It’s almost a rite of passage to live in a sharehouse for at least sometime in your life. Whether you’re lucky enough to have one housemate or six, there are often times where problems can arise, both big and small. Instead of leaving passive aggressive post-it notes or constantly complaining to your friends about your housemates, the adult way to go about it is to address the issues in a mature manner. Here are some of the most common problems that come up when you're sharing and how to deal with them.
Extra people
If your housemate/s have significant others, they can often make a permanent appearance in your house. When it gets to the point where they are there every night, not contributing to bills or eating your food, it can start to grate on your nerves, rightly so. Have a chat with your housemate/s and explain gently that you signed up to live with a certain amount of people, and it’s only fair that if they are staying at the house seven days a week then they should at least chip in.
Chores
Chores can be a contentious issue, no one really likes to do them but they’ve just got to be done. Instead of leaving the dishes in the sink for days on end or putting the vacuum cleaner right outside their door hoping your housemate will get the hint, sit them down and have a conversation about it. Try and figure out a workable cleaning roster that you can both live with, compromise is key!
Being too noisy
If your housemate/s tend to be heavy footed when they arrive home from a night out or they wake you up when they turn all of the lights on, you might think they’re doing it on purpose. But they might not actually realise that it’s affecting you. Gently bring it up the next time you see them, so you don’t have to suffer in silence.
Things going missing
Whether your pasta keeps getting eaten or your phone charger has mysteriously disappeared, the phrase what’s mine is yours isn’t exactly right in this situation. If you’re not sure who is taking your stuff or eating your food, make it harder for them to get it. Hide your charger in your room and if they keep taking things that are yours, have a discussion with them and let them know that you’re not okay with them taking your stuff. Hopefully it’s just a misunderstanding and they will get the point.
Sometimes you just won’t get along with your housemate/s and that’s okay, not everyone is going to be your best friend. If you really don’t get along with your housemate/s it may be time to move on to another place. If you’re struggling and need someone to talk to for advice, chat to one of our Sonder team members who can provide support.
If you have any questions or need extra support, we're here to help you anytime, in any language. Simply start a chat with us via the home screen of the Sonder app.
Information sourced from: Urbanest
Image credit: Fresh Meat
All content is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional.