Whether it’s in a dorm or in a sharehouse, living in close quarters with other people can be a tricky business, with loads of personalities, schedules, and ideas clashing. After a while, you’ll begin to see that most people slot into one of four categories, and it’s just a matter of surrounding yourself with the right ones to ensure you have the best housemate experience possible.
The Clean Freak
Usually at least one of these people will crop up in each sharehouse, and as much as they might annoy you, their presence is kind of essential. Although their label brands them as someone who is hyper-obsessed with having the whole house spotless, really they’re just the most grown-up person in the house who makes sure the bills get paid on time, remembers to mop the floors, and hates it when there aren’t any clean dishes left. They are essential to the functioning of the house, even though they usually get a bad rap for being uptight or boring. If you’re the neat one in your house, you know that it’s no easy feat.
The Lazy Leech
This is the least grown-up member of the house. Really, it’s a miracle they are even able to function as a human being, let alone survive outside their parents’ home. These are the type of people who are always short on rent, never seem to have the money to pay their share of the bills, and have no idea how to do any household chores. These people also seem to feel entitled to eat your food, use your washing powder (which is very expensive), and take your clothes without asking. Probably never to be seen again. Let’s just hope you didn’t like the leech very much in the first place, because living with one can ruin friendships.
The Boyfriend
Although this person is not technically a housemate, you’ll notice their presence more and more as time goes on. They’re the boyfriend / girlfriend / fling of someone in the house, who slowly begins to creep into becoming a regular. It starts with them just sleeping over on weekends, and then they’ll be staying over every night, and soon they’ll be there even when your housemate isn’t, and they’ll have their own key. All without paying rent.
The Soul Mate
Every once in a while, if you’re very, very lucky, you’ll hit the housemate jackpot and find someone who is perfect for you. Better than a friend, better than a partner, you two will be able to exist in perfect harmony and combine forces against the other personalities in the house. You two will agree on what to watch on TV, how often the dishes need to be done, and your policies on sharing possessions. If you’ve had to live with any of the other types of housemates then you’ll understand how precious this person is, so make sure to hold onto them until your house-sharing days are over.
