Nine Things Every Adult Living With Roommates Needs
More and more people are adopting roommates or moving in with other people, and more seniors who may have thought they went through the roommate stage in another era are living with roommates . The reasons for this shift are pretty obvious: housing costs and inflation are rising, wages are stagnant, and everyone is settling for less, including less space.
Living with roommates isn’t always hell, but it does come with its challenges . People have different ideas about everything from cleanliness to politeness, so sharing personal space with other people inevitably causes friction. Fortunately, we live in a consumer paradise and it is possible to buy solutions to many of life’s problems. If you’re going to have roommates, buy these nine essentials immediately and you’ll have a (slightly) better time in the space.
Extension
An unofficial rule of modern life is that you won’t have fewer devices anytime soon. Even if you get along with your roommates and share a common space, it’s important to have a power strip with USB ports . First, many apartments simply don’t have enough outlets, and you don’t want to have to charge your devices in common areas. Sockets are often hidden behind heavy furniture, which makes them inconvenient to use. And if you have your own bedroom or private space in your apartment or house, you’ll want to outfit it for everything you need, whether it’s just a relaxing place to watch Netflix in solitude or a home office where you can do your business. Zoom meetings so your roommate isn’t in the picture.
Noise control
People have different sleep cycles and different definitions of the phrase “inner voice.” This makes noise control an absolute must for your roommate. If your roommates are going to sit and talk right outside your door all night or play video games at full volume until dawn, you will be very happy to receive the following:
-
White noise maker. For general zen and calm, being able to block out the maddening sound of your roommate on the phone with his significant other will be a godsend. Sure, you can install apps on your phone, but nothing beats the ambient sound of a real white noise machine .
-
Noise canceling headphones. Sometimes you need more power for jamming, so headphones are a must. And sometimes you want to turn on your own music or your own games and media, and you don’t want to be rude about it.
-
Earplugs. Since sleeping with headphones can be difficult (and music can keep you awake), having good soft earplugs that you can stick in your ears will help you sleep, even if your roommates have guests over until late at night.
Shower bag
Even if your roommates aren’t the type to steal your soap, shampoo, and expensive skin care products , it’s a good idea to keep all your shower supplies in a carry-on bag . This way there will never be any confusion about what belongs to whom.
Label maker
Yes, it’s passive-aggressive and a little annoying, but it’s best to hire a label maker in case your roommate turns out to have a vague idea of private property. Of course, the label maker has many uses beyond preventing food theft. Over time, possessions become shared and commingled, so labeling things now will save you a lot of headaches in a year or two when one of you moves away and you can’t remember who the spatula originally belonged to.
Mini refrigerator
Food is always a source of stress in roommate situations. People sometimes innocently “steal” food, especially if you buy a lot of the same foods as your roommate. And food purchased in the spirit of community is not always distributed fairly. A small refrigerator that you can keep in your bedroom will allow you to have supplies that your roommates don’t have access to, and will also give you access to snacks and drinks without having to leave the room when you don’t want to interact with anyone. .
If you find that your roommates aren’t as averse to food theft as you’d like, an alternative might be to invest in a food locker . As bleak as it may seem, being able to store expensive items in a shared refrigerator without worrying about them mysteriously disappearing (into your roommates’ stomachs) is worth it.
Robot vacuum cleaner
People have completely different ideas about what “clean” means. Some people don’t mind layers of dust as long as the area is clean, and some people take out industrial solvents three times a week and complain bitterly about the single crumb left on their kitchen counters. A solid robot vacuum cleaner can find that middle ground—a shared space that isn’t completely filthy, but doesn’t require a tidy band fan to go on the warpath either. (Here’s our list of the best robot vacuums to buy in 2024.)
Robe
A robe is a must-have, not because you should be ashamed of your body, but because it maintains a basic level of privacy. If you’re not used to wearing one every time you’re not fully clothed, it’s a good practice, at least until you and your roommate come to an understanding that involves tolerating different states of nudity.