6 Ways to Become Great Friends with Your New Roommate

There is something truly magical about people going from being strangers to sharing new experiences together. For some, finding the perfect roommate is a mission that is of far greater importance than finding life in outer space. Whilst becoming friends may not be rocket science, flat-sharing together can sometimes be a rocky road. Here are some tips on how to become great friends with your new roommate:

1. Respect Personal Space

While respecting each other’s personal space sounds simple, it involves recognising and understanding what the term means to the other person. Taking into consideration simple things, such as time scheduling for the use of shared facilities, and acknowledging your roommate needs time to settle in, can become the key to unlocking the start of a great friendship.

2. Share the expenses

Nothing ruins a friendship between flatmates more than when one person does not contribute towards flat-shared expenses. Paying your half on shared cleaning products or kitchen accessories demonstrates a great level of respect towards your new room-mate.

3. Keep the Flat Clean

If there is one thing that agents and flatmates agree upon it is this: keeping a clean living space! Even if your roommate is not the tidiest person, keeping common areas clean can go a long way when renting together. While student life may not lend itself to spotless environs, tidying a living space is a great expression of friendship. Keeping a clean apartment or house may even help you when it comes to extending your contract.

4. Setting Rules

No matter the circumstances, life can get a little sticky without basic ground rules. These may be as basic as keeping the front door locked or working out cleaning schedules. Writing down a basic set of rules or duties when renting together, and keeping an active communication channel open about them, establishes accountability, without one person having to be the enforcer all the time. Division of labour may be stressful if one roommate is not used to tidying up but, in the long-term, it will do more than just keep the floors clean. Just remember to be flexible and understanding too.

5. Managing Visitors

Managing visitors is a delicate subject, and although this may be a little awkward at the start, keeping them informed of visitors shall help to create boundaries. Likewise, respecting their privacy is a great way to build a friendship based on mutual trust and respect.

6. Looking Out for Each Other

Above all, being a true friend is the quickest way to gain one. Looking out for each other’s safety, health and well-being, without being overly intrusive or overbearing, is a vital aspect in relationships.

Bear these top tips in mind and you are sure to progress from roommates to friends.