Five ground rules every share house needs

If you’re leaving home to move into your first ever share house, chances are you’re in for a really fun year. But there’s always at least one roommate who dampens the fun by not pulling their weight. If you want to make your share house experience the best it could possibly be, lay down these ground rules at the beginning for everyone to abide by. If need be, write these out, stick it on the fridge and treat it like a sub-clause to the real contract.

Take it in turns to buy the household essentials

Everyone’s tastes will inevitably differ when it comes to food, so it’s fair enough if you do your own separate grocery shopping. But there are some items that you’ll all share and will save you money if you share the cost around. Milk, bread, eggs, paper towel, toilet paper, tissues – the list goes on. If you don’t lay down some rules on what to do when these items run out, you’ll either be in a situation where you never have any essentials, or one person will end up footing the expenses every time.

Instead, have a system where you alternate each week on who has to buy these items. Alternatively, if it’s too hard to keep track, keep a communal money bowl where you contribute $5 a week. If you’re ever out of the essentials, take the money from the share bowl so no one’s out of pocket.

Have a cleaning roster

Many flatmate friendships have been ruined in the past when one person chooses not to lift a finger. If you’re worried about certain housemates not pulling their weight (or think you’re the one likely to forget to do chores), draw up a week-by-week roster for cleaning responsibilities. From vacuuming the floors to taking out the bins, if you assign tasks, there’s a better chance they’ll actually get done. If they don’t get done, you know exactly who to point the finger to.

Be mindful of your roomies when bringing someone back to your room

Whether it’s a boyfriend or a one night stand, be mindful if the walls are thin that there are people around you who might not want to hear your sex noises. This can be particularly hard if you come home drunk – but that’s the time where it’s even more important to keep others in mind. If you come home drunk. Be mindful of slamming doors, dropping keys and other general disturbances that might annoy your roommates at 3am.

Designate cupboards and label your food

If you have the storage space, divide up and designate cupboards to each housemate to avoid mixing up similar food items. For items in the fridge, keep post-it notes nearby so people know to keep their paws off your food. You may have a rogue roommate who ignores all of these things, but at least you’ve done all you can. The next step might involve setting up booby traps or secret cameras to find out who the chocolate stealer is.

Have some communal fun but give each other some space

If you don’t want to drive each other absolutely crazy, it’s good to give each other some space. It can make the share house experience so much funner if you have a night where you all get together, drink wine and watch movies in your PJs. But there are times where you'll just want to be alone and chill out in your bedroom, so you should respect your housemates if they feel like doing the same.

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