by Loren Howarth
It’s your first time living in a share house with your friends. You can’t wait until uni begins so you and your bestie can spend 24/7 together in your new pad. Three weeks in and you realise you’ve overdone it and now you’re avoiding each other. Maybe having sleepover’s in each others rooms every night wasn’t the best idea?
If you’re new to living in a share house with your friends, here’s a tip – it can be hard. Unless of course, you do it right. If you want to make the next few years a breeze and one of the best times of your life, then here’s your 101 guide on how to live with your friends.
- Don’t over-crowd each other
There’s no questioning it, living with your friends will be one of the best times of your life. Especially because you’ve finally gained independence from moving out of home, with the added benefit of living with people you know.
It’s fun to hang out with your bestie, but try not to spend too much more time with them than you normally would. You don’t have to live in each other’s pockets. You’ll live just across the hall anyway. So don’t stress if you don’t go grocery shopping together. Having alone time to yourself is necessary, use this time to catch up on your favourite TV show.
- Set ground rules
Money is an awkward topic, especially when no one wants start the conversation. But unless you want to pay the bills solely from your own pocket, then you need to suck it up and have the adult conversation. Setting rules will save awkward arguments later down the track. You could use a pin board to keep track of the bills, this way everyone can see what needs to be paid, when it needs to be paid.
- Respect each other’s belongings
Each of you will most likely contribute furnishings to the house. You might own the fridge, whilst your friend might own the TV. Keep this in mind, and make sure that you treat every item with care. After all you’re a uni student that probably can’t afford to replace it. Living out of home is already an expense.
- Clean up after yourself
Your friends are probably messier than they make out to be (we all get lazy at times). Maintain your room as you please (that’s your space), but in shared living spaces you need to clean up after yourself. If everyone contributes, then the house should always be clean and tidy. Keep track on whose turn it is to do the dishes. Or maybe just wash your own dishes (that comes under ground rules).
- If you’re going to have a party – ask if it’s OK first
No one wants to be woken up at 3am due to loud music and your drunken house mates. Especially if you needed a good rest for your big exam the next day. Communicate with each other by checking that everyone is fine with having a few people around. This will avoid tension the next day. Set rules you all agree on such as no parties during exam periods.
