NY may get the brunt of it, but compact living spaces are on the rise all over the country. Studio and one-bedroom apartments are shrinking, and even three-bedroom apartments are feeling the squeeze. In fact, 2022 witnessed the sharpest decline in apartment sizes, with the average apartment now just 889 square feet.
Now, imagine coming home after a long day, only to find the bathroom cluttered with your roommate’s laundry or the kitchen counters buried under a mountain of dishes. When you’re sharing tight quarters, these minor annoyances can quickly escalate into major grievances.
To maintain peace in a shared, compact space, it’s crucial to follow a few key roommate etiquettes. Implementing these simple yet effective strategies can create a more peaceful and enjoyable living environment for everyone involved.
1. Rules, Rules, and Rules
Here, we’re a stickler for the rules. Call it goody-two-shoes behavior or just the wisdom of someone who’s had their fair share of living in small spaces. Establishing some ground rules right from the start can save a lot of headaches down the road.
When your roommates are moving in, it’s the perfect time to highlight some key rules. Consider these essential topics:
- How and What Bills to Share: Money matters can get tricky, so clear communication about who pays for what is crucial. Decide whether to split everything evenly or assign specific bills to each person. Apps like Splitwise can make tracking shared expenses a breeze.
- Who Takes the Bigger Bedroom: If your apartment comes with rooms of varying sizes, decide fairly who gets the bigger one. Drawing straws, flipping a coin, or paying a bit more rent for the larger space are all fair game.
- Common Room Usage: Determine if someone will be using the common room a lot more than others. Maybe one of you works from home or has a penchant for hosting game nights. Setting expectations early helps avoid conflicts later.
- Cleaning Routines: A clean space is a freer space. Establish a cleaning schedule that everyone can stick to. Rotate chores and set reminders. While a messy lifestyle might have been okay when living on your own, it’s important to maintain a level of cleanliness when living with roommates. This could include ensuring dishwashers are emptied, counters are clean, trash is taken out, bathrooms are kept dry and mopped, and more.
There are plenty of other considerations, like quiet hours, smoking, drugs, or guest policies. However, if you are searching for a roommate through Diggz, your potential roommates will likely have these answers already filled out in the lifestyle section of their profiles. This can make the process smoother and help you find a compatible roommate more quickly.
2. Take Your Space but Not an Inch More
Yup, we said it. Not an inch more.
When living in small spaces, storage can be a real challenge. The best way to combat this is to divide any cabinets or storage spaces in the living area. This could mean kitchen cabinets, linen areas, laundry racks, or fridge shelves.
When dividing your kitchen cabinets or fridge space, make sure to stay in your lane. Plus, it’s always a good idea to keep these areas separate. That way, your Tupperware won’t mysteriously disappear, and you won’t have to worry about your leftovers being eaten. It also makes it easier to ensure items are kept separate, such as detergents, mugs, and other personal belongings.
If the issue of limited space persists, consider renting a storage unit with your roommate or on your own. Storage units come in various sizes, from small closet-sized spaces to units as large as a five-bedroom house (what are they even storing?!). We only recommend this if you are absolutely maxed out of space. Pricing will depend on your city and the size of your storage needs. You can use this space as an extra closet or to store furniture and other bulky items.
By respecting each other’s designated storage spaces, you can avoid unnecessary conflicts and keep your shared space organized and clutter-free.
3. What to Share and What to Keep Separate
Have a discussion about what expenses and items to share and which to keep separate. One Redditor puts it perfectly,
“If you didn’t buy it, and you know it’s not something bought for the whole house like dish soap or toilet paper, don’t use it. Related to that, if you have been permitted to use one item of someone else’s, don’t take it as blanket permission to use all their items without asking.”
And well, truer words haven’t been spoken. It’s a good etiquette to live by.
For instance, most roommates prefer keeping groceries separate. If you are doing so, make sure you have separate pantry areas or label them properly.
This brings us back to the previous point – keep your areas divided! Divvy up and conquer!
4. Make it Modern
While not a roommate etiquette, but a good rule of thumb for small spaces: decorate it with a modern design. Modern decor can make your apartment feel more spacious and inviting.
Now, we’re all for creative designs and respecting each other’s decor style. However, the experts have spoken: modern mid-century pieces, along with light and airy furniture, are all the rage for small spaces.
Sebastian Brauer of Crate and Barrel says that maximizing vertical space gives your small home both functionality and style. He also suggests not shying away from bold colors. While it might be tempting to stick to neutral whites in compact areas, bold colors can add warmth, especially in spaces with limited natural light.
Fiona Byrne of NYCFiona considers furniture with sharp, minimalist designs ideal for small spaces. She recommends looking for narrower and multifunctional pieces, such as a long console table that can double as a desk, or investing in end tables instead of a large coffee table.
For more detailed tips on decorating and organizing small spaces, check out our previous blog on making the most out of small spaces. By incorporating these modern design principles, you can put every nook of your apartment to good use, blending style with practicality.
5. Keeping Common Areas Clutter Free
Clutter is the death knell for a small space. It’s the one thing guaranteed to make your home feel more cramped than it is.
Ensuring common areas remain clutter-free can give the illusion of more open space and make your living environment more pleasant. While you can keep your bedroom however you like, it’s essential to maintain cleanliness and order in shared spaces when living with roommates.
Follow these simple rules to keep common areas tidy:
- Return Items to Their Place: After using electronics or other items in common areas, return them to their designated storage spot.
- Keep Counters and Surfaces Clear: Don’t leave utensils or other items on the kitchen counter. A clear counter makes a big difference in how spacious your kitchen feels.
- Daily Maintenance: Clutter control should be a daily chore, not something done weekly. Regularly tidy up to prevent messes from piling up.
- Keep Sofas and Surfaces Free: Avoid using sofas and other common area surfaces as storage for laundry or miscellaneous items. A clear sofa looks and feels much better.
Junk King, experts in decluttering, suggest taking 15 minutes each day to declutter your space. By sending each item back to its “home” daily, you ensure you wake up to a fresh, organized home every single day.
6. Balancing Togetherness and Personal Space
One Diggz user, Ngoc Nguyen, shares that her biggest hurdle when living with roommates has been understanding each other’s personal space. Here are some tips to help navigate this common issue:
- Spend Time Together, But in Moderation: Spend short, intentional amounts of time with each other. This helps build a good relationship without overwhelming anyone.
- Use Common Areas Considerately: Practice hanging out together only in the common room, and only enter each other’s bedrooms when specifically invited. This helps maintain boundaries and ensures personal spaces are respected.
- Limit Phone Calls in Shared Spaces: Avoid long phone calls in common areas to reduce noise and maintain a peaceful environment.
- Respect Quiet Hours: If you and your roommates have agreed on quiet hours, stick to them. This helps everyone get the needed rest and maintains a peaceful living environment.
- Communicate Boundaries: Have open conversations about personal space and boundaries. Each person’s comfort level is different, so understanding and respecting these differences is crucial.
- Use Headphones: When watching videos or listening to music, use headphones to keep noise levels down and avoid disturbing your roommates.
- Keep Personal Items in Your Space: Store your personal belongings in your room or designated storage spaces. This helps keep common areas free of clutter and avoids mix-ups.
- Respect Each Other’s Sleep Schedule: Be mindful of your roommate’s sleep schedule. Avoid making noise or turning on bright lights when they are resting.
- Avoid Borrowing Without Permission: Always ask before borrowing personal items, even if it’s something small. This shows respect for their belongings.
Personal space ultimately comes down to the dynamic between you and your roommates. Open communication and mutual respect are key to creating a comfortable living environment for everyone.
Bottom Line
While cozy small apartments are all the rage, they can be challenging to navigate with roommates. However, with a little patience, some handy space-saving solutions, and practicing good etiquette—like respecting common areas, honoring personal boundaries, and communicating effectively—you’ll be well on your way to fostering a lasting friendship. After all, nothing quite strengthens a bond like sharing a small space.
With Diggz, you can find roommates who share similar lifestyle habits, making it easier to create a peaceful living space. Here’s to finding a roommate for life!