Messy Roommate? Now What?
If you have ever shared a rented home with a roommate, then you certainly know that this situation can go wrong in a number of different ways. The person with whom you happen to be sharing a home may have a completely different personality and habits compared to you and, often times, you don’t have any other choice but to just let it all slide. However, if you are living with a messy housemate who never gets around to do a tiny bit of cleaning, then you must take actions. Even if you are a super polite and shy person, it would be a big mistake if you just:
- Clean their mess every time;
- Keep mum on the topic;
- Ignore the problem;
In fact, the last roommate of your roommate might have had a similar approach which is probably why you will now have the privilege to clean up their mess, figuratively and literary. So, how can you deal with a messy and dirty housemate in the easiest and most painless way possible? Time to find out!
Pictured: A messy roommate
Speak up
It is important that you confront your roommate but you must do that like a real grown-up. This means that you should not verbally attack the person or to accuse him or her. Simply voice your dislikes and concerns in a polite manner (at least the first time around). Your housemate may simply have lower cleaning standards compared to yours and a quick talk with them may be enough to fix the problem. If that does not help, you will need to take a different course of action.
Make a fair cleaning schedule
If you feel like you have been doing most or even all of the cleaning in the house, come with a schedule that will help you to equally share the cleaning chores. But don’t decide on that alone. Instead, make sure you discuss it with your roommate. Otherwise, you may come across as someone who is extremely bossy.
Bargain for the best deal
If your housemate is, for some reason, unable to complete his or her cleaning duties, you can come up with an alternative solution. For example, if they are too busy at work and have little free time on their hands to clean, they can help in a different way by hiring a housekeeper who can come every once in a while. There are a few quite affordable housekeeping services in Chicago so even if your roommate is on a tight budget, a professional cleaning solution won’t stretch it too much. If that is not an option, you can ask your housemate to simply handle another major task around the house such as cooking, for instance.
Move out
When nothing seems to be working, you will have no other choice but to move out. Sometimes, things simply don’t work out between roommates even if they have previously known each other for years. This is a better and smarter way to handle this situation instead of engaging in a passive-aggressive battle with your fellow home-dweller.