Living with a roommate or roommates is not easy.

You don’t just wake up and decide that you and your BFF should start living together simply because you’re friends. There are a lot of things you need to put into consideration before deciding to live with someone, after all, your home is the place where you spend most of your time after the office and you need to ensure that it’s a comfy haven that you look forward to going to after a long day. If it were up to us, a majority of us would rather live alone and have our own privacy but sometimes, circumstances do not allow, especially if you’re on a budget and trying to cost share to survive. But before rushing to live with just anyone, do consider these things.

1. Bills.

Figure out how you will be sharing bills – rent, food and amenities. Will you share the food or will everyone sort themselves out? How will you split the internet, electricity, water, gas, security, cleaning lady and security fees? Come up with a plan that works for everyone and stick to it without fail. In the event that one of you will be late with bills, let the other person know in advance to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.

2. Cleanliness.

One thing we all cannot stand is a dirty roommate. Someone who will leave the bathroom dirty, dishes unwashed and dirty socks laying everywhere is just a no no. If you’re sharing bathrooms, it’s very important to find out if this person you’re about to live with can observe basic cleanliness rules, otherwise, you will not live in peace. If the person is a lazy cleaner, you could both agree to pay for cleaning services at least weekly or twice a week just to ensure that the house is clean.

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3. Schedules.

If your schedules are different, the better it will be for you. Think of a case where one of you is always travelling or one works during night shift. That way, you can watch TV or even have a guest over without having to worry about your roommate. If your schedules happen to be similar, agree on a plan to make it work, like who cooks first, how to share the remote etc.

4. Relationship status.

It’s really important to discuss the relationship status prior to. Will you be bringing over your bae? If so, for how long? You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to be locked in your room all weekend to give your roommate and her bae space. This may end up becoming an every other weekend habit. If your roommate is single, it’s better. Or, if they’re dating, you can come up with rules such as how long a boyfriend can stay and to alert each other in advance for proper planning.

5. Trust.

Obviously, if you’re going to be living with someone, you need to trust them around your things and even your life. Hey in this day and age, you could bring in a serial killer or thief into your home. It’s important to do a background check on the person and if possible, talk to other people they have lived with before, by asking for references especially if it’s a someone you do not know.

6. Parties.

Everyone wants a good party every now and then. But you certainly do not want a roomie who will have friends over for “some drinks” every too often, and have the friends “crush” for a couple of days.

7. Hobbies.

While this is not necessarily at the top of list of things to consider, it’s also important. Some hobbies may not be roommate friendly. Think of a guitarist who comes in with his electric guitar and wants to enjoy his music every evening as you enjoy some peace and quiet while reading a book. Obviously, that will not go down too well now will it? On the flip side, if you do happen to find a roomie who shares the same interest as yourself, that will be great since you can both enjoy doing things together and that way, you will not only be roomies but also friends.

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