Having a roommate is a great way to cut back on expenses. The goal is to find someone that you are compatible with and can share a living space. This doesn’t mean you have to become best friends for life with your roommate. In fact, you could have totally separate lives and still live under the same roof. Even if you get along for the most part, there’s still always a chance that conflict will arise. Finding a way to effectively resolve these conflicts quickly is the best way to make sure your living arrangement is a peaceful what. Here’s help on how to resolve common roommate conflicts:

Late Rent

Most rental agreements with landlords include a late fee for rent. There is often a grace period. None of that means you should “push the envelope” and become late with the rent. Typically, rent is due on the first of the month but you might want to establish a rule with your roommate that you’re going to be collecting the rent on the 25th of each month. That way if there’s any trouble you can head off before it becomes a major issue. It also helps to impress upon your roommate how vital it is to communicate if there is going to be trouble with the rent so that you can make other arrangements.

Dishes in the Sink

Dirty dishes are a very common problem between roommates. This problem becomes even bigger when there isn’t a dishwasher in the kitchen. One way to get around this is to rotate dish night. That way you’re both cleaning up equally. You can also establish the rule that no dish should be left in the sink overnight. It is much better to put these rules in writing before a roommate moves in.

Overnight Guests

It is hard to restrict your roommate to have overnight guests when you plan on having overnight guest as well. But there is a big difference between occasional overnight guest and a new romantic interest that is spending a lot of time at the apartment. One way to get around that conflict is to establish a kind of baseline. If this new person is going to be spending a lot of time, then perhaps they can contribute to things like food and other staples. If it appears that they are slowly moving in, then it’s time to have a discussion with your roommate without the other person to find out exactly what the intentions are. Again, it might all be fixed with additional money coming in for bills and rent, as it is only fair.

Clutter

Another potential conflict beyond dirty dishes could be clutter throughout the apartment. One way to combat that is to make sure there is plenty of storage for both you and your roommate. That might mean clearing out closets of all kinds of unwanted items. This is where call to Junk King Chicago West is going to make a huge difference. These are the junk removal pros who have literally taken away tons of old clothing, furniture, appliances and e-waste from homes and apartments. A little decluttering will go a long way to making your living environment a lot nicer.