5 Ways to Make Your Roommate Relationship Work

Let’s face it – having a roommate in college is sometimes unavoidable. While others don’t seem to have a problem co-habitating, others seem to think that roommates are nothing but an invasion of privacy.
Regardless, living with another person is the best way to cut the cost of rent, and it doesn’t have to be unbearable. However, a happy living situation starts with being a good roommate. Read these tips to make your lives pleasant.
Lease: Make sure that everyone signs it. Your John Hancock means that you’re responsible for paying rent and other obligations that the lease may state. With everyone’s signature, the burden is spread out, and everyone has an equal incentive to adhere to the landlord’s wishes.
Cleaning: Though it may sound nerdy, a chore list is a necessity. Ideally, a roommate should pick up after his or herself, but there are chores that go beyond that. Vacuuming the carpet, taking out the trash, and unloading the dishwasher are items that everyone should take part in to keep a clean, happy living space.
Boundaries: Discuss boundaries as soon as possible with your roomie. People have different ideas of common courtesy. It’s important to draw the lines from the get go so everyone is on the same page. If you hate it when someone drinks your milk, designate your side of the fridge. If you want him or her to knock before coming into your room, politely say so.
Utilities: It’s easiest to split everything down the middle and make separate payments. However, some landlords and utilities will only accept one check. Additionally, it’s important to consider usage levels. One roomie may take three showers a day, while the other hogs the TV and the Internet. It may be best to spread the risk and put each utility under a different renter’s name.
Shared items: While you may buy your separate food, items like hand soap and toilet paper are often shared. So that both of you are sharing the load, make a list of items you both use, head to the grocery store together once a month and split the bill.
Being a good roommate is all about respecting the space of others and taking your share of the responsibility. If you and your roomie, or roomies, can follow these two simple rules, your cramped living space can become quite blissful.
Via The Huffington Post