You’re not raking in the money at work quite yet since you’ve just moved and you haven’t managed to win the lottery. Dreams of living alone aren’t exactly tangible right now, so you’ll live with roommates. It will be the best of times, it will be the worst of times. Roommates can be your best friends or your worst enemies, so choose wisely and adhere to these simple rules:

Lay down some guidelines

Sure, things might still go amiss, but if you talk about house rules important to you before you move in, chances are, they’ll be followed. For instance, are you sharing food items and splitting the cost, or is everyone buying their own groceries independently? Laying down guidelines at the beginning of your lease will make sure everyone’s on the same page.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but some people have very different definitions of “clean”. If you are a neat freak, it’s alright to keep everyone in line as long as you are not invasive. Alternatively, if you like to come home from work, make dinner, and then leave your dirty dishes until “whenever, man”,  this is going to be something you have to work on. If it helps, make a chart and split up chores amongst the roommates, taking turns for who does what each week.

Treat roommates how you would like to be treated

Some roommates will become your best friends, some will just be roommates. No matter which category they fall into, treat your housemates with respect and be accountable for your own actions as well. Everyone has good and bad days; try to be there for your roommates and make the best of your living situation. Store your things in your personal area and try to maintain healthy relationships.