microwave. You can get creative with it and decorate it to match your place. Then, make sure everyone sticks to it! If someone skips his or her task that day, make sure you have a game plan as a house on what those consequences are. A good solution is to create a chore jar. Every time someone skips their task, put a dollar in it, but they also have to complete their chore too! At the end of the month take all the money in the jar and buy house supplies with it! It may seem a little juvenile at first, but it definitely keeps everything and everyone in line!

Create a list of everyday essentials that everyone shares. Items like hand soap, paper towels, wet wipes, even shared food items like milk or eggs. Initial each item every time it gets replaced to keep track of who is buying what and in what frequencies. The idea is to take turns, but it’s also a great way to make sure everyone is contributing equally. It will be blatant proof if someone needs to start stepping up and helping out more. Sharing is caring. Living on a college budget is tight, making shopping funds limited. If you and your roomie(s) happen to be the same size and are fine sharing clothes, then make a sign out sheet. Tape it on your closet door, write the item and sign it out and return it in the same condition. Just make sure you let each other know which items are on the OK list and which ones are on the NO BORROW list!

Finally, pick one a day a month to DEEP clean your place. Mopping the floors, scrubbing the bathrooms, cleaning the windows, emptying the fridge, cleaning out the laundry machine filter, dusting, vacuuming; all the things that you wouldn’t typically do on a regular basis. If you have any dreams of getting your security deposit back, you will do this! Make a day of it. Blast your favorite music and order in some take-out after! Deep cleanings should not be limited to when your parents come to visit or when your landlord decides to randomly stop by to “check-in.” Print your own to-do checklist here! These tips might seem a little basic, but follow them and you’ll be living in roommate bliss – not to mention a cleaner, more organized environment!