Moving in with friends is one of the most fun aspects of college life, but it can also be a little stressful. It is easy to get caught up in the stress of moving and not realize how much you need to talk personally with your roommates before you move in together.
The most important tip is to have discussions upfront. This helps to ensure you all are on the same page when it comes to expectations and schedules.
Important Tips to Consider Before Moving in with Friends
It is difficult even for siblings to get along well, with much fewer roommates. To avoid unnecessary clashes and bad energy, you must be honest and open about your limits and expectations. However, when doing this, be considerate. For instance; students often ask “is it okay for their roommates to take my online quiz for me?” Well, the answer to this depends on whether your roommate would want to do that or not, but you must not force them. You are not entitled to their help.
Remember that no one is perfect; if someone is not willing to compromise on certain things, that is fine. But try to find a solution that works for everyone involved.
Below are some tips for moving in with friends:
Figure out who does what
You will want to figure out who is responsible for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, as well as the living room, bedroom, hallway, cooking, and other domestic chores. One person might choose to clean the kitchen while someone else cleans the room.
Figuring out who is responsible for a particular chore will reduce the number of clashes that might arise, and will ultimately improve the hygiene of your apartment. It is always best to create a schedule for you and your friends and to ensure that everyone sticks to the schedule.
Do not expect to not have issues
Your different habits and ways of dealing with conflict might trigger anger or confrontation. No matter how long you all have been friends, living together will cause some issues. However, your abilities to manage conflict and disagreements will determine the length of your friendship and the measure of harmony in your home. Furthermore, it is very healthy to encourage each other’s individuality by respecting the differences in your personalities.
Discuss finances before you sign anything
It is also important not just to talk about cleaning schedules, but also about how much money everyone should spend on groceries each week. You must discuss financial matters before you sign any lease. Know how much you are going to be paying for rent, utilities, and other expenses. You should also know what your roommates are paying so that everyone is on the same page when it comes time for you guys to split up the bill at the end of each month.
Find a routine that is good for everyone
In the hustle and bustle of school life, trying to learn more, and combining school with work or extra-curricular activities can be extremely frustrating, which is why it is important to find a routine that benefits everyone.
Once you have got your place together, it is time to find a suitable routine. It is necessary to not be too rigid or controlling at this stage; instead, try being flexible and willing to compromise.
For instance, if one friend is a morning person and the other functions much better at night, you could both create a shift that allows one to do a morning chore, and the other a night chore. Similarly, if one person likes cooking meals, but does not like doing the dishes after eating them—and vice versa—the one who would rather do the dishes should be saddled with the responsibility of doing them, while the one who loves to cook, should focus on cooking. This is a simple division of labor.
These sorts of compromises are sometimes necessary when working out schedules of living arrangements between both friends, and new acquaintances.
Always have each other’s backs, even when it is hard
It can be hard to admit that you need help, but it is crucial to remember that no one person is responsible for the success of your friendship and harmonious living conditions except you. As much as we all want to be independent and self-sufficient, sometimes we just need each other more than we care to admit.
If you are living with friends whom you may have known for years—or even if you just met recently—always remember that change is the only constant thing in life, and as such, people are prone to change.
With time you may notice some patterns in their behavior that may seem strange or out of character. If this happens often enough, consider whether the new changes in character might affect how well-suited your situation is; If it does not, then moving to another place would be the next best solution.
Respect Privacy
Respecting privacy is a major part of friendship. Although you are friends with your roommates, you must learn to respect their privacy.
- Do not take stuff from them without their permission.
- Avoid entering their rooms without knocking.
Effective Communication
You will have different interests, priorities, and values, the same way you will have different styles of communication. You all need to learn to understand each other’s communication skills to effectively communicate.
Without effective communication, your friendship will die as a result of constant disagreements. You all need to communicate with each other, so you do not end up spending your entire weekends arguing over something insignificant.
Conclusion
Moving in with your friends can be a lot of fun, but it is also very important that you are confident enough to handle problems. When taking this crucial step, you must find ways through which you can compromise on certain things so as not to alienate any one of your roommates or friends. If any issues come up during your time together as roommates, then remember not to let those issues stop your friendship.
We hope you found this blog post on 7 Tips for Moving in with Friends useful. Be sure to check out our post on 10 Moving Tips That Will Make Your Transition Easier for more great tips!
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