Common Issues Roommates Face and How to Solve Them

Everyone experiences living with a roommate at least once in their life. Whether it’s sharing a room with a sibling or being paired with a complete stranger in your college dorm, we all have had to share a space with someone at one point or another. Though having a roommate isn’t always bad, it certainly does come with its own set of challenges. Living with people is not always easy and living with a roommate can be especially challenging. If you’re getting ready to live with one or two more roommates, our Portland movers want to share some of the issues roommates face and how to solve them.

Common Issues Roommates Face and How to Solve Them

No one wants to be in a hostile or awkward living situation, but sometimes tensions occur when roommates have opposing views. Learning how to navigate the issues roommates face is crucial to maintaining a positive living environment. We have reviewed some of the common issues roommates face and ways to solve these issues.

1. Cleanliness
One of the big issues roommates face is learning to live with another person’s level of cleanliness. It’s always nice when you and your roommate are on the same page and keep your home to a standard that makes you both happy. However, this isn’t always the case and it’s important to know the best way to address this issue. Our Portland residential movers don’t recommend trying to create a chore chart but rather creating an open dialogue with your roommate about the issue instead.

2. Sharing
When sharing a space with someone else, it’s common that the question of sharing will arise. Whether it’s sharing food or toiletries, it’s important to make sure that there are ground rules in place for sharing items, or what you and your roommate plan to do when things run out. There is a chance that your roommate can be very lax about sharing but it’s a good idea to have and set boundaries early. Having this conversation with your roommate before things begin to go missing will minimize conflict.

3. Financial Responsibilities
Financial conversations are one of the issues roommates face that can be easily avoided. Money is always a hard topic to discuss and having to do so with a roommate can be even harder. However, talking with your roommate before moving in and coming up with a game plan is a great way to get ahead of any problems. Our Portland local movers recommend downloading money sharing apps so that you can transfer funds easily and immediately pay each other back for purchases if needed.

4. Unannounced Guests
When you move in with someone, there is always the unplanned for third roommate. Whether it’s a significant other or a friend that’s just always over, a guest that you didn’t plan for can cause tension in your home. Again, it’s a great idea to lay out expectations for visitors and guests before getting settled into your home with a roommate. Keeping a clear and open line of communication will lessen any chances for conflict or bad blood between you and your roommate.

We understand that dealing with the issues roommates face can be exhausting, so let us take care of the heavy lifting for you. All My Sons Moving & Storage can help you get settled into your new Portland home when you’re ready to move. Contact us to schedule your next move and let our professional movers make your move the easiest yet!