Get Organized to Keep the Peace with Roommates

In a dorm, or an apartment shared with others, the mingling and misplacement of personal belongings can easily create roommate troubles!
Create harmony with your roommates by avoiding these common problems:

1. Mail: Most roommate situations lack a mail sorting routine. Whoever grabs the mail can simply sort it by person when they walk in the door. From multiple slot sorters to individual baskets, there are many ways to avoid lost bills, catalogs, and important documents from the financial aid department.
2. CD’s/DVD’s: If you and your housemates are storing CDs in the same area, avoid mixing them up with individualized storage systems. Using colorful boxes to store media meets the needs for both personalized and stylish organization.
3. The Refrigerator: A common cause for roomie battles, but it doesn’t have to be! In addition to dividing up the fridge/cabinets for each person, use colorful baskets on the shelves to avoid further confusion (in case you and someone else buys the same food product) and disputes over “who’s it was”.
4. Toiletries: Cap off the toothpaste. “Borrowing” deodorant. You’ll soon be screaming at each other.
Divide up the bathroom cabinets with shelf baskets like you did in the kitchen. In the shower, one shower caddy might not be enough storage, and toiletries can still get mixed up. Individual suction baskets are perfect for separating everyone’s toiletries.
5. House Chores: Usually this is the whopper when it comes to shared housing. It’s difficult to decide what’s fair. A chore wheel rotates the chores each week, so that no one feels like they’re always doing the dirty work.

Looking back on my roommate experiences, I’m reminded of some of the best times, and worst. Avoid quarrels and build life-long friendships by getting organized with your roommates right off the bat!