Your first week with a new roommate: 10 things to do
You've moved in and your roommates are still half strangers. What happens in the first week shapes the routine for months: good starts head off friction before it begins.
Here are 10 things to do in the first week, a checklist you can work through with your roommates.
1. Have a welcome dinner
On the first day or first weekend, order a pizza or cook something simple. Chatting over a meal is a far easier start than a formal "rules" talk. Everyone briefly introduces themselves: job or school, daily routine, what they like and dislike.
2. Learn each other's routines
Who's up early, who stays up late, who works from home? Shower times, kitchen use and house rhythm are far easier to plan with this information.
3. Talk through the house rules
Briefly go over guests, quiet hours, smoking, cleaning and shared areas. You don't need a perfect text; talking in the first week is enough. For a fuller list see our guide to house rules.
4. Settle how money works
- How much are the rent and bill shares, which day and how are they paid?
- How are shared costs (groceries, cleaning) split?
- Where will the record be kept (notes, a sheet or an app)?
You can add your roommates to Ev Ortağım with an invite code and put expenses on record from day one.
5. Set up a cleaning routine
A simple chore rota is easy to set up in the first week; once habits form a few weeks in, they're harder to change.
6. Keys and safety
- Does everyone have a key? Where is the spare?
- Agree on locking and closing the door.
- Share who to call in an emergency and the landlord's contact details.
7. Share the Wi-Fi and subscription details
Keep the Wi-Fi password, any shared subscriptions and whose name the bills are in somewhere everyone can find.
8. Decide what's shared
Which items are shared and which personal? Whose fridge shelf is whose? Labels and a simple list prevent "that's mine" arguments.
9. Meet the neighbours
A short hello makes things easier later when there's noise or a parcel. Meeting them with your roommates makes the home safer and friendlier.
10. Do a short check-in at the end of the week
A ten-minute chat at the weekend: "What went well, what should we change?" Doing this in week one lets you catch the things that would otherwise turn into a big argument at the end of the month.
The first week doesn't have to be perfect; the aim is to get to know each other and create a footing where you can speak openly.
What to avoid in week one
- Judging immediately: first impressions can mislead; decide after a few weeks.
- Trying to change everything at once: settle the basics first; the details come with time.
- Passive-aggressive notes: if something bothers you, talk instead of leaving paper.
- Postponing money talk with "we'll see": the system you agree on at the start causes the least friction.
A check at the end of month one
When the first month ends, hold a house meeting: were rent and bills paid on time? Is the chore rota working? Any trouble with noise or guests? Settle the month together too; our guide on tracking who owes what helps you build the routine.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the first week with a new roommate?
Have a welcome dinner, learn each other's routines, talk through house rules and money, set up a chore rota and do a short check-in at the end of the week.
What should roommates discuss on day one?
Rent and bill shares, payment day, guest and quiet-hour rules, the cleaning routine and shared costs.
How do I bond with my new roommate?
Shared meals, small activities and regular conversations work best; create opportunities without forcing it.