The Share House Lifestyle: 6 Tips for Living a Harmonious Life in a Share House

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Home may be where the heart is, but it’s also where you find a safe space to retire after a long day, unwind and just be yourself. And that’s what share houses offer, along with other benefits.

Share houses are basically rental places with separate private rooms and shared spaces where the residents can gather together to “exchange” and “share." It’s a new and exciting way of living.

Whether it is a share house for expats living abroad for a given period of time, backpackers and business travellers passing through a city, ambitious founders growing startup companies, or single mothers looking for a share house with a day care to help them out, share house living is a great way to meet new people, make new friends and save money when you're on a tight budget or saving for something special. But living in a share isn't always sunshine and roses.

We've all heard the horror stories about that one flatmate who's either downright evil or simply gross floating around on television and online forums. And oftentimes these scary stories in shared digs are certainly at the front of our minds when selecting housemates.

While you can’t always weed out bad housemates during the search for a share house, there are ways to make your arrangement work for everyone involved.

Here are six tips for living as harmonious as possible in a share house:

1. Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of The Day

Hungry people are angry people, so minimizing the chance of kitchen mishaps should be one of your top priorities. People generally sort out the fridge and pantry storage space for each tenant when they move in, but there are other things to consider, as well.

Ensuring that you have quality cookware and cutlery in sufficient quantities can go a long way to preventing arguments when Cindy stores her leftovers in the pan she cooked them in and Jake stockpiles spoons in his room like they're worth their weight in gold.

2. Cooling Off

Summer is arguably one of the most uncomfortable seasons and this can quickly escalate what might have only been a minor argument if people weren't hot and grumpy.

If your common areas don't have a pre-installed air conditioner invest in a portable one and/or some quality fans.

It may not seem important if you move in during the cooler months, but factoring these appliances or other strategies into your house budget before you need them will be a big help in keeping your home harmonious.

3. Respect Each Other's Privacy

This one may seem like a no brainer, but it goes deeper than simply staying out of your housemates' bedrooms and other private areas.

Everyone has the right to quiet enjoyment of the property in which they inhabit. It's common courtesy to let your roomies know when someone is coming over, especially if they're going to be spending the night.

4. Have a Chore Chart

Yes, this may make you feel like you're back in the first grade, but having a set schedule that everyone agrees on can greatly reduce arguments over who's turn it is to vacuum, or mop, or sweep the kitchen.

Depending on how many housemates you have, each person may only need to perform these chores once a month, as everyone can switch off week by week.

5. Keep the Bathroom Clean

This one is about more than just respect and harmony. A dirty bathroom can quickly become a health hazard.

So, no matter who's turn it is to officially clean the place up, make sure you always leave the bathroom in the state you'd like to find it in.

6. Pencil in Family Time

Although you're probably not related by blood, if you spend long enough living with someone (and you actually make an effort to know each other better) you're bound to form a bond. This will reduce stress within the house and make for a happier environment so be sure to have a little time set aside each week to catch up.

This is also a great time to air out any issues with all parties present. so it'll help prevent problems from building up and exploding.