Moving into a shared home has a lot of benefits. You get to have a roof over your head, a community you can rely on, and a place where you can be yourself.

However, since you’ll be living with strangers, things can get awkward at the beginning. Fortunately, here are a few things that can help you live a harmonious shared house life.

Make Friends

Socializing while living in a shared house with other people is inevitable. Regardless of whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, you can expect to do some level of socializing. 

Meeting new people and making friends can make life easier. For example, you can be friends with people who have been in the house longer. They can teach you the ropes while you figure out how to make a place for yourself.

Remember, the key to socializing is to give and take. Share your stories, but pay attention to when someone else is talking. You want them to know more about you, but you also want to know more about them.

Be Nice

Being nice is not only about what you can give your roommates or housemates; it’s about being a good person. Respect everyone’s space, do your part in the house upkeep, and be mindful of what you’re doing.

Speaking to your housemates about their boundaries early on is a great idea. You will learn how to live peacefully with them, helping you bond more. Try eating with them, and broach the subject while you’re at it.

Create Your Haven

Your room is now your safe space, so go ahead and decorate it as you like. But before you make big changes to the room, like changing the wall color, check with the administration first. 

Some homes will allow you to repaint the room, but others don’t. If your house doesn’t approve of repainting your walls, you can tack on your favorite posters or make a photo wall instead.

If your room has a lot more height than floor space, use it. You can add hooks to the walls to hang your clothes or accessories. You can also go to the thrift store and dollar store to find affordable décor to make your room feel like home.

Organize

The trick to living with limited floor space is to keep it clean and organized. Make sure that everything in your room has a place. You can use thrift store or dollar store storage containers. You can also upscale product packaging into custom storage containers.

Organizing your space is one thing, but keeping it in order is a separate issue. You just have to remember one thing to stay organized: Put everything back to where they belong when you’re done with them.

Get and Give Help

Although you live with other people, you are, in essence, living independently—that can be a scary thought. At the same time, when you share a house, you are not alone. This means that you can ask for help from your housemates when you need it, and you should lend a hand when you can.

If you think that asking for help is a sign of ignorance and weakness, you’re wrong. Asking for help shows a willingness to learn and grow. When you ask, you know things faster. Sure, you can try to figure things out alone, but that would be a slow learning process. It can involve a lot of mishaps too.

Conclusion

Living in a shared house can be a wonderful experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. Try to make it a good one. Build connections, respect people, be nice, and have fun.

Stayhaven Homes offers affordable shared housing in Stanislaus, Merced, and Sacramento. We proudly provide special housing options for teens, the elderly, veterans, and more. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you!