1 – Take out the trash.
The trash can in a common area is communal. This does not mean you should fill up the trash can — all on your own — and leave it full in a communal space, unattended. The easiest way to anger you roommate is by not cleaning up after yourself. If living with you means you come with a lot of trash, it also means that you are responsible for your own trash disposal. It’s no one else’s job to clean up after you.
If you and your roommate produce an equal amount of trash, it is expected that you will rotate taking the trash out, equally. “Cleaning” out the fridge by taking trash from the refrigerator and moving it to the trash can next to the refrigerator means you just moved trash from one place to another. You have cleaned nothing until that old, gross food has been moved to the dumpster outside. Also, taking a full bag out of the trash and leaving it next to the can is not disposal. All you’re doing is upsetting your roommate who now gets see that you were unwilling to throw it out.
2 – Do the dishes.
Dishes become disgusting quickly. The best way to avoid tension in the house is to always maintain a clean kitchen. Destroy the kitchen all you want while you cook, as long as you clean it up afterward. Whether you have a dishwasher or not, the sink and counters cannot be filled with used dishes. Either take turns doing the dishes or clean up after yourself. If you don’t clean your own dishes regularly, you have no right to get mad at your roommate for not doing it. Set the example.
If you are big on using the kitchen to make food and your roommate is big on ordering out, the easy solution is that you always do the dishes and your roommate always takes out the trash. You can assume both of you are contributing more to different types of messes — you should each be assigned the chore you are more likely to have caused.
3 – Keep the common areas clean.
No matter who owns the furniture, keeping a living room clean is vital to maintaining harmony in the household. Feel free to kick off your shoes when you get home from school or work, but don’t leave them in the living room for extended periods of time. It doesn’t matter if you own the end table, if you are leaving dirty plates or empty McDonald’s bags on the end table, you should be ashamed of yourself. You may go own things outside and leave your trash on them, don’t leave garbage in places where roommates are allowed to bring their friends.
Your trash should embarrass you and the person you live with. No matter whose friends are coming to visit, trash and dirty dishes should be cleaned up beforehand.
4 – Eliminate unpleasant odors.
Everyone loves dogs. If you have a dog that is pad-trained, the pad should never be in a common area. If you want your dog to be peeing and pooping indoors, it should only be permitted in your own bedroom. No one should be expected to put up with heinous smells in common areas. Let your own room be the center of bad odors, maybe it will motivate you to clean up more regularly. The same goes with cats and litter boxes.
There is no excuse for your animal making your home smell when you live with someone else. Accidents happen, but a litter box or pee-pad should never offend the senses of anyone except the pet-owner. If your room emanates an odor beyond the door frame — that is also a problem.
The same goes for non-pet odors. If trash smells, it shouldn’t wait for the can to get full; it should be taken outside immediately. No one wants to come home to stinky trash in the kitchen. If you cause your roommate to experience a smelly trash can you made when they have company over, you should be embarrassed.
5 – Clean the bathroom.
All bathrooms should be equipped with toilet scrubbers and a plunger. The bath mats should be relatively dry, and if your towels are in need of washing, they should be in your hamper. Do not complain to your roommate about hairs in the bathtub if you leave your hair in and around the sink. If anything, the sink is a common area and guests should not be greeted by hair.
Bathrooms are full of germs; they should be cleaned frequently. Several bleach-based products should adorn your cupboards including toilet cleaners, sprays and wipes. The bathroom should be cleaned no less than once per week. If nothing else, your toilet and counter should be cleaned weekly. Sweeping and mopping the bathroom should occur at least twice per month.
Don’t use the bathroom counter as a space where you permanently keep your hygiene products, that’s what cabinets and drawers are for. If your entire makeup or hair-care set is stationed on your counter, it sounds like your bedroom is the place you should be doing this type of work. Put a mirror on your dresser and do it there, your roommate will thank you for it.
No one wants a messy roommate. Messes are the No. 1 cause of friction in a household. If your room is a mess, please be courteous and keep your door closed. If you are a messy person, please work on that flaw. Messes should only exist in the moment — they should never be long term — and they should never affect the person with which you live.