How To Deal With Messy Roommates

Living with roommates can be fun and fruitful, but it can also be messy and stressful. When living with other people, you have to balance their privacy with your own and deal with their habits.

Roommates can be friends, family members, or strangers that met through an apartment listing. Regardless of how you meet them, it is important to respect their space and personal belongings.

Having good roomie skills is a way to keep the peace in the apartment. These skills can be taught and applied no matter what your living situation is. Some of the most important ones are discussed here.

Whether you are moving into an apartment with a friend or your new roommate is moving in with bags full of stuff, these tips will help you both settle in smoothly.

Be explicit with your roommate(s)

It may seem obvious, but you should definitely talk to your roommate(s) about how you want to split the cost. If you’re paying more than them, you might want to ask them to pick up their own share of the mess they create.

You can also ask them to keep their stuff organized so that it’s easy for you to organize and put away your things.

If you find that you’re having issues with organizing or staying organized yourself, try explaining that to your roommate. Perhaps they’ll understand and help fix the issue.

If this isn’t the issue, then you can discuss how both of you can stay organized and share the responsibility. It may take some time to find an effective solution, but it will be worth it in the end.

Keep your dirty laundry to a minimum

If you have a messy roommate, the best way to deal with it is to try to keep your side of the room clean and organized.

If you have a habit of leaving your clothes on your bed or floor, then you need to get into the habit of putting them away immediately.

Your roommate may not have a problem with having a messy room, but they probably don’t want to walk around in dirt and grime.

It may seem silly, but trying to keep your area organized will help prevent fights over mess. It will also help you feel more comfortable and organized yourself.

Avoid keeping things out on shelves or in drawers unless they are washed and put away. If this is difficult for you, try keeping bins or plastic containers for things so that they are easier to organize and hide.

Do not leave dishes in the sink

While this may seem like a simple rule, many people do not follow it. If your roommate does not clean their dishes, then you can’t expect them to clean yours.

If you have enough dishes for yourself, then make it a rule to wash your own dishes after you eat. If you do not have enough dishes or snacks to get you through the day, then get a refrigerator and/or cabinet for yourself.

It is also wise to keep your expensive items in your own room or somewhere safe so that no one else uses them or damages them. Having these things in separate places will help keep the place clean.

It is also wise to keep a supply of towels for everyone so that there is a way to dry off after a shower or pooling. This will help prevent mold and mildew which are big allergies.

Ask your roommate to clean up after themselves

If you notice that your roommate has a habit of leaving their stuff everywhere and not putting things away, you should ask them to change their behavior.

Sometimes people have a hard time being organized, and it can be hard to keep things in order. If this is the case, it may be a deeper problem than just clutter.

You should meet with your roommate and discuss how they can improve this issue. Tell them that it is annoying to have to constantly pick up after them and that they want to have a good relationship with them.

If they are willing to fix the issue, offer to help them organize some areas of the room so they can start getting more organized. You could buy some baskets or storage containers to help them organize their stuff too.

Ask your roommate to stop doing something

If you notice your roommate doing something that annoys you, ask them to stop. It can be difficult to face someone you live with and tell them they’re doing something wrong, but it can fix problems quickly.

It is best to do this when you are calm and not in the middle of an argument. An argument may be what triggers you to want to ask them to stop something, but that won’t help your case.

If they are doing something that is a danger to the both of you, such as having a fire alarm going off in their room when you are asleep, then go ahead and ask them to stop it.

Depending on the situation, they may not even know that what they are doing is bothering you, so letting them know may solve the problem.

Create a roommate agreement

After you’ve talked about the issues you’ve both had with each other, it’s time to discuss how to better deal with each other.

A great way to do this is to create a roommate agreement. This can be a written or verbal agreement that you both agree to. It can include things like who pays what portion of the bills, cleaning schedules and responsibilities, communication about issues, and anything else you’ve struggled with.

It’s also a great way to track changes in your life. If one of you gets a job promotion or has to move, then addressing changes in your life can be addressed in the agreement.

This was very helpful for us! We were able to address issues we hadn’t before because we were writing them down. It also helped us realize how much we did care about each other and wanted the best for each other.

Set time limits for watching TV or using the computer

While watching TV or listening to music is a nice way to relax after a long day, it can become excessive if done too often.

Many people develop bad habits due to the excess time they have to spend at home. This can include eating poorly and not moving around enough due to the length of TV shows and movies.

It can be expensive to pay for a large amount of internet service and Netflix and Hulu subscriptions, so limiting the time of access can help avoid this issue.

Roommates should also discuss whether or not they will cook together and what foods they each like and dislike in order to avoid wasting food. Couples may want to discuss whether or not they will have kids before moving in together, as this can lead to more mess.

These are all things that potential roommates should discuss in detail before officially moving in together.

Switch tasks with your roommate(s)

If you have a roommate, try to help them with tasks they have to do.

For example, if they have to do the dishes, you can take out the trash or vacuum the floor. Similarly, if you take out the trash, they can wash the dishes or vacuum the floor.

This helps you get things off your plate and off your floor quickly, while also helping your roommate feel more comfortable in your space. It also gives you some time to yourself when you need it.

If you have several roommates, try rotating tasks and activities so that everyone has to do the same things. This way, everyone will feel like they’re contributing and having to take care of things. It may take a few weeks to get into a rhythm, but it will help resolve conflicts between people.

Roommates may be friends outside of the apartment, but in general people need some time apart to handle their own stuff. Having these small “breaks” during the day will help keep the apartment peaceful.