1. Be patient
To successfully live with new roommates, it is important to cultivate patience and tolerance as they may have different backgrounds and ways of doing things. Initially, everyone may be cautious around each other and hesitant to leave dirty dishes in the sink. However, as time passes, there may be a slip in cleanliness which can be frustrating. One way to handle this is to exercise patience and tolerance, giving them a day to fix the situation before asking politely for them to clean up. It is important to set household rules to prevent these situations from occurring and to lead by example in following them.
2. Have a cleaning roster
Establish a plan for maintaining shared areas, like the kitchen, lounge, and bathrooms. Vacuuming on a daily basis is unlikely to be appealing, so creating a schedule that specifies who is responsible for what each week is a fair way to distribute the workload and establish guidelines for you and your housemates. Putting this schedule in writing will ensure that everyone is held accountable and may decrease the likelihood of disagreements.
3. Purchasing household essentials
Establish a method of determining who is responsible for purchasing communal items like toilet paper, tissues, and cooking oil. This can be done through a schedule or reminder system, which prevents anyone from being stuck with buying everything or a situation where paper towels are used instead of toilet paper because none is available. Starting a household fund for these necessities, to which each flatmate contributes weekly or monthly, is another option if some roommates are forgetful or you are particularly organized. This approach guarantees that you do not have to purchase everything and wait to be reimbursed.
4. Make time for your flatmates
Build strong relationships with your flatmates by spending time with them outside of the house and organizing social activities together. You could arrange a movie night or a shared meal for just the roommates. These kinds of activities can help you to connect with your flatmates and create lasting friendships. Who knows, you may even end up being flatmates again in the future!