How should i deal with my untidy roommate?

Answer 1

Tell them kindly that they need to keep up the place just as you do. If they don't like it, give them the boot. It's not cool at all to leave the place dirty, when I'm sure you're keeping the place up as it should be.

Answer 2

Here's the deal --

ANY rooms that could be called "common" rooms -- that is, rooms you both share, are really -- by roommate code -- kept cleaner than either of you would normally keep them anyway, since it's shared by two cohabitants and their friends. ANY other way of doing it is, by definition, a gross disprespect to the other tenant. That's it -- that's all. If her crap is everywhere, it's an invasion to any respect she should have for you -- same in reverse.

Whether you're in college or in a big city or whatever -- you're both on a budget -- or you would live alone. The reality IS that you both made a choice to live with essentially, a stranger, and if she can't respect the shared territory, then she's rude, delusional, passive-aggressive, or all three. Talk to her as calmly as you can about how the living room, kitchen and maybe the bathroom are SHARED spaces and need to be almost like a hotel in their use by everyone -- bare of lots of personal crap and only having stuff that everyone uses -- which probably doesn't include her old pizzas and/or underwear, lol.

She will either get it or not. Then you can decide to stay or go-- or have HER stay or go. Life's too short.

And for all we know, you might be impossibly anal-retentive and fussy and her mess is perfectly normal -- but my guess is that she's a BIG slob and it's time to make a decision...

Good Luck... :)

Answer 3

Have you considered that this 'untidy' roommate may have come your way to help you let go of certain overbearing or controlling aspects of your own nature?

There is a huge difference between untidy and filthy.

There are times when the only sane thing to do is change yourself and then be prepared to observe the change in others.

Answer 4

I take it you are living in a dorm. If sharing an Apt., either kick her out or you move out. If in the dorm:

Take pictures of her mess and post on the bulletin boards and give her name and room number.

Notify the staff that you are seeing roaches and need your room sprayed. Then take the staff person to your room to show the roaches. If no roaches are found (I would be amazed) that is OK. You want him to see her mess. He will then take measures to make her clean up.

All that liberal, mamby pamby, belief and teaching about not judging and embarassing other is just garbage. Judgement and embarassment is a major part of people living within societies rules. That is the way the real world works.

If you can't do it then be sure to work for the Academic system as a Public School teacher or in the College. It is the only place I know where you can live and work in the Utopian world of Liberalism.

Answer 5

I saw this on TV several years ago and I thought it was a great idea. If you have talked with your roommate about keeping their space neat and they still are ignoring your request then...when roomie is out take a couple of industrial size garbage bags and throw all the untidy mess in it...this would include their clothes, shoes, papers, "junk", "stuff"...anything they have left lying around on the floor. Then you leave these bags out on the front porch. It will not create harmony with your roommate but this should send the message to them that you are tired of your place being messy.

Answer 6

This is a hard one for sure. What was the agreement before this person became your roommate? Did you have any idea that this person had a problem with being neat or at least desent? I know this would be hard for you to do but what about being as untidy if not worse to just show him/her. Or what about making a deal that would be worth the while to make become neater?

Answer 7

Here's my advice: Step1) have a sit down with the roomie and establish ground rules.These could be things such as 'I don't care about the living room/ your bedroom/bath room, but the kitchen and dining room need to be clean' or 'All common areas must be kept clean'.These are not unreasonable things to ask, but sometimes a compromise is in order.You may have to let the living room slid a little if you MUST have a spotless kitchen,bathroom, etc.Step 2) Inform the person of the consequences of breaking the ground rules.Example: Roomie's stinky shoes are on the dining room table.Again! Tell roomie to remove the shoes, or else you will take matter into your own hands, and it will not be to their satisfaction.
Step 3) If step 2 fails to work, place offending objects upon roommie's bed,go about cleaning, and leave a bill for the standard rate per hour for your local housekeeping services.
It really comes down to being able to talk about the situation,compromise as needed and stick to your guns about it.It's not going to do allot of good if you're still picking up after them, and they're ignoring you yelling at them.

Answer 8

i really understand it is very annoying if you have an untidy roommate. fortunately, i have a nice roommate. if i were you, i will make a schedule that arranges who clear the house on which day. and put this list in a place where both of you can see every day.

Answer 9

Maybe we could hook up your roomie with mine... let them sort out the mess while we live in blissful tidiness.

I'm dealing with the same thing. I desperately need the money, but the guy totally misrepresented himself and is a pig! Not just clutter, but filth! Yesterday, I raised hell after he gave himself a haircut and got hair all over the bathroom (which is newly redecorated) and he made NO effort to clean it up. And I raised hell rather than just calmly talking because this is at least the 4th time this has come up.

But he also has a ton of stuff... lots of it is very expensive cooking stuff that has never even been out of the box. So now I am just considering chopping him into tiny pieces and feeding him to stray dogs and then getting rich selling all his stuff on Ebay. In the 10 months he has been here, this seems the best solution, yet!

And sad to say, this one is far better than the last!

Answer 10

i was an untidy roomate...oftentimes when we live with someone confrontation can be difficult. If you ask her/him in a nice way (s)he just might clean up her act. however if you have tried politly confronting and it still doesnt work, then while shes around just start picking up after her all the while exclaiming what a pig she is. its passive aggressive i know but shell get the idea and probably wont want you touching her stuff

Answer 11

Be kind to animals! Show kindness, be patient... it is really hard to teach old dogs new tricks but there is always a chance... Give example and talk in a very nice but commanding manner. you cannot change someone overnight... but keep on trying. if after you've done everything and your roomate is still untidy then maybe you could look for another room or another roommate.