Coliving in shared spaces often gives the idea that you will not have as much privacy as you’d like. Those with siblings or experiences with dorm mates will come in with prejudice. Things are going to get used ‘out of curiosity’, and ‘alone time’ is a sad myth.
But coliving spaces aren’t about you sacrificing your needs for the greater good grind!
Privacy in shared spaces are something that requires boundary-making. Here are some tips going about that.
The Golden Rule: Asking and Telling.
There are going to be areas in the house and communal areas that are unavoidable shared spaces. The kitchen, the living room, and the entirety that is the bathroom — trying to keep some private time in these areas can be tricky. Not only that, things left in those areas are free game if left out long enough.
Remember that a coliving space is a space agreed on by the people you live with. Make it a habit to inform when something in these shared spaces is going to be used, especially when it isn’t something you bought. Start early in cohabiting with this practice to let your housemates know that you respect them and their things. Asking for permission is always better than forgiveness!
Identifying and respecting another’s space and belongings will encourage them to respond in kind. If housemates cannot do the same, you might have to move your belongings to a different location when not in use.
Understand Routines.
Day and night people function differently, your daily schedule might not align with your housemates. Your wind-down time may be when they are at their most active, or their bathroom habits might disrupt your space to get ready.
Adding to this home traffic dysfunctionality is the current imposing of Work-From-Home (WFH) orders; everyone is made to stay indoors but expected to function normally. Routines are skewed beyond reason, and maintaining some degree of privacy will get more difficult.
Engage in shared ‘quiet time’ with your housemates, work a mindfulness moment into all your schedules; or simply know when to keep some noise down. Here are some tips on maintaining your and your housemates’ mental health flow!
Communicate!
Like both points above, nothing can really be established without communication. Don’t just talk to your housemates when you want something! Build a relationship with the people sharing your space. Trust, comfort, and respect can always be worked on.
Make an effort to be friends with your housemates. These are the people you come home to, and private moments will overlap. Privacy is as much as you express it, and no one is going to know how much of it you need unless you tell them.
Coliving shared spaces are designed to be to the member’s utmost convenience. With distinctions of communal spaces and private rooms, keeping some privacy is part of conscious architecture Hom practices. Not only that, member-based events are designed to help you with the bonding and communicating with your fellow housemates, giving you the time to not stress over this! And given that today’s living requires some implementation of social distancing, here are some tips!
