Living in Harmony With Housemates
Bert has been in college for around a month, living with a few other housemates. They all decided to live together last year and were super excited—they couldn’t wait to party all night and become BFFs for life. They were ready to make the mojo dojo casa house THE crib for real.
Things aren’t exactly going according to plan, though.
Bert doesn't dare step foot in the kitchen anymore. Fruit flies infest the overflowing trash. Dirty dishes fill the entire sink, and crumbs cover the counters. (He hasn't noticed yet, but the crumbs have also attracted ants.)
The bathroom is also a mess. Toilet paper on the floor, pee on the seat and cover of the toilet, grime on the sink…..
Bert is also starting to resent his roommates. They play video games until the early morning hours and love to scream at the PlayStation. He barely gets the rest he needs for his 8:00 a.m. biology class.
Bert can’t even catch a break when it comes to eating. Bert went grocery shopping yesterday and left his room today to find his housemate eating it without asking.
Bert and his housemates have started to hate each other. They fight about whose turn it is to clean (and then it never gets done), blame each other for everything, and constantly complain about each other.
Bert and his housemates can’t live like this anymore. So what can they do to make the situation better for everyone?
First, Bert and his housemates need to buy some cleaning supplies. A pigsty of a home is gross and no condition for anyone to live in. Here are some things they should buy:
Scented trash bags are an excellent investment, as they remove the odor from the garbage (though not necessary).
A multi-purpose cleaner can be used for multiple surfaces and is super helpful.
Wipes can be used to clean surfaces without bringing out all the cleaning supplies and can be helpful when you’re in a time crunch.
Toilet cleaner is VITAL, as the germs they foster can become NASTY.
Paper towel is always good to keep in the kitchen for cooking, spills, and anything else.
A vacuum can be really helpful to get crumbs, dirt, and dust off of the floor. However, vacuums can sometimes be outside of a college budget. If not a vacuum, a broom and dustpan are essential….unless you want crusty floors…..
Often overlooked, but a mop is also needed. Dirt and grime build up on floors (yes, even if you don’t wear shoes indoors), and you need to be able to clean the floor with water, not just dusting or vacuuming. Classic mops will suffice, but if the budget allows, I recommend purchasing something like this, as it’ll make your life much easier.
The next thing that Bert and his housemates need to do is create a chore schedule. Without a chore schedule, no one will really get around to cleaning the house. Responsibilities must be divided and conquered, and a chore schedule is a perfect way to stay on track. Here are some of the chores that Bert and his housemates are going to need to put on their chart
Cleaning the floors (vacuuming/mopping)
Cleaning the kitchen counters (and grill if you have one!)
Doing the dishes
Taking out the trash
Cleaning the toilet and sink
Creating a chore chart can get complicated, so here is a rough idea of what Bert and his housemates will use. Each day is labeled with a chore, and each person gets assigned a number 1-5. They even get break days!
Finally, to live in harmony, Bert and his housemates must be on the same page. If Bert can’t catch some sleep before his 8 a.m. bio class, he is not going to be a happy camper. Agreeing on things like quiet hours in the evenings, communicating when someone will have guests over, and who can eat who’s food are all things that will help them live in harmony.
If Bert and his housemates are able to get it all together and create some order in the house, they will all be able to live happily and maybe even house together next year!
