The three golden rules for living with your bestie
So no one told you life was going to be this way *clap clap clap clap*. Whether your life is stuck in second gear or accelerating ahead – there is nothing more twenties than living with your best friend.
When the bestie and I moved in together, we were both working pretty cool jobs, living in a pretty cool city and found a pretty cool apartment. But we were also pretty darn broke. So we spent the first month spooning to keep warm on a shared air mattress in the lounge room, while our two bed(less) rooms became floordrobes because we couldn’t even splurge for coat hangers.
It wasn’t always the easiest – particularly when we were both suffering through dry July, experiencing heartbreak and add a broken car in the mix, with a dash of PMS. But after a couple of meltdowns, we were watching How To Be Single, drinking wine, eating ice cream and trawling through Tinder – AKA the 2016 version of Monica and Rachel. So if you’re also considering living with your bestie, here are some of the simple rules to follow to make it the best experience possible.
Designate responsibilities
While it may have been cool to have matching clothes when you were 12, trying to sort out whose black g-string is whose when you’re on washing duty is not as fun. It's also not so fun if you’re always the one assigned to folding fitted sheets. No one should be the mother or the kid of the house, so split up the chores as equally as you can. But make sure that each of you have an equal amount of time on the dreaded washing duty.
No pass-agg text messages
You laugh when your besties laughs and you cry when your bestie cries – you are pretty much an old married couple, except peeing with the door open doesn’t affect your sex life. However, the real test of communication is how you deal with conflict. Surprisingly, it’s more likely to be the smaller things in the picture that will irritate and cause a riff.
If you feel like you’re continually picking up after your roomie, try to have a convo in person about it, rather than sending a passive aggressive text. It’s also important to not forget the bigger picture. Having a bad day? Don’t take your stress out on the other person, because chances are they will know exactly the right thing to say to make you feel better.
Let’s talk about sex, baby
Let’s talk about you and me. We’re sure the girl talk about sex has probably been sufficiently covered with your bestie. In nearly every household, the sock on the door code (whether it be with a person or vibrator) may be pretty standard, but make sure you set some basic rules to ensure no one is knocking “shut up” in morse code through the wall.
If you think you might be getting lucky with a Tinder date, it’s best to send a courtesy text that lets your roomie know that there may be noises happening in your room tonight may other than snoring. Check if the other bedroom has also swiped right, and if you use the last condom replace the box.
Fast forward a couple of steps and if things are getting a serious with someone special, don’t forget to still make time for your bestie. They will be the ones that buy you chocolate and watch Bridget Jones Diary with you if things go a little sour.
Top tips to also keep in mind…
• Ask before borrowing
• Give each other space
• Spooning your best friend will always win over spooning your pillow
• Find a budget that works for both and be fair when splitting bills
• Make sure you also have separate social lives
Follow these simple rules and you guys can still be BFFs by the time you move out. Living with your bestie has its ups and downs, but it's definitely worth it.
Jessie Gretener
Jessie is a freelance Journalist currently based in Sydney, although feels more at home when flying off on her next adventure.