It’s pretty common to encounter a roommate who doesn’t see eye to eye with you when it comes to the cleanliness of your pad.  Cleaning is actually one of the biggest problems roommates face, and can often lead to roommate conflicts.

While cleaning to you may seem so simple, almost like second nature, it’s not always the same for everyone.  Not everyone has the same level of cleanliness, and so it is something you have to consider when you live with someone else.  However, the best thing to do is to try to come to a compromise with your roommate when it comes to the cleanliness of your place.

The first thing to do is to identify the things that drive you the most crazy when it comes to the cleanliness of your place.  Maybe it’s the dishes in the sink, the dirty towels on the floor of the bathroom, or their books and papers strewn across the kitchen table.  These should be the things that you can’t live without.

The next thing to do is to identify the things that you could live with.  Maybe it doesn’t bother you if they leave the dishes in the sink for a day or so, or that they leave their stuff in the hallway for a while.  These will be the things that you would be willing to compromise on.

The idea is to first present the things that bother you the most about your roommate’s cleanliness (or lack thereof).  Just remember to keep your focus on the behaviors that bother you the most, and to avoid attributing the things that bother you to personality flaws.  It’s also a good idea to explain why these things bother you so that your roommate fully understands.  This will keep the conversation civil and will also help you to express your frustration with the current situation.

The next thing to do is to work on a compromise with your roommate.  Mention the list of things you could live with.  That may help make your request seem much more reasonable, and will help you both to work towards a workable solution.

While living with a messy roommate can be frustrating, the best thing to do is to realize the things that bother you the most when it comes to the cleanliness of your pad.  For while you may not always get your roommate to see your ways of cleaning, you can certainly come to a workable solution that you can both live with.

Reference:

“5 Common Roommate Problems (and How to Deal)”