We have all been there – clothes on the floor, food cartons lying around, piles of trash in the corner! Here’s a few tips on how to deal with messy roommates
If your roommates are always leaving their mess all over the place, here are some tips on dealing with them. You can start dealing with your roommates by limiting how much clutter your room can have.
Your belongings are kept in one area, and there is enough space for you to move around freely. Develop a system for keeping track of who owes who a clean-up and when.
It’s essential to have an open and honest conversation about the state of the room and how each of you feels about it. If your roommate is receptive, work together to devise a cleaning schedule that works for both of you.
If your roommate refuses to help or is downright rude about the whole situation, it may be the right time to find a new place to live. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that you’re not responsible for your roommate’s mess, and you shouldn’t have to live up to rudeness, either.
How To Deal With Messy Roommates
Sharing your living space with a messy roommate can be frustrating if you’re a neat freak. However, there are ways to deal with the situation without becoming bitter or resentful. Here are a few tips:
- Discuss:- If your roommate is aware of your concerns and knows that you’re not happy with the way things are, they may be more likely to make an effort to clean up their act.
- Pick your arguments very wisely with your roommate:- You want them to understand your problem without any confrontation. Since you live with them, you also don’t want to be rude to them.
- Explain yourself:- One of the best ways to solve this issue is to explain yourself to your roommate. You can make them understand that their habit is affecting you. If you have a dirty roommate, you can also explain that cleanliness is good for health. You can work with them initially, helping them form cleaning habits and their surroundings until they are comfortable doing everything on their own.
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- Don’t blame them:- Blaming them will result in an argument. Your roommate will not likely like all the accusations you put against them. So instead of blaming them, you can have a more understanding approach.
- Provide solutions:- Instead of just stating the problems for the situation, try and also come up with solutions to those problems. Explain that a certain level of cleanliness needs to be maintained in order for you to remain roommates.
- Create boundaries:- If your roommate doesn’t seem to be taking your complaints seriously, it might be necessary to set some boundaries. For example, you could ask them to put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher or keep their clothes off the floor. Bathrooms can have designated areas for keeping their stuff and yours. You can put their dirty laundry in their room whenever they leave it in a common area.
- Clean up yourself:- It’s important not to let your kitchen become cluttered and messy just because you’re sharing it with someone else. Clean some mess yourself and don’t do this at a stretch. Take breaks and this way you can clean the house by removing small clutters at a time. You can also call a cleaning service. If you use a cleaning service, make sure that you deduct the bill from their share of the rent, or add a clause to the roommate agreement for the same.
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Golden Tip On Dealing with a Messy Roommate
Messy roommates never seem to put anything away, and it always seems to be your job to clean up after them. But there is a way to deal with this situation that doesn’t involve constantly nagging or arguing.
Talk to the roommate about the problem. Let your roommate know that you acknowledge their help when they clean up, but their messy habits are becoming a burden. If your roommate is willing to work with you to manage household chores, then great! If not, then you may need to take more drastic measures.
The golden tip is to start removing their stuff from common areas. If they leave their clothes on the floor, put them in a garbage bag. Don’t worry even if the clothes or other items are new. If they leave dishes in the sink, put them also in the bag and just THROW THEM. This will be harsh on them but they will surely not create a mess the next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of a lazy roommate?
There are some ways to remove a lazy roommate, the most important being communication. Talk to them about their behavior and let them know their laziness impacts your life.
If they don’t take your problems seriously or refuse to change their ways, you may need to take more drastic measures. One option is to ask them to leave, but this can be difficult if you’re not on good terms or if they’re paying rent.
Another option is to talk to your landlord and see if they can help you evict your roommate.
Should I wash my roommate’s dishes?
No there is no rule that you have to wash another person’s dishes. Unless there is a division of labor set between the two of you, just ask them politely to do it and if they refuse after multiple request, throw out their plates and spoons.
It might seem aggressive, but you are not there to wash their dishes, and neither should you risk getting molds and fungus in your house just because your roommate doesn’t have the sense to pick up after themselves.
How do you tell your roommate that they smell?
There are a few subtle clues that you can give your roommate to let them know that they smell. For example, you could tell them that their clothes smell like smoke or their hair smells like cigarettes.
You could also tell them that their breath smells bad. If none of these clues work, you might have to be more direct and tell your roommate that they smell like smoke. No matter your chosen method, being honest with your roommate is essential.
How do I distance myself from my roommate?
Set some ground rules at the beginning. Keep communication open. Talk about how often you want privacy, when it’s okay to have friends over, and what areas of the apartment are off-limits. Spend time apart.
Talking may seem like an obvious solution, but it can be hard to relax and recharge if you’re always around each other. Find something you and your roommate both enjoy doing and make time for that outside of your shared living space.
Wrap Up
If you are having difficulty dealing with a messy roommate, there are some things that you can do to try and fix the problem. Talk to your roommate about the issue and see if you can come to a compromise.
If that doesn’t work, consider talking to your landlord or finding a new place to live. Finally, remember to stay calm and patient, and don’t let the mess get to you. Thank you for reading the article, do share your feedbacks and encouragement in the comments section below!