Common Problems You May Encounter With Your Roommate, And How To Solve Them

1. Messy, Unclean, and Untidy Roommate
2. Noisy Roommate

Just when you are starting to settle down from the overwhelming stress and fatigue that is a big part of the moving process, you may find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a problem or two with your new roommate. Even if the problem doesn’t surface for a few months after you first move in, you may want to read the tips in this guide in order to know what to do if any sort of conflict situation arises with your new roommate. Ideally, you will keep this advice in mind even before you start the moving process so you will know how to avoid these problems even before they ever happen.

Messy, Unclean, and Untidy Roommate

This is probably the most common problem you will encounter with a roommate, should you encounter any problems at all. This type of roommate may leave dirty dishes to sit, unwashed, in your shared kitchen sink for days or even weeks at a time, until you break down and clean the dishes for them. This roommate might also leave their possessions lying messily around the living room or another shared area of the living space. Essentially, this is a roommate that refuses to clean up the many, many messes they will make. If this situation should ever present itself…

• Don’t: Do not attempt to get back at them in a passive-aggressive manner. Don’t throw out their stuff just because they left it out, and don’t leave irritating notes around the apartment or house, as this will only aggravate the problem and it will fuel intense negative emotions and feelings.
• Do: Talk to your roommate about a forming some sort of compromise. As tempting as it may be, don’t accuse them directly and don’t list all the problems you have with them. Stay focused on the specific goal of the conversation, and do your best to work out an agreement you both can be reasonably comfortable with.

Noisy Roommate

Whether this person likes to cause a commotion at three in the afternoon or three in the morning, a noisy roommate can be really upsetting and can throw your relaxation and sleep schedule helter-skelter. Once again, the solution lies in making a compromise.

• Don’t: Do not start making arbitrary loud noises any and every time you hear your roommate being loud. Once again, this kind of passive aggressiveness will only heighten the tension and magnify the problem.
• Do: Once again, the best thing to do to solve this problem is to try and talk it out and create a compromise between yourself and your roommate. Try to draft up an agreement where certain hours are considered mandatory quiet hours in the apartment or house. Or, come up with a solution that clearly states that certain areas of the apartment or house are meant to be quiet zones at all times, or maybe designated times only. Hopefully, your roommate gets the hint and harmony ensues.