Living with roommates can be incredibly fun or an absolute nightmare. If you share a space with your best friend, you might spend every evening sharing dinner together and enjoying walks around the neighborhood. But if you live with a stranger who eventually becomes an enemy, it can be hard to even relax in your own home.

Below, you’ll find a story that one woman recently shared on Reddit, detailing her experience with a particularly petty roommate and how she managed to get the woman to move out.

We can expect to have to make some compromises when living with roommates

Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)

But when this woman’s roommate demanded no one ever touch her things, she decided it would only be fair to enact the same rule

Image credits:  Gabrielle Henderson (not the actual photo)

Image credits:  roam in color (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Erik Mclean (not the actual photo)

Image credits: 190PairsOfPanties

Later, the woman answered a few questions from readers and provided more details about the situation

Nearly a third of households in the United States are shared by roommates

Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

While owning your own place, or sharing a space with your romantic partner, is the dream of many of us, it’s not always possible, especially when you’re young. If you live in an expensive city, just finished university or enjoy living with friends, having roommates can be a wise choice financially and for your social life. 

According to Flex, 31.9% of households in the US are shared by adults who aren’t married or romantically linked. And as difficult as it can be to find a great roommate, it’s not impossible, as nearly 45% of renters who have one roommate say they’re extremely satisfied with their arrangement. About half of renters who have roommates have more than one, and 10.5% have a whopping 4 or more people sharing the same space. 

But not everyone who shares their living space lives by the old “what’s mine is yours” mantra. How much roommates decide to share with one another depends on their relationship and how comfortable they are with each other. And according to Spring Creek Apartments, there are certain things that just make sense to share. Couches, TVs, coffee makers, kitchen tables and chairs, printers, fans, speakers, dishes, appliances and gaming systems often reside in communal spaces for the whole household to use.

It’s up to individuals to decide exactly how much they’re comfortable sharing

Image credits: monicore (not the actual photo)

It can also be a lot easier to share dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products and paper towels than trying to have multiple versions of each cluttering up the apartment. When it comes to what not to share, anything that has to do with personal hygiene should be kept away from your roommates, as well as clothing, towels, bedding and earbuds or headphones. 

Food can also be a divisive topic, as it can be incredibly frustrating to realize that a roommate has been snacking on your carrots and hummus while you were at work. But if it’s simpler and easier to share essentials, such as butter, eggs, milk and bread, you can agree with your roommate to take turns between who buys those things. 

While it can seem nearly impossible to find a roommate who doesn’t drive you bonkers, your home is the one place in the world where you should feel the most safe and comfortable. So it’s worth it to hunt for a perfect match. According to Pods, it’s important to figure out exactly what’s important to you in a living situation before agreeing to live with someone new. Discuss cleanliness, your lifestyle habits, and pet peeves before signing any contracts. And if it’s possible, speak to one of their former roommates to hear an honest perspective on how they like to live.

When conflicts come up between roommates, it’s best to address them directly and honestly

Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)

If you still find yourself in a situation where you’re unhappy with your roommate, Austin Therapy & EMDR recommends addressing the situation directly. Set firm boundaries with your roommate, and explain what exactly is making you uncomfortable and why. Try not to be aggressive or passive aggressive, but just be honest with them that having dishes left in the sink or loud music playing while you’re trying to sleep is frustrating.

And of course, if the situation doesn’t seem to improve no matter how respectful you’ve been, it might be time to either move out or ask them to move out. If the relationship is causing you stress or negatively impacting your mental health, the roommate relationship has likely run its course.         

We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. What do you think about this woman’s malicious compliance? And have you ever had to deal with a similar roommate? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing challenging roommates, look no further than right here!

Amused readers shared their thoughts and called out the former roommate for her pettiness

Some even shared similar stories of difficult living situations

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