Dating & Relationships

What Not to Compromise on When Finding Roommates

posted on March 8, 2017 | by Chelsea Becker

Though I love my current living situation, it hasn’t always been the case. From girls who stole my clothes to ones who had their boyfriends over every single night, I’ve experienced my share of roommate mishaps—as I’m sure we all have! Looking back, some of those problems could have been avoided if I had thought about roomie values before moving in. Here are 4 things not to compromise on when finding roommates:

Respect

This is the most important aspect of a good roommate, in my opinion. From not eating your food without asking, to never taking the communal trash out, respect is essential. Do a little Facebook stalking to see how your potential roomie communicates with others before signing a lease. This will give you a true sense of the type of person they are—and whether they seem respectful.

Honesty

When you’re living with a roommate, you’re basically in a relationship with that person. You want to trust them and be able to talk about conflicts. Basically, living with someone who is dishonest will lead to an unhealthy partnership. Make sure you feel comfortable talking to this person before moving in and that you both value honesty.

Cleanliness (or not)

It’s absolutely doable to live with someone who isn’t clean—as long as you’re on the same page. Personally, I’m one of the cleanest people I know, and it took me years of living with others to realize not everyone is similar. Now I know that I can’t live with people who committed to refrigeration organization. If you’re thinking about moving into someone’s current spot, ask to see the place. You’ll get a good sense of how clean they are—especially if you request to stop by last-minute. If the place is way too tidy and you like things casual, it might not be a good fit. Vice versa, if the place is a dump and your idea of a good time is dusting the apartment, move on to the next listing.

Lifestyle

Like cleanliness, it’s important to be on the same page when it comes to how you and your potential roommate(s) live. Inquire about people’s schedules and jobs. If they’re a bartender who likes to have people over and you’re in grad school, that might be a disaster. Similarly, if you know you like to go out often and your potential roomie is saying the opposite, don’t lie; simply find a better situation. It might be smart to swap social media handles before committing so both parties can get a sense of the other person’s lifestyle.

Any roommate horror stories you wanna share??