Share a Roof Without Raising the Roof

Making London home with your roomie

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer might seem pointless if you have a roommate.

Friend or foe, the distance between you and their bedside never wavers...

But this is supposed to be your home, so how can you make it yours without pushing away your roomie? 

Being (and staying) friends with your roomie 

First and foremost is to be on friendly terms with your roommate. In no way do you and your roommate have to be a pair of snug peas in a pod, but maintaining and preserving a good relationship throughout the year certainly helps! Here are some actions you can take to keep that friendship going: 

🧹Preemptively doing chores or opt to split costs on shareable goods such as toilet paper, trash disposal bags, and cleaning equipment.

🗣️ Keeping up with their life and asking about their day! You’d be surprised at how talkative people are in the comfort of their bedroom than the seats of a bustling lecture. Spend some time together!

🧑‍🍳 Cooking meals together is a good way of bonding while also ensuring that you have something other than a Meal Deal on weekends (plus you can split the cost of ingredients!)

❤️ Being mindful and keep an eye on your roommate's behaviour. If your roomie is tired, give them some space. Use headphones and set your alarms to vibration only. It's the small things that count.

Crisis diversion

But even the most amicable of allies run into problems! A lone sock burrowed too far into their territory? Clogged toilets? Unceremonious alarms at 3 AM? Sooner or later, one of you will encounter problems.

To ensure the structural integrity of the building you both reside in, consider the following actions!

🫂 Be transparent. If there's a problem affecting the shared spaces you both use. Tell your roommate. Be honest and own up to it if you know you had a part in it. People are often more insulted by dishonesty than by the problem itself, so keep your roommate in the light!

🤝 Agree on shared values, maybe clean bathrooms, tidy rooms, or peaceful evenings. Having collective goals makes taking action easier.

🙊 Watch your language. Avoid making your roommate feel like they need to constantly defend themselves. Make them feel like they are being heard, and ask them if they are comfortable.

🎙️Keep to your word. Finally, once you reach an agreement, honour it. You could even include a clause for penalties, i.e., push-ups. Do a burpee every time you leave the bedroom a mess. People tend to respect initiatives more than words.

Home-ing for 2  

Now that you and your roommate can coexist without strife. It's time to call this place Home.