In a flat share.. who buys the toilet roll? milk? tea bags? Who does the cleaning up?

Question

Im moving in a flat share for the first time and need some advice.. Whos buys the toilet roll? milk? tea bags? Should I keep my own? Who does the cleaning up? How do you share the bathroom? Any advice from experienced flat-sharers is appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

Keep your own food, etc, take turns buying the toilet paper. Spell out the cleaning chores (sweeping, vacuuming) before you move in, i.e. do it together every few days, but always clean up after yourself, like when you cook.

Answer 2

Oh dear, there is no easy answer to this. I've shared many flats and everyone is different - some people want to put a certain amount of money each week into a 'kitty' for milk, bread, cleaning products etc. Great unless you don't eat bread or else you live with the milk monster. Then it starts to get a bit unfair if someone else eats/uses 90% of the kitty purchases. On the other hand, if you don't have a kitty, you might end up with 4 loaves of bread all going mouldy because each person isn't able to eat an entire loaf on their own before it goes off. I think the best way is to all sit down together at the start, discuss your respective diets and need for bread/milk/chocolate etc and then decide on a variation of the kitty that seems fair. And a weekly cleaning rota is always a good idea (not that anyone ever sticks to it). Good luck!!!

Answer 3

There is not a right or wrong answer to that. Everyone is different and has different preferences. You guys should sit and talk about it and see what is more suitable for everybody.
What we have done is, everybody buy the stuff that everyone uses most (not everyone likes to use the same toilet paper brand or kind of tea....).
Everyone should take care of their own bedroom, if somebody makes a mess anywhere else in the flat, they should clean it right away. The golden rule: leave everything same or better than the way you found it.
Beside that, you should take turns to clean the bathroom and other common use areas, and if your schedule is tight, set up a time for sharing it and using it.
Good luck!

Answer 4

If your great buddy's have a kitty for basics! Cleaning up should be shared in communal areas and obviously clean up your own mess else where. If you have moved in with strangers take a week or two to watch and listen before making any firm rules. Cleaning may become an area of real annoyance a rota agreed by all sometimes helps. I once shared with 2 others, one was a lazy sod and we got fed up of tidying up after him. We cracked on and cleaned areas that bothered us, left him festering in his own space and put all his dishes from the sink in a bucket and kept one set each in our rooms. The message soon got across and things improved.
Good Luck!!!!!!! xx

Tip for bathroom sharing , put something like a bottle of shampoo in the bath to see if anybodys had a bath since you last used it [ I couldn't get in a dirty bath and would clean it first!] Ask people what their plans are so there is not a que of 6 at 8pm Saturday night-Get in early!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Based on my own experience I would suggest that you agree a budget with the other flatsharers on a weekly basis. Make sure everyone puts their share in a pot on Friday night and then take it in turns to go out on Saturday to do the joint shopping for stuff like that; while that person is doing the shopping the others clean the bathroom, kitchen, living room and hallway (you are responsible for you own bedroom.) So if there are 5 of you it is quite easy. If less you need to agree on the division of labour so that you each do something different each week. When it comes to the day to day stuff you should each clear away your own dirty dishes newspapers etc (a dishwasher saves argument over whose turn it is to wash up.) and wipe round the bath/shower after you have finished. Sharing the bathroom is a bit trickier as you will all tend to want it at the same time in the morning and weekends when you want to get ready to go out. I suggest you learn to get up first in the morning (but do not 'hog'it) and make your big night out each week different to everyone elses. Having said all this make sure the people you plan to share with are all of the same mind in this otherwise find somewhere else; if you don't you will be tearing your hair out with the one's who do not pull their weight.

Answer 6

You should've been taught from childhood: You make a mess; you clean it up. You don't leave your mess for someone else. You treat others the way that you would want to be treated, and you leave a place the way that you would want to find it. For groceries, it doesn't matter about splitting hairs over who buys what item. Just agree to share expenses that must be shared. Chip in where needed, and try to get along. Blow off the small stuff. It's not worth getting upset over who bought the last roll of T.P. It's good training for later adulthood for when you will have a lifetime partner with whom you must share your time, or else get used to living alone and be lonely. Clear and simple.

Answer 7

do it however is most fair.

For me, I've lived in numerous arrangments. My personal favourite was when we'd alternate, this week I'm buying the tp, next week my roomie would be.

Set out a cleaning schedule. Generally its most appreciated to clean up your own mess pretty much as soon as you're finished making it.

But it depends on how you two have arrangements. If you'r both chipping in on groceries, then perhaps one can cook the other can clean, but if its separate meals, then do ur dishes as soon as ur done eating. Would u want to clean up a saucepan to make ur supper?

If ur roomie isn't helping with the housework, tell them to step up. I've had to at one point keep a separate set of dishes, cutlery and a roll of tp in my own room b/c some are very inconsiderate.

Regardless of what needs to be done chore wise, its essential that there is communication.

These questions here, may be good questions to bring up to your new roomate ~ how do they envision sharing the bathroom, ththe cleaning up, the groceries etc.

Remember to maintain your boundaries, if something feels not right or uncomfortable, speak sooner rather than later.

Answer 8

You share all the expenses. Either put an equal amount of money in the petty cash each month to cover purchases, or do the shopping together. It's the only way. If you have some things that are mine, and some things that are yours, there will be arguments.
Agree before you move in together who will do which chores. For example, I hate vacuuming, but I don't mind washing the dishes.

Answer 9

You need to sit down and discuss this with your roommates before moving in so there is no confusion. I had 2 roommates before getting married. We would take turns emptying the dishwasher either at night or in the AM and we would each put our own dishes in there. We would take turns cleaning the bathrooms. As for food, we each bought things, but if one person ran short we would share.

Answer 10

For essentials as mentioned you could have a kitty and finance items from there. For food I suggest you buy your own, as this makes for better budgeting. If someone wants to buy a tin of..........lets say beans from you they have to pay a premium price, because they either want them now, or they are too lazy to get them. For housework there should be a rota and penalties paid, if the job is done badly or not at all. It always works that way, if you are consistent. Good Luck.