How To Get Privacy From A Roommate

Privacy can make anyone feel safer and more secure, whether they have roommates or not. However, having roommates makes getting privacy somewhat difficult. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to get privacy from a roommate. 

You won’t struggle with privacy as much if you and your roommate coordinate your schedules. Designate times for the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and shower to ensure you don’t step on each other’s toes. It’s also a great idea to soundproof your bedroom and set up dividers to get some space from your roommate as needed. 

Talk to your roommate and agree upon rules regarding noise curfews and guests to avoid confrontations. Follow along as we explore nine ways to get privacy from a roommate. 

How To Feel Comfortable If You Have A Roommate

Having a roommate doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be uncomfortable. Countless people have roommates, and many of them get along well. However, you must take a few steps to get privacy and comfort from a roommate, such as:

1. Coordinate Your Schedules

Getting privacy from a roommate is much easier if you know their schedule. That way, you can plan your schedule around them to ensure you aren’t always hovering near each other. This includes work, food, laundry, and even exercise schedules. 

Coordinating shower schedules is also important. The last thing you want to do is realize you can’t take a shower before work because your roommate just got in unexpectedly. Coordinating schedules can also help establish mutual respect between you and your roommate. 

It also helps to know when your roommate won’t be home. That doesn’t mean you hate them, but it is nice to have the house or apartment to yourself for even just an hour. 

2. Soundproof Your Bedroom

Sharing an apartment means you must hear your roommate throughout the day and night. This is unavoidable, but you can at least create a quiet sanctuary in your bedroom. Today, you can easily find cheap soundproofing materials to turn your bedroom into a quiet haven. 

Acoustic panels and sound blankets absorb sound and can make you feel quite comfortable. All you must do is hang them on the walls and even your door. Soundproofing materials are essential if you have thin walls and plan to play guitar in an apartment.  

3. Agree Upon Guest Rules

You can have guests over as much as you want for as long as you want when you live alone. However, things change when you have roommates, as you must respect how they feel. For example, your roommate may start work early in the morning, so late-night hangouts can disrupt their schedule. 

In that case, having your friends over late into the night is unfair if your roommate isn’t okay with that. The same applies to you, as you most likely don’t want to deal with your roommate’s friends late at night. You can avoid a lot of conflict if you simply talk to your roommate about guest policies. 

It won’t take long to reach a mutual agreement about how often guests can come over and how late they can stay. Remember to make “I statements” so it doesn’t seem like you are accusing your roommate of anything. 

4. Carefully Plan Common Areas

No matter how big or small your apartment is, it most likely has at least one common area. For example, 2-bedroom apartments often have an open area with a kitchenette that opens up to a family room space. Naturally, you and your roommate will use these common areas from time to time. 

If done right, you can create a perfect layout that maximizes privacy. For example, you can space the furniture out to ensure you and your roommate aren’t on top of each other. You can even put a chair and a side table in the corner to create a comfortable nook without occupying too much space. 

Room dividers can also make open spaces feel more private. It may take some experimentation, but the furniture layout in your apartment can make open spaces feel like separate rooms. 

5. Set Boundaries

Do you have a problem with your roommate crossing your boundaries? If so, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll never be able to get along. Some people grow up differently than others and don’t necessarily understand that others have distinct boundaries.

In that case, it’s up to you to establish boundaries to keep the peace between you and your roommate. Communication is key, as you must politely express your feelings without offending your roommate. For example, you can politely let them know your schedule and mention that you like alone time. 

It’s also worth talking to your roommate and setting a daily noise curfew. That way, you don’t have to worry about interactions past a certain point of the day. You can only establish boundaries if you express yourself, or else, you’ll struggle to get privacy. 

6. Divide Your Studio Apartment

Do you live in a studio apartment? If so, you’ve most likely noticed that getting privacy is next to impossible. However, you can feel much more comfortable and secure if you set up room dividers to get some space away from your roommate. 

Your priority should be to separate your beds with dividers to maximize privacy in a space that is otherwise far from private. It’s also a great idea to place your beds on opposite sides of the apartment to avoid encroaching on your roommate’s space. Next, you can create makeshift changing rooms and makeup stations with dividers. 

7. Respect Each Other’s Belongings

It’s all too easy to get comfortable enough with your roommate that you use their belongings without asking. They may do the same thing to you, but this can eventually lead to easily avoidable confrontations. One way to avoid this problem is to label many of your belongings, even if that is inconvenient. 

This is mostly necessary for your belongings that you keep in common areas, like the kitchen and bathroom. For example, you can label your food in the fridge and pantry. It’s also worth labeling your dishes and kitchenware to ensure your roommate doesn’t use them. 

Of course, it’s okay to share your belongings with your roommate, and vice versa. However, labeling your belongings helps ensure your roommate asks permission before they use your things. 

8. Use Separate Bathrooms If Possible

Some 2-3-bedroom apartments only feature a single bathroom. In that case, you have no choice but to share a single bathroom with your roommate or roommates. However, it’s worth separating the bathrooms if you have more than one. 

It’s much easier to feel comfortable and secure if you and your roommate each have a designated bathroom. That way, you don’t have to worry about awkward situations and sharing a mirror, toilet, shower, and tub. Separate bathrooms are especially helpful before and after work when people are often in a rush to get ready or unwind from the day. 

9. Designate Storage Areas

It’s hard to get privacy if you share storage spaces with your roommate. However, you also may not have many storage options if you have a small apartment or house. Talk to your roommate and see about how you can divide the storage space at home. 

That way, you don’t have to mix your belongings with theirs. This can provide a sense of comfort, provide privacy, and keep your belongings organized. 

Otherwise, you can each buy or split the cost of matching storage bins. That way, the bins won’t clash, and you can label them to differentiate which is which. 

Summing It Up

The best way to get privacy from a roommate is to learn each other’s schedules and set boundaries. You can also carefully place furniture and dividers to ensure you have comfortable, safe havens. It’s also worth collaborating with your roommate to create a list of mutual rules regarding noise curfews, bathrooms, and guests. 

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• How To Prepare Your Home For A Roommate
• How To Repurpose A Spare Room
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