How To Ace Being The Best Flatmate
There comes a time in your life (we think, we hope) when you don’t live with your mum anymore. And whilst that means no nagging about chores (hooray), you’ve just gotta get on and do them anyway.
You basically have to nag yourself.
But when you’re living with flatmates, it’s even more important to be on your game and just get s***t done. You may have thought that your flatmates are super cool, super cas’ and pretty laid back from when you met them down the local before you moved in, but you’ve got to remember that they live there too.
And they’re not your mum.
In fact, chances are they’ll tolerate things even less than your mum (she loves you always, after all), so sometimes it’s best to keep people on your side. And pick up after yourself.
Take some tips from us, and we guarantee that if there was an award for Best Flatmate of the Year, you’d be winning it…
Pay your rent and bills on time
It’s really not that difficult. The local supermarket don’t let you take home some bread, cheese and beer then pay a month later, because you forgot. So don’t leave poor Chloe having to cough up extra money for the electricity that month. If you set up a standing order from the beginning, you’ll save yourself one less panic having to sort it month on month.
Plus, what’s left from paying everything, contributes to beer fund. WIN.
Tidy up after yourself
We know that the pasta coma is real. We totally get it – and there’s nothing worse than having to wash up after yourself from dinner, when all you want to do, is sink further into the couch and let your food go down. But nobody’s going to clean that up for you, and nobody else should. And Sally will feel so much happier when she comes home from her late shift, to see the kitchen is how she left it in the morning. Tidy.
A tidy house equals a tidy mind remember.
Sharing is caring
So maybe we’re not saying to share everything (some things are best kept to yourself), but will we ever get the pasta to person ratio ever right? Probably not. And if you’re a fan of the tupperware life, then we salute you for being organised, but if you’ve got some leftovers just lurking about, why not offer them to Mark. Mark might really appreciate it, especially if he’s been cooped up all day working on a super important project, with little time to eat.
Now when it comes to sharing pizza, that’s a totally different story. And we’ll never judge.
Resist. Request. Replace
It’s natural to want something that we know we shouldn’t (ie isn’t ours). Take the fancy cheese in the fridge. We know it’s Vicky’s favourite cheese. So resist. Easy. And if you really can’t resist? Request. Text her, and ask politely (ideally without a dramatic story to match). Then replace.
It really is simple. Say it after us. And repeat (the quote. Not the process).
Make the space homely
We’re not talking about you putting up pictures around the room of all your amazing travels and wild nights out, because Becky and Todd probably don’t want to see photos of just you. But, they’ll appreciate if you share your trusty casserole dish with them, or surprise everyone with a new plant for the living room. Small touches from everyone, make your houseshare feel more like a home. For all of you.
Quiet sex
Yeah, we’re going there. Whilst you may think you’re Patrick Swayze under the covers, people outside of your four walls really don’t need to know that. Let Dani and Laura enjoy their movie night in peace, without having to constantly turn up the volume.
Alternatively, just wait till they’re out for the evening. If you can wait…
Make time for each other
Everyone has their own things happening in their lives, and whilst you may think Niall has a pretty boring job, take time to ask how his day was. Because, maybe he might want someone to talk to. Or even just to hang out on the sofa with. And if he fancies opening a bottle of wine, then that’s totally cool too.
It’s nice to be nice.
Replace the toilet roll
Is this really so difficult? Whether it’s an empty roll, or an empty house – stock it back up. It takes seconds (for the changing of the roll, not so much when you’ve gotta pop to the shop, but still). Do we even need to say anymore?
Respect
In the words of Aretha Franklin, R-E-S-P-E-C-T. For your housemates, and for your house.
And when you see the bin overflowing? Yeah, the bin fairy isn’t real – so you might aswell take it out yourself!
