Making Room for Two: How to Adjust to Life with a Roommate
by: Dan The Roommate Man
Because downsizing is a fact of life these days, many renters and homeowners can, at a moment's notice, find themselves unable to pay the rent or the mortgage. It suddenly becomes necessary to find a roommate - and fast.
In previous articles, we've discussed the screening process and what kinds of questions you should ask before moving anyone into your home, whether he or she is a close friend or complete stranger.
In the rush to simply find a roommate we can trust, however, we often overlook the other insidious issues. How are you going to make space for a newcomer when you've been living solo for such a long period of time? After all, each one of us is set in our ways. Introduce a new element into the picture, and your routine is interrupted. How will you react? Consider the fact that your furniture is arranged just the way you like it.
Where is your roommate going to place his or her own furnishings? Are you willing to make room for some of those items, possibly rearranging yours or even placing them in storage? What if he/she doesn't own many items and has designs on your plates, your television, your kitchen table? Do you mind? If your new roommate is a family member, the issues become even stickier, and you'll have to tread lightly. A record number of new college graduates are returning to their parents' homes -- at least for the first year, when finances are tight, salaries are low and job stability can be uncertain.
And as a greater percentage of our national population reaches their 60s and above, we've witnessed many of them moving in with family members - even those who remain very active - simply because the cost of living makes a solo lifestyle difficult to maintain.
Regardless of your relationship to your new roommate or the size of your living quarters, both of you must have your own respective spaces in which you may shut the door and maintain a basic level of privacy. This is key to everyone's sanity. If you have to clear out that storage room you've been avoiding, or spend an extended period doubling your kitchen table as an office because you give your spare bedroom to your new roommate, then so be it. The importance - and, ultimately, the benefits -- of a good relationship with your roommate far outweigh any temporary inconveniences you'll face.
If you suddenly find that the combination of your own belongings and your roommate's is causing excessive clutter in your home, you may want to consider either hosting a garage sale (after all, the need for a little extra money is what prompts many of us to search for a roommate in the first place) or placing your belongings in a climate-controlled storage facility, many of which are cheaper than you might expect.
Some roommates opt for an existence in which they're two ships passing in the night; and so they shop for groceries and cook for themselves. If you want to save money as well as time, however, you'll consider splitting the shopping and cooking responsibilities with your roommate. Plan your menus weekly. Place a magnetic memo board on the refrigerator, on which each roommate may write his/her personal weekly shopping list (for snacks, breakfast items or other groceries you don't share). Roommates should alternate weeks making the trip to the grocery store. And plan to allocate a particular number of nights each week on which each roommate is responsible for preparing dinner. Be clear about your food preferences (obviously, a steak dinner won't sit well with a strict vegetarian).
Ultimately, meal-sharing will save you money and time. Be smart in your approach; prepare larger portions, and freeze the remainders for another night. In addition, you're less likely to rely on convenience foods, many of which have little nutritional value and tend to be significantly more expensive.
Household chores are a major point of contention among roommates. So set the record straight from day one. Create a list of who will perform what.
And be realistic. If your roommate would rather have a root canal than mow the lawn, how easy it going to be to coax him into this chore on a regular basis? If you feel the same way about lawn care, you might consider hiring a neighborhood teen to handle the job. You're paying for the preservation of your relationship, so it's a worthwhile investment.
If your roommate is a family member and isn't paying rent, determine immediately upon their arrival how they'll compensate you for the convenience of living under your roof.
If it's a parent, perhaps he or she can chip in weekly grocery money, pay for a meal in a restaurant once a week or assume an extra chore or two. If it's an employed child returning to the nest after college graduation, you may consider asking them for a small amount in monthly rent and/or to assume responsibility for weekly tasks - the grocery shopping, yard maintenance, taking the family out once a month for dinner, etc. Of course, these extras aren't a substitution for the expected tasks of doing his/her own laundry, dishes and bedroom and bathroom maintenance.
Introducing a roommate into a previously solo or empty-nester existence is never an easy proposition. But when you approach the transition with careful planning and open communication, you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised at the results: a closer relationship with your family members or a trusted new friend and confidante.
About The Author
Since 1989 Dan The Roommate Man has helpe 1000's people find roommates. Need help? Contact him at 800-487-8050 or www.roommateexpress.com
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Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
by: Donald Lee
One thousand square feet, fifteen hundred square feet, three thousand square feet?however big your home is, you know it could always be a little bit bigger. Whether you?re in the throes of parenthood and trying to find spaces to stash your kid?s toys, or you?re starting a home business, you could probably use an extra room or two. One way to get more space is to buy a whole new house. For those of us in the real world, though, a far more economical and practical solution is to finish the basement.
Yes, that creepy, crawly dungeon can be turned into a playroom for your children, a home office for your bustling new business, or an entertainment room for the weekend?s big game. You?ll just need to cover over the cold concrete floors and the gray foundation walls. Then there?s the pipes hanging from the ceiling that you?ll want to hide, and the washer,...
Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
Bedroom furniture > Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
Daly City California Real Estate
Daly City California Real Estate
by: Jennifer Hershey
Daly City, California, is located in San Mateo County, 5 miles SW of San Francisco, California. Daly City has a population of 103,621. The majority of its residents work in nearby San Francisco, and Daly City has proven to be a popular and affordable place in which to live, play, and raise families. Indeed, many parks and services are geared towards families with young children, such as libraries and civic improvements. With homes that can accommodate large families, Daly City enjoys an ethnically diverse population and its restaurants and shops reflect this healthy diversity.
Daly City properties pool is 30,727 residential properties including Daly City new homes. The median age of real estate in Daly City is 1962. The average household size is 3.78 people. 10% are one-bedroom homes, 27% are 2 bedroom homes, 40% are 3 bedroom homes, 17% are 4 bedroom homes, and 4% are 5+ bedroom...
Bedroom furniture > Daly City California Real Estate
Outdoor Wood Furniture -Check The Method Of Construction Before Buying
Outdoor Wood Furniture -Check The Method Of Construction Before Buying
by: Malcolm D Kay
Before the advent of mass production, most furniture was largely handcrafted by artisans.
Of course, time has moved on and construction techniques, mechanical tools, and methods have advanced significantly.
But in choosing outdoor furniture, it's very important to take note on how the particular item is assembled, how the joints are made, what fixings are used, the strength of the individual components and the quality of the finish.
For commercial outdoor furniture, which needs to withstand not only the weather but also mistreatment and neglect, the centuries old joining method of mortice and tenon is still generally preferred.
A well-made item of furniture, with mortice and tenon joints will be solid, with tight joints and will last for years.
But of course the extra time and care taken in this method of construction...
Bedroom furniture > Outdoor Wood Furniture -Check The Method Of Construction Before Buying
Why You Need A Rug
Why You Need A Rug
by: Ric Wiley
So, why buy a rug. Well there are many reasons why you should want to choose one and no matter how little you have to spend you should be able to pick something up from a store or carpet dealer and the variety is staggering although you will be limited with less expensive rugs.
So let?s look at some of the reasons you may want a rug on your floor. Well my number one reason for suing rugs is to hide the wear and tear that carpets get with everyday use. Just think about it, when you walk across a room you usually take the same path and this helps to wear out a carpet or leaves it dirtier than the surrounding carpet and cleaning all the carpet only highlights what bits of it were dirty in the first place, well at least I think so.
You may also have a damaged carpet or one that is likely to get damaged. The favorite here is log fires which are always spitting out hot embers. A rug in front of the fire helps...
Why You Need A Rug
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So You're Buying A New Printer !
So You're Buying A New Printer !
by: David Atkins
Ok, so you have decided to buy a new printer ! The old printer is getting "cranky" the print quality is down, and it is slow ! Here is what I would suggest that you do.
Sit down at the kitchen table or wherever with pen and paper or at the computer with notepad or a word processor.
Determine how many pages a day you will be printing. If the number is over 8 pages a day and we are talking everyday...
So You're Buying A New Printer ! computer printers
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Bedroom furniture Making Room for Two: How to Adjust to Life with a Roommate
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Natural Cosmetics
Natural Cosmetics
by: Maggie Ng
In a world full of technology, machines and elements, the only thing protecting our bodies is our skin. Did you know we spend around 6 to 20 percent of our disposable income on products for our skin? Our skin is important to us and most of us will do anything to preserve its youth and longevity. But do we ever think about what we put on our skin every day?
Sure, many products claim to be safe or may even appear to be safe,...
cosmetics Natural Cosmetics
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