tips on things to talk about in your apartment
QUESTIONS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU TALK ABOUT
- Cleaning schedule – the oven, the stove and surfaces, how often should they be cleaned? etc.
- Dishwasher, all help out or have a schedule? For how long is it OK to leave dirty dishes for example. If rules are not followed, consequences? Or rewards if they are followed?
- Recycling schedule. Who and when will take out the trash. Have two people who is in charge for each week and then change after 1 week? Then you will do it every 5th week.
- Joint purchases or not? (dishwashing liquid etc)
- Parties, any rules? Rule for the building is quiet at 10.
- Guest guidelines. Some coliving houses decided that if someone is staying over for some days just let your roomies know who this person is so it doesn’t become a surprise in the shared spaces (perhaps post a picture in Slack?).
- Apartment meeting once a month? Preferable before the community meeting which is the 15 to collect thoughts and check in with each other
- Joint dinners – should we have something scheduled every once in a while to join the group or just random? Are there other social aspects that are important to us?
- About each other – What are our expectations of ourselves and of each other? In what way are we similar and in what way are we different (maybe check your rommie profile?)? What is important for me that the rest of you to know about me?
Remember that these questions above are both about formal and informal rules, it can take a while before the informal rules are settled and work well in a group. It is therefore important to find a balance between being patient until informal rules are settled and trying to influence these so that they become as good as possible for everyone in the apartment.
TIPS FROM COLIVERS
Do you have tips on how to do things? Just message us and we will share it here!
Three poeple that changes weekly. If someone is away it is easy to see as well! This one used for garbage, dishwasher, general kitchen cleaning etc, you make it your way! ✌️ 
- Is your favorite serie is launched with 1 episode per week? You might not be the only one watching, set up a “serie catch up night” and watch it together! 🎬
- The gathering dinner can be organised either with your flatmate once in a while so you can maybe discover new taste and the culture of food around the world. You can also do it with your close friends from COLIVE what ever the floor is. 🍝
- Going further with the dinner, why not doing a “master chef” night, one is cooking for the others every 2 weeks, rate your friends cooking skills and after a few month it’s time for awards! 😎
Don’t be afraid of getting out of your comfort zone and meeting new people. You don’t need to be the person throwing crazy parties every weekend if that’s not your style, but even just chatting with a housemate over dinner can ease you into making new friends. Alternatively, invite someone to join you for an activity or hobby you enjoy – sometimes it’s surprising how much you have in common with another person.
- Weekly dinner – Every Monday, two or three people have the responsibility to cook for everybody in the apartment. It is a nice way of sitting down together, and also, this means that you only need to cook every 5th Monday ✌️
- Pointing out someone who forgot his duty or share a picture in the chat of what others haven’t clean isn’t very friendly and some people can take in wrong or feel bad. Instead, chose a funny code beforehand to indicate your colivers that someone has forgotten doing something. Our is “cotton candy” 🍬