For this article, we gathered the tips and tricks that best benefit homeowners in Malta who

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  Live together with others adults under one rooftop – be they family, friends, or more!

• Would like to rent out a bedroom to earn some income

• Interested in hosting travellers from around the world for free

• Are expecting a friend, partner, or relative to move in

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It’s true, unmanaged, sharing a house with anyone can get tricky.

Between the lack of privacy, the splitting of groceries, and who uses what, and who cleans this, it’s easy to see as a headache best kept outside our homes.

Thankfully; techies, designers, and sociologists around the world have come up with many neat ideas to offer you (and the people you share a roof with) a chance to not just survive, but also do an incredible job at adulting together.

1. Mudroom in your doorway

Noticing more and more backpacks, wallets, beach towels, papers, coats, boots, mail, pet supplies, and other items are piling up by your door?

They’re a great start, but a key hook and coat hanger won’t be enough.

Add a simple stretch of hooks against the wall or, if feeling crafty, partner up with your housemate to build a clever floating shoe rack.

A small surface to put a container for wallets, deliveries and mail is also essential. If space is an issue, you can build a floating shelf above the shoe rack.

http://freshcrush.com/copper-shoe-rack/

2. Colour Code Keys

If you’re placing all the keys in one bowl or line of hooks, colour code them. Alternatively, get a container that has separate sections.

3. Separate toiletries

Get a shower liner with multiple compartments and place it as close to the shower as you can. This will give easy access to soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, and any other self-care product.

4. Partner up with your household to set up a chore chart

Want your kid to become a responsible, respective, and self-sufficient human? Teach them how – and participate in it! A chore chart is something every member of the household should refer to and respect. Every week, check with different members of your house to find out if they’re happy with their workload.

Take a look at how DIY expert Genevieve did this magnetic chore chart:

5. Colour code towels

Everyone gets their own colour, everyone uses their own colour. Trust us, you want to avoid the “who left a towel on the floor?!” fight.

6. Try to make sure everyone has a key to their own bedroom

We’re all for house sharing, but we’re aware no Maltese mother will agree with giving their kids keys to their own room. But when it comes to the other ages, making sure everyone has a key to their own room is essential to establish both trust and privacy.

If you can’t give keys, consider getting ‘don’t disturb’ tags you can hang around your doorknob. Consider giving this to your kids, so you’ll at least know when to knock before bursting in. It also helps to create a sense of territorial responsibility. Everyone should take care of and maintain their own ‘cubicle’ in a shared house. If it’s your bedroom, then it’s your responsibility.

8. Leave recommendations and notes

You can start with directions to a baker, a convenience store, pharmacies and bus routes.

Malta may be small, but finding out what the locality you live in really offers takes far longer than a weekend. It’s not just about finding a supplier or store you like best, it’s about adaptation. The longer you live in a place, the more time you get to explore hidden local gems and spots, figure out which roads are better to take and which corners to avoid. A simple book with notes and recommendations can help new members acclimate and take advantage of what you’ve learned.

Want to take the extra step? Print a map and mark your favourite locations!

9. Create a ‘control space’ in your house

Remember the chore charts, storage room for supplies and tools, and the other items we recommended you invest in? Put them all in (or as close to) one dedicated space as possible. From the bedroom to the kitchen, most of us design a house around the standard rooms we are familiar with. However, with both men and women working 8 hours a day, we no longer have the luxury of having one person to do all the work. With this in mind, it is worth considering dedicating a space in your home to its own upkeep. Here, you can also place a desk for bills, insurance papers, and documentation related to your home.

You can call it the administration zone, the ‘round table’, the ‘management corner’ – it doesn’t matter what you call it. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, this space will be its mind.

10. Help your household with the magic of technology

Sometimes an apartment in Malta is a couple of sizes smaller than the dream house in our heads, so space for a ‘management’ room is out of the question.

In this case, apps like 2do and Plan to Eat will allow you to keep track of things the household needs, share tasks and stay in control.

Our team at House Malta is always on the look-out for spaces, places, and things that are being built up, torn down, modernised, restored, or re-purposed – be it by a big team or a one-man(or woman)-army.

Do you have a story, a person, or a place in mind?

Share your thoughts via our message box!

Alternatively, you can send us a message on our Facebook page or via email, info@house.mt.

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