My daughter resides in a townhouse on her college campus, sharing it with seven other girls. Here are five organizational strategies that they
use:
1. Colored Circle Stickers: In their kitchen with two refrigerators, each girl has her designated shelf, although space limitations make it imperfect. To address this, they use colored circle stickers to mark their food and leftovers containers.
Each girl chose a unique color which she will stick with for the entire school year.
This method, also helpful for a shared office fridge, serves as a handy way to claim food and prevent unwanted munching — a practical solution for home use as well.
2. Cabinet Organization: Similarly, each girl has her own cabinet in the
kitchen, which is also marked with the colored circle stickers. This ensures that everyone knows the rightful owner of items.
3. Bathroom Etiquette: With two bathrooms—one on each floor—clear rules are in place. The first rule is straightforward: if you take something out, put it
back, and if you make a mess, clean it up.
The girls hold each other accountable for adhering to these rules, ensuring everyone maintains a clean and tidy space.
They also take turns performing deeper bathroom cleaning tasks to keep the shared spaces in top condition.
4. Kitchen Cleanliness: The kitchen operates by a similar rule of thumb: when you finish using something, it must either go in the dishwasher or be washed, dried, and put away.
The motto is "no dirty dish left behind in the sink," fostering a clean and organized kitchen environment.
5. Group Purchases: When the girls decide on purchasing communal items for the house, such as spices for the spice rack, they select a designated shopper. However, the item isn't bought until all the girls Venmo their share of the money to the chosen
shopper, ensuring everyone contributes equally to shared expenses.
In essence, their harmonious living arrangement boils down to mutual respect for each other's spaces and belongings.
While each girl takes care of her dorm room, the entire group comes together for scheduled group cleanups. These efforts include vacuuming the living area, cleaning the kitchen floor, and various other shared responsibilities.
This cooperative and considerate approach fosters a positive and functional living environment for all.
