30 Nov Share House Cleaning Rules
Becca McAuley, 22, lived easily with five friends while studying at the University of Exeter. The group has established certain rules around the house, including “basic things like not leaving your stuff after eating.” McAuley says setting up a rotation schedule has helped keep living spaces clean. The group of six women divided the tasks into six professions: vacuuming, cleaning the three bathrooms, changing the garbage cans and cleaning the kitchen. The list changed weekly, so the division of labor was divided evenly – and so the roommates had no arguments. It was also printed and pasted on the scoreboard so no one could forget. One of the dirtiest and most frequently shared things in a university apartment is the refrigerator. Always pay attention to the refrigerator in your home, even if you have your own mini fridge that you use. There`s nothing worse than opening the kitchen fridge to find mold, jelly, or anything else on the shelves. Take the time each month to wipe down the shelves, drawers and doors of your refrigerator.
Also delete any old or expired items. We all know that you don`t eat those leftovers from 2 and a half weeks ago. So throw it away. There`s not much space if you share the fridge with several other people, so make sure there`s nothing in it that shouldn`t be. Tall shelves, wall shelves, bakery shelves, pinboards, and other storage options can make a big difference when it comes to decluttering and organizing things. We are not suggesting that you revamp your apartment or house to give it a chic warehouse look. We simply let you know that you have a lot of space that you are not using effectively. Creating optimal storage solutions, even in a small space, doesn`t necessarily mean you`re left with unattractive décor. With a little imagination and planning, you can make your place feel at home and win the war of the camps. But if you`ve found that your cleaning habits are optimal and your roommate is to blame, read on to get the best tips on how it works. Roommate tip: If you get a cleaner for important tasks, use a schedule to make sure your household is doing the chores the cleaner won`t. Sharing a house or apartment is an economic necessity for most, so hiring a cleaner may seem like a luxury.
But when you pool your resources, the cost is quite affordable, especially when you think about the money you`ll save on cleaning products. Sharing economy platforms like Airtasker can help you find reliable cleaning services in your area. It`s also a great time to share and discuss organizing tips to keep the calendar on track. Read on to learn more about some great organizational tips and tricks to keep your new cleaning schedule on track and make cleaning easier for everyone. So, sit down and chat amicably about household chores. Compare your cleaning habits and expectations and work on negotiating a standard that works for both of you. Compromise is key! There are certain areas and items that each roommate shares. Just because your room is tidy doesn`t mean you have to let go of the kitchen and living room. All roommates should clean these common areas regularly – wipe countertops, clean floors and pick up garbage. Maybe every three months, take a day to reverse the big jobs together. If you share the workload, it won`t be so bad.
And of course, you can always make it a little fun. It will also make things easier when it comes time to move, as the end of the lease won`t be as tedious. One of the biggest problems many people have when they leave campus is keeping their place clean. In your first year, you were probably only responsible for one tiny piece that you (usually) shared with another person. However, it becomes a little harder to stay tidy if you`re moving to a bigger place with more people, and even if it`s university, there`s no reason for you to live in a pigsty. Here are some tasks that EVERY roommate should attend. Nothing revolutionary, just a few simple things that can really make a big difference during an academic year. If you have the storage space, divide and assign cabinets to each roommate to avoid confusing similar foods. For items in the fridge, keep post-it notes nearby so people know they need to keep their paws away from your food. You may have a renegade roommate who ignores all these things, but at least you did everything you could. The next step could be to set up traps or secret cameras to find out who the chocolate thief is. Chances are, if you`ve ever lived in a shared apartment — in college, with friends, or, at the rate at which buying a home among millennials goes, forever and one day — you`ve secretly seethed with irritation about someone`s tidying habits or had a complete argument about cleaning.
While paying for a cleaner isn`t an option for everyone, especially if you`re cash-strapped, Jasmin says it can help eliminate the burden of major cleaning jobs. “Our cleaner is also great because it wipes, vacuums and cleans the surfaces of our rooms,” she says. “I would definitely recommend getting a cleaner (if you can afford it).” If you`ve taken the trouble to design your cleaning board, ruthlessly clean your home of unnecessary items, and optimize your home`s storage capabilities, you certainly don`t want to end up where you started. Maybe you and your roommates aren`t really hoarders, but we all know how hard it can be to turn down something free or pass on those “treasures” we come across! From that cool little ottoman your uncle gives to the “incredibly unique” chair your roommate found at the thrift store, there will always be a temptation. Whether it`s a daily, weekly, or monthly cleaning task, set deadlines for completing those tasks. If it`s daily, agree on a specific time when you and your roommates should expect the task to be done. If it`s a week or once a month, choose a day or date when you want the tasks to be completed. “We all made sure to wash our plates immediately after eating, or if someone else was in the kitchen, we first made sure our stuff was out of the way,” she told HuffPost. “We were all very respectful that way, but we were very lucky to see the condition of some of our friends` homes.” We asked people for advice on how to clean a shared apartment. The first step is to bring everyone together to determine what cleaning tasks need to be done, how often, and by whom. Creating such a plan requires everyone`s commitment to succeed, so make sure you have buy-in from all your roommates before you start.
This is especially important if your apartment/house is not equipped with a dishwasher. Be sure to take care of your dishes when you`re done eating. If there are already a few plates in the sink, clean them too, even if they do not necessarily belong to you. Don`t be the one stacking plates and bowls in the sink. It`s so much easier – and less disgusting – to wash your cookware as soon as you`re done. So everyone is on board, and you`ve created a nifty cleaning chart that covers all the bases. The key to making this plan a success will be for everyone to agree that they stick to the schedule and are still responsible for cleaning up after themselves. If everyone agrees, you can plan to review your cleaning schedule quarterly or in another timeframe so things don`t get too boring. Roommate tip: Check your schedule with your roommates after using it for a few weeks. Ask if everyone is happy with the list, their tasks and results, and make adjustments if necessary.
Living with other people is not always easy, even if they are good friends. Not only do we all tend to have different work hours, commitments, and hobbies, but the standards of pet hatred and cleanliness also differ. Establishing golden cleaning rules will benefit you for a trouble-free life. Instead, have a system where you alternate who needs to buy these items each week. Otherwise, if it`s too difficult to keep track, keep a bowl of municipal money where you contribute $5 a week. If you`ve already lost the essentials, withdraw the money from the Share Bowl so no one gets paid. Now that you have all the details, it`s time to put your plan on paper so everyone knows what`s expected. There are many references to creating a good cleaning chart or checklist, so you are sure to find one that suits your particular situation. Have fun creating your cleaning checklist and get everyone involved.
The more feedback you get from everyone, the more likely they are to follow the plan.