In today’s world, it is much more economically feasible to live with another person than it is to live on your own. Though this can be a great way to save some money and have some fun, it isn’t always the easiest. One of the biggest concerns is how messy your potential roommate will be, and most importantly, how to deal with it without hurting any feelings. 1. Set Clear Boundaries & Express Your Concern The first thing you are going to want to do is to set clear boundaries in your room of what is yours and what is theirs. No, these boundaries do not need to be lined out with tape, but it might help if you both have a good idea of where your space ends and your roommates space begins. Not only will this help you keep your side of the room nice and clean, it will also help you keep all of your things organized so that they won’t get lost in your roomies’ mess. 2. Set Up Cleaning Schedules Setting up a cleaning schedule at the beginning of the year is crucial to making this close quartered relationship work. Either switching off each week, or every two weeks, setting a precedent early is the best way to avoid a messy room. It is also important to note that the longer it takes for the two of you to develop some sort of plan, the longer your room will stay a complete mess. 3. Outline Individual Responsibilities We all know someone that just absolutely hates doing laundry, so why not compromise. The key to a healthy relationship is communication, and what better way to keep clean than to communicate with each other and take on the tasks that you like more. If your roommate wants to do the dishes every week, perhaps you can take on the sweeping. That way, your room will stay clean and no one will be arguing about whose turn it is to clean because there is a sense of accountability. 4. Get Rid of Unnecessary Clutter When it comes to smaller living spaces, the last thing you want is unnecessary items cluttering up your living room! Especially when it comes to college, there are so many items that aren’t needed on a day to day basis that you buy and never use! Try and maximize your space by getting rid of unnecessary junk. 5. Rent a Storage Unit This can be a life saver when it comes to dealing with a messy roommate. As you would have probably guessed, much of the clutter and mess comes from items that are rarely used. Nothing is more obnoxious than your roommate’s snow gear (e.g. jackets, skis, and snowboards) taking up all of your space in the middle of summer! There are a variety of different sized storage units that can fit you and your roommates’ perfect needs, for either long-term or short-term storage.
