Cracking Co-living with Spotahome


At some point in our lives, it’s inevitable that we’ll have to share a confined space with other people, whether a crowded office or a flat in an entirely new country. Despite this fact of life, there’s guaranteed to be at least someone who always forgets to wash up their mug or dirty dishes from the night before. Compared to office-life though, it is an inescapable truth that you’ll see your ‘flat-family’ every morning and evening as there’s no nine-to-five clock off. Navigating the realms of co-living can be a tricky aspect of day-to-day life. But worry not, despite these ‘big-move’ tensions, mid to long-term rental specialist, Spotahome, has compiled a few tips and tricks to ensure that no matter how different you may be to your co-living friends, your living situation will remain harmonious and happy. Whether you’re a student, young professional, or you’ve recently made the move to a new city, a shared house is likely to be the most preferable option when looking for a living space with its convenience and security. The only problem you may encounter is ‘getting along’ with your flatmates, particularly if you’re moving to a new country – a combination of differing habits, interests, and cultures might cause a bump in the road.

 

Communication

First things first, don’t forget to talk. It may sound obvious but communicating with your housemates is the best way to ensure everyone knows what’s going on, and what’s expected of each other. Sit down together at the start of your tenancy, make yourselves a hot drink, and check people are clear on the rules of living together. Don’t spontaneously invite large groups of people over, don’t hog the bathroom, and perhaps most important of all, do your washing up. If you start the tenancy off knowing what everyone expects of each other, you’re definitely going to have a much better time settling in.

 

Get chatting

With moving nerves aplenty, it might be tempting to lock yourself away in your room. Instead, spend some time getting to know your housemates, from their likes and dislikes of their favorite films and music taste. Depending on how your tenancy goes, your new housemates, although having started as complete strangers, could become your lifelong friends. Do things together, explore the area, go out on day trips. Living with new people may be difficult, but you should soon have a house full of friends to come home to every day.

 

Compromise

Perhaps most importantly, be willing to compromise. Everyone likes things to go their way – that’s simply human nature – but when you’re living with a group of people who are potentially very different to you, you need to make sure you’re willing to reach a middle ground.Chores
Maintaining a clean and comfortable home is no small feat, especially when it’s being occupied by multiple people. Make sure everyone does their part in keeping your home neat and tidy; divide up the chores by creating a weekly rota, detailing who’s in charge of cleaning the kitchen from one week to the next, or who’s doing the vacuuming, versus wiping down the kitchen counters – failing that, with full time jobs and busy lives, splitting the cost of a cleaner is also safe bet. If you have a particularly forgetful housemate, maybe even incorporate small forfeits; whoever fails to do their weekly chores owes the other housemates a beer or pizza – if they keep forgetting, at least there’s a treat in it for you.
Boundaries
In a shared house, unless something is kept in your designated room, it’s no doubt going to be within reach of your new housemates, and the same goes for them. Make sure you know what items in the fridge are yours to use, and don’t use anything beyond that. Yes, your friend’s newly bought Belgian chocolates look incredibly tasty, but unless she offers them to you, hands off! Asking to borrow the occasional splash of milk or fraction of an ingredient is one thing, but don’t get carried away. Stick to what’s yours unless you get the ‘okay’ and you’ll all get along like a house on fire! (Unrelated tip: do not set the house on fire).
Cleanliness
Also, be aware that cleanliness is key. Really this links back to the chores point, but it’s really, really important. Not only do you need to keep the house as a whole clean, but keep on top of your own washing up, don’t leave your clothes in the washing machine, or wet towels on the floor – no one wants mold growing in the bathroom. Have fun

Finally, enjoy yourself! Ultimately, living in a shared house is a wonderful experience, if only a temporary one. Enjoy it while it lasts, and hopefully, despite any anxieties you may have had initially, the end will involve tearful farewells, and you will have created friendships to last a lifetime.

Mid to long-term rental specialists Spotahome, offer advice on accommodation, working abroad and day-to-day life in over 33 cities and 17 countries, helping to make your rented accommodation feel more like home. For more information on Spotahome and its range of apartments and rooms across Europe, visit spotahome.com.
Photo Credits: Spotahome

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