The Perfect Flatmate - An introduction
I used to share a flat with someone. This mini-series, “The Perfect Flatmate”, details some of the experiences of a shared house.
Years ago I read a book entitled “I lick my cheese!” It was named after a note that was left by someone who shared a house with others. He believed they were stealing his cheese from the fridge.
I laughed at the reference back then and often amuse myself when it pops into my head again. Oh, to be stuck with a housemate you don’t get on with. Surely you’d do your best to make sure that you did indeed interact well with those you’d see every evening and all weekend? Or so I thought…
I lick my cheese - Buy the book!
Room to let - Thanks, recession!
The recession has done many things to many people. For me, the need to let a room at my place wasn’t a decision taken lightly, but needs must and part way through 2012 I let a room for the first time to someone I’d met through Twitter.
Since then I have flat-shared with a few people. Experience has taught me lessons (like buying a Lockabox for the fridge to stop the kids stealing my food). Whether it’s sharing a place with my best friend, a total stranger or even the kids, it all adds up to an experience I can share.
What follows is an account – partly exaggerated, though mostly true – about what happens when two strangers share a house.
Names are never referred to, for no other reason than to protect the innocent. (Or the guilty, should you think of them that way).
Each incident is written from the viewpoint of the one most hard done. Hopefully that meanst it’s never revealed if it was me or him / her to blame.
In other words: This is how not to be the perfect housemate.
by DannyUK
“I lick my cheese” – exactly what i used to do in order to protect my food from my brother 🙂 a very effective but mean way to keep him away.
Twitter: rhondajoy
on June 13, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Very nicely done. The article was very interesting.
Twitter: ruth120067
on June 24, 2018 at 5:01 am
Wow, this looks fascinating – I’ve never lived with any flatmates as I had my son at 19 and we’ve lived on our own ever since so I’d love an insight!
I much prefer living alone. I know who ate the chicken. (p.s. it was me)
Twitter: freyerj
on June 28, 2018 at 11:03 pm
fortunately I have never had a flatmate.
Nice! I should have considered a step such as the Lockabox; knowing you’ve got something nice to eat and then finding it missing is so stressful.
Twitter: margare42282639
on July 1, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Had flatmates in the past – nothing ever seemed to work !
Hiding labelling ….. it was tough !
Twitter: ortho_c_bear
on July 4, 2018 at 6:59 am
So glad I don’t currently have flat mates, so much of my stuff went walkies, and having mild OCD is the worst with people that don’t clean. I once moved somewhere and my flatmates thought they’d got a cleaner, it was just me and no matter how much I told them to tidy up, empty he him even it never happened. I don’t think I could face it again.
This sounds like a fun and interesting read.
Twitter: LisbyBrown
on July 5, 2018 at 3:47 pm
This is a really good subject for a blog
Twitter: purplepansyem
on July 11, 2018 at 8:40 pm
I have never shared a flat/house with someone other than my family and I’m glad because I would probably end up having loads of arguments over the housework rota and who has touched my food in the fridge, not to mention unnecessary noise!
I prefer to live alone.
Twitter: stevenfairbairn
on July 18, 2018 at 12:56 pm
I used to share a house with 2 friends. It really helped to split the bills and rent 3 ways.