Remember These Things Before You Start Co-Living

Shared accommodation is no longer something only students take up for a few years. Due to increasing rates of rental accommodation and the gradual cultural shift, co-living continues to soar as a popular choice of living for people in large cities where the cost of living is high as well.

Living with people who are very different than who you are can take some getting used to. But it can also be an exciting experience that opens your mind and exposes you to new cultures, backgrounds and relationships. It also makes networking a friendly activity and provides a support system for those who are new to a city and its elements.

Here are a few tips to keep your co-living experience harmonious.

Be clean, not mean

Think being messy is cool? Maybe sharing a room isn’t best for you.

Cleanliness is subjective and everyone knows it differently. But there a few ground rules one need to set before moving in with someone. Everyone must agree to clean up after themselves, especially in the common areas. You can take turns in regular hygiene cleaning of the common area or pitch in to hire a housekeeper.

If the room is left always untidy, one of the residents will lose it for sure.

The smarter choice would be to use co-living space providers like Colive where all the apartments are fully-managed regularly by professional housekeepers.

Respect is key

Being respectful and considerate to your housemates is one of the best qualities of a coliver.

Respect your housemates’ belongings, preferences and most importantly, privacy. Keep the noise down if you are having friends over or coming in late at night. If possible, inform your housemates in advance about having visitors over. It is their house as much as it is yours.

Do not enter their rooms when they aren’t around and always knock first when the door is shut.

Respect goes a long way towards preventing bickering and happy co-living.

Communicate. And don’t stop

It any kind of enterprise, communication is an important element to keep it friction-free.

Co-living isn’t any different. All housemates have to be working together to keep the house a perfect abode for themselves. This requires a lot of honesty and communication.

Have an established platform of communication like a Facebook or WhatsApp group where you discuss daily activities of the house.

However, in case of any issues, it is always better to resolve it face-to-face.

If you haven’t developed a communicative relationship with your housemates, it is high time you do so with polite gestures and by establishing a comfortable atmosphere for everyone.

Cherry-pick your housemates (if possible) 

Some house-hunters are blessed and get to pick their housemates. If you are one, you should thank your lucky stars and consider potential clash on habits like smoking, drinking or obsessive cleanliness. Picking the wrong housemate can affect your lifestyle in the smallest but most annoying ways.

Be honest about your lifestyle, schedules and habits while talking to potential housemates as it will be a much more joyful co-living experience with people you get along.

Co-living space provider Colive has the ultimate solution for this as well. Every seeker can view the living preferences and compatibility with the existing residents of a facility before choosing to book the bed itself.

Sort out the bills 

It is important to sort this out in the first few weeks of co-living or if possible, before the move-in itself. Budgeting is the most common cause of arguments between housemates.

The residents have to decide together on who is going to pay for what and what is going to be split among how many. This might sound like a simple discussion but can be a tad bit more complicated while you’re co-living.

Colive solves this problem as well by providing end-to-end maintenance services and furnishing in a single rent package.

Safety can never be compromised on 

Safety and security are one aspect a lot of us are ready to compromise on while looking for cheap accommodation. Truth is, it is one of the most important things to look for in a place where we are going to be spending more than half of our day at.

Keep your belongings in your room and be smart with your storage. Don’t misplace your stuff in common areas and make it difficult for others to trust each other. Safety can be a concern with people coming in and out of the facility/apartment. If possible, pick an apartment with CCTV facility in the common areas and have some lockable storage in your room for your much-loved items.

Living together with people can be a wonderful opportunity to network, collaborate and build relationships that will last a lifetime. Remember that you are not just picking a home but also choosing to be a part of a community that will complement your interests and lifestyle.

Happy Coliving!