Living with my 6 roomates has not only taught me so much but also blessed me with 6 sisters that I can count on.
This June I decided I had enough of living by myself & signed a lease with 6 other girls for a house in Vancouver. Since moving in, I’ve learned a lot about living with others and wanted to share advice for those who might be in the same situation (now or in the future).
- Have a chore schedule:
And stick to it. Assigning weekly chores to each roommate helps communal spaces stay clean and organized. It also prevents conflicts in the house over whose mess is whose. For example taking the trash out, cleaning the kitchen, or buying household items.
- Assign everyone a laundry day:
We are seven girls in a house, the laundry machines get busy! So it just makes sense that each girl gets her own designated laundry day. It helps reduce conflict over who’s turn it is to use the machines. Obviously, if something comes up and you cannot do laundry on your day you can always swap with someone else.
- Communicate openly:
Do not bottle things up: if something is bothering you, be upfront about it. Communicating will also help you prevent conflict in the future, it stops you from bottling up how you feel. Make a group chat! We decided to use WhatsApp as our platform for communication. Group chat does not only have to be about the house; we communicate with each other when we are on campus, leaving to go home or even just updating each other about something that happened during the day.
- Set standards together:
Do not assume your roommates have the same expectations as you. Everyone has their own definition of cleanliness, that’s why it’s important to set what the standard should be beforehand. Talk about it with each other, and set what the standard should be.
- Have quiet hours:
As soon as the clock strikes 11 pm and until 8 am, our household goes quiet during the week. (Make exceptions for parties, duh.) This prevents conflict surrounding noise and allows everyone to get enough sleep at night.
- Host house meetings:
Once a month, my roommates and I get together and discuss house issues. Things like what needs fixing and any suggestions to facilitate living with each other. Through these meetings, we are able to make collective decisions.
- Buy plastic organizers for the freezer:
The freezer can sometimes get really full quickly, especially when you’re 4 sharing it. Buy an organizer to organize space – and it helps prevent accidentally eating your roommate’s food!
My last piece of advice is to have fun!! Go out together, host family dinners, and have movie nights. Living with my 6 roommates has not only taught me so much but also blessed me with 6 sisters that I can count on.