Almost everyone will live with roommates at some point in their life. Whether it is in the college dorms, an apartment, or a home, one thing remains constant — having a good relationship with each other is important. Sure, you might not always know your roommate really well before moving in together — sometimes it is out of necessity — but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start things off on the right foot and end up coexisting comfortably.

As a provider of apartments in West Chester, we, here at the Lakes at West Chester Village, understand a thing or two about apartment life. Because we want our residents (and anyone, for that matter) to enjoy their time living in an apartment, we saw it fit to discuss some of the ways that you can navigate life with a roommate.

Be Clear About Expectations

Are you a neat freak? Because your new roommate might not be. So rather than not saying anything and passively growing to resent your roommate, consider being upfront with them about your expectations. That being said, it is a two-way street and you need to respect your roommate’s expectations as well.

When all of the roommates in an apartment are clear about their expectations upfront, something happens that leaves all involved parties happy — compromise!

Nip Issues Before They Become Big

Piggybacking on addressing roommate expectations early, it is also important to address in-home issues before they grow into large problems. Sure, it might be uncomfortable to be straightforward and address an issue with someone that you are not close with, heck, it can even be uncomfortable bringing up an issue to a childhood friend, but doing it sooner than later will help you keep the peace without a huge confrontation in the future.

Respect The Common Areas

When you live in a West Chester apartment there are a couple of things that are important for you to remember:

1. Your room is for you and your things.
2. Their room is for their things.
3. The common areas are for everyone.

While everyone has a pretty good idea of this concept, people tend to forget. If you start to leave all of your things around the apartment (or vise versa) the common area slowly starts to become your area — and your roommate might be uncomfortable with that.

In addition to keeping the common areas clean and clear of all your worldly belongings, it is also important to make sure that the use of the area is shared — meaning that if one roommate has friends over to watch television every night, the other is unfairly snubbed from being able to use the common space.

Lock The Doors And Windows When You Leave

Common sense. Right?

While it is always important to lock the doors and windows of your apartment, whether it is an apartment in downtown Cincinnati or your new apartment for rent in West Chester, it is even more important when you have a roommate. When you have a roommate, leaving the door unlocked is not only risking your personal property, but it is also risking theirs.

Be Open To New Things And Experiences

Being open to new things is incredibly important when you live with a roommate — especially if it is someone that you are still getting to know. Everyone comes from a different place and was raised a little differently than yourself. So it is important to be aware that something you aren’t used to can happen in your kitchen or living room — and there is nothing wrong with that.

Simply Respect One Another

There is a reason that the Golden Rule is drilled into your head as a child. If you respect your roommate, they will respect you (nine times out of 10). If you are nice to your roommate, they will be nice to you. If you try to get to know your roommate and spend time with them, they will do the same for you. Mutual respect will take you a long way.

Do You And Your Roommate Need A Place To Live?

If you are looking for an apartment for rent in West Chester or within a stone’s throw from downtown Cincinnati, we urge you to stop by and check out our West Chester rentals. With world-class amenities ranging from a heated saltwater pool to a dog park, our community is sure to have whatever you need. So what are you waiting for? Schedule a tour today or contact our front office with any questions that you might have!