If you follow me on Instagram, you know I just released a book (a post about the book is coming on Sunday!) I’ve recently been kicking myself in the foot about all the things I wish I included in it (seriously, I have a huge bruise!). Maybe this is a sign for a book #2??
Today, I want to discuss the VERY relevant and important subject about living with roommates. I’ve sprinkled upon this subject in previous blog posts, but I’ve never created a dedicated post for it. As much as I LOVE talking interiors with you all … sometimes it’s nice to take a break and discuss good ole’ fashion logistics.
Whether you’re living with a romantic partner or just a friend, these go-to tips will help you live as seamlessly as possible … especially if you have different interior tastes!
1. NEVER split the cost of furniture.
Whether you live with a close friend or someone you just met, I suggest [yourself] purchasing half the items and the other roommate purchasing the other half. Do not split the cost of everything. This will cause controversy once someone moves out because there will be confusion and possible confrontation on who keeps what.
2. If you have different interior styles, stick to neutral bases …
… and add character through small pieces of decor like pillows and decorative accents. Neutral tones like grays, whites, and tans can be mended to any interior. TAKE TURNS and split up who is choosing what decor for the living room. For example, one roommate can have art dibs and the other can have decor dibs. This way, you BOTH have a say in how the living room looks. And BTW – it’s OK to mix two interior styles. You can ALWAYS make it work.
3. Leave the personal photos out of the common living areas
Art and photography are perfectly fine in a common living area. However, personal photos should be left for the bedroom and personal areas. (this mostly applies if you live with a roommate and not a significant other!) I personally don’t like decorating with personal photos in general (that’s a whole other blog post ?).
4. My 5 5 5 rule
Have YOU heard of the 5 5 5 rule? Probably not, since my mom was the one who taught it to me! BE FLEXIBLE with your roommate. Is it worth it to pick a fight over a lamp? Will this matter 5 days from now, 5 weeks, or 5 years? If it won’t matter 5 weeks from now or in 5 years, it’s not worth worrying over.
5. Be respectful of each other’s work schedule
When I used to live with a roommate, we alternated times to work in the living room. There wasn’t space for a dedicated office in our apartment, so we used a folding table as a makeshift desk (BTW: I wrote a whole post about how a folding table is an item everyone needs in their apartment). I needed space where I could edit video and she needed a quiet space to study.
6. Be respectful of who you bring over
Ok so short story: my first roommate in NYC had a guy come over one night and I woke up with him in my bed. He was drunk and thought my room was her room. It was an honest mistake … but dear Lanta, I hope that NEVER happens again. ASK your roommate if it’s ok for a certain person to come over and HOW OFTEN they should be allowed to come over. My second roommate was a doll (miss you, Erica!) and had her boyfriend over a MAXIMUM of two nights every week just to respect me.
And there you have it! Those are my go-to tips for living with a roommate. I am sure there are more tips I could have discussed, but these are the main ones. Do you have any go-to roommate tips? Or will you try any of these out? Let me know down below!
XO, Chelsey
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