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Personality
Do you prefer your flatmate to have a quiet, outgoing, independent, laid back or reserved personality? Whatever your choice, this essential ingredient
will influence group dynamics and the interaction between flatmates. For example, a person who sees their flatmates as friends may feel isolated if all of their flatmates are independent and make
their own plans.
Hobbies and Interests
Do your flatmates need to enjoy the same type of music, like to entertain or lead a health conscious lifestyle? Different likes and
dislikes can cause conflicts and disruptions within a household. To ensure a harmonious living environment all flatmates should have some interests in common.
Length of Stay
Is it important that you and your flatmates spend a minimum amount of time living together? For example, deciding that current flatmates should set up a
household for a minimum of a year will help household budgeting and allows everyone to have the same expectations.
Friends and Guests
Do you prefer flatmates which have a lot
of friends visiting or living with people who meet their friends elsewhere? It's a matter of deciding whether you prefer a busy home where people are continuously walking in and out or a quieter
living environment.
Personal Belongings
Will your flatmates need to bring or contribute any items to the household and how much space will be available for personal
belongings? For example, if you are living in a small apartment, a flatmate with only a few personal items may be more suitable than a person that has a 3-piece lounge set.
Independence
Do you prefer flatmates that wish to form close relationships with other flatmates or should flatmates be independent and want to do their own thing? The amount of independence of
each flatmate will play an important part in the development of relationships within a household.
The advantage of this recipe is that whenever a part of your life or living environment
changes, you can simply re-create your recipe to match your new hobbies, lifestyle or living situation. Changing your perfect flatmate recipe when you need to will help you find the right
flatmates each time. Remember, if you are ever unsure in which direction you are heading, just ask yourself "Can you describe your perfect flatmate in 30 seconds or less?"
Good luck and happy flatmate hunting!
About The Author
Enid Steiner is a Director of
http://www.flatwithme.com.au, an Australian online roommate service. For more tips and hints about finding share accommodation log onto http://www.flatwithme.com.au/advice.html |
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