Moving in with a roommate - New York City edition

Let’s face it – NYC is expensive. When moving to New York, one of the first challenges people face is living costs, especially housing. Most of the time, you’ll get a lot smaller place than the one you’ve lived in before. Or, when you find a spacious place in a great location – expect to pay a lot for it. That’s when moving in with a roommate in New York is a great option. However, that’s not always easy. From finding an apartment, finding the right roommate, and then building a good relationship with them without any problems. Therefore, we prepared a guide on moving in with a roommate – New York edition. Here’s everything you should know about sharing a place with someone you don’t know well.

Face the fact – there’s no perfect roommate Finding someone who completely suits you is very hard. Don’t expect someone you’ve just met understands everything you say, predict your needs and wishes. That’s why you need to be ready to adjust a little bit, but also be open about the things you like and don’t like. So, when you are moving in with a roommate, it is very important to be open and ready to communicate. Firstly, be ready to get to know your roommate before you move in and talk about your previous experiences, both positive and negative. Talk about the ‘rules’

One of the first rules, when you are moving in with a roommate, is seeing some ground rules about you sharing living space. Discuss items you care the most and settle some of the most important ‘guidelines’. Here are some examples of topics you should go through when talking to your roommate:

• Bills – make sure there’s a strict idea of how you pay for bills. Discuss any other financial questions and make sure everything is crystal clear.
• Cleaning – if you’re both cleaning our home, settle on days/weeks when each of you cleans the place, or any other solution.
• Pets – check if your place is pet-friendly. See if you’re okay if the other person has a pet – even if you don’t have one now, it’s good to know how other person feels about animals in your home.
• Food– see if you’re sharing food, buying groceries together, cooking, etc.

Basically, don’t leave any important questions to be decided later. Even though there will be some changes as you spend some more time together, be sure to bring up most of these items in the beginning.

Pick a financially suitable roommate

When moving in with a roommate, it’s good to pick someone who is financially similar to you. This is a very good thing when it comes to splitting the rent, paying the bills, ordering food, etc. If somebody has a lot more or less money than you, there could bring up occasional unpleasant situations.

Do you have enough space?

Once you move into your new apartment, you’ll see how much space you have left. In case it’s a bit too crowded, there’s no need for both you or your roommate to get rid of your stuff. It’s a good idea to take a storage unit – a common way New Yorkers store the items they rarely use.

Talk about the guests

One of the most common problems when getting a roommate is an additional roommate who doesn’t pay rent, but spend a lot of time in your apartment. This is often a girlfriend, boyfriend, or sibling of your roommate, who happens to be there all the time. So, if you’re bothered with this, make sure you settle this at the very beginning. You can settle a rule of how many nights somebody can stay, for example. There are ways to settle this and still have a good relationship with your roommate.

Moving in with your roommate

If you’re both you and your roommate moving in at approximately the same time, try to talk about the moving schedule, so you don’t disturb each other’s moving day. Be flexible, and try to settle the day/time of your moves, so you have time to unpack freely.

Do you have the right help?

Talking about moving in with your roommate, we should also go through your moving process. Moving to or around NYC can be tough if you’re not experienced enough. That’s why a local moving company is a great choice in this situation. When you hire New York's professionals to help you move, you can expect a fast, hassle-free relocation in one of the busiest cities in the country. Moving pros know the right technique to relocate a whole place without you getting tired or hurt. So, to protect yourself, as well as your items, consider letting someone like that help you out.

Pack your boxes – the right way

When living with someone you don’t know well, you need to be very organized and fast when unpacking. This way you won’t annoy or disturb the other person, but unpack your items as quickly as possible. To do that, make sure you pack smart. Pack your items by rooms and color-code each box, so you know where to put them when you arrive. Furthermore, label each box with its contents – unpacking and fining a certain item will be a lot easier.

Spend time together

Finally, even though moving in with your roommate seems like a business deal, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hang out from time to time. It’s true you shouldn’t expect to become best friends with your roommate (even though that’s possible), it’s good to have a drink or share a pizza from time to time. Enjoy your time together so you can have a positive atmosphere in your home.