If you're the type of person who likes everything "just so," in its place, organized, living with a messy roommate can be tough. There are really only so many times you can subtly attempt to get the person to clean or fight about the issue.

The stress can build up… and that's never "tidy." So, what are your options? Allow the resentment to build because you find yourself constantly cleaning up someone else's mess? Nah, that's not healthy either. 

Here are a few tips for living with a messy roommate to help you live peacefully, whether your messy roommate is a friend, a stranger, or even your significant other!

Tips for Living with a Messy Roommate

1. Keep those lines of communication clutter-free

Ok, we played that one up big time, but really, one of the best ways to deal with this is to talk it out. Often we find ourselves doing a little more each day without saying anything, or leaving passive-aggressive notes that do the opposite of encouraging the messy individual to clean up their act. Instead, sit down and have a heart to heart. Maybe all that person needs to begin with is to have the issue brought to their attention!

2. Create "Messy" Zones

If talking doesn't seem to cut it, maybe it's time to divide the house into zones. Yes, sit down and draw up a floorplan of "messy" zones and "tidy" zones. Maybe the "tidy" zones are areas that both of you use, like the kitchen or the bathroom. Then, messy zones can be their bedroom or the office, or even certain drawers or closets throughout the apartment. 

This way, there is some comfort for you, and some comfort for your roommate. And if, for example, your roommate leaves their messy stuff in a "tidy" zone, instead of tidying it up, you can just move it to their "messy" zone for them to deal with. I mean, unless it's dirty dishes – we might advise against putting those in their zone, especially if it's a closet or a drawer..

3. Create a schedule

Another way to help ease the stress of the mess is to delegate. Now, this strategy won't work for everyone, but it can be a big help if both of you stick to the plan.

Each of you should be responsible for an equal amount of the household tasks – so make a schedule (as strict or flexible as you need it to be). Maybe it's daily, maybe weekly. As long as you have something that shows who is on the hook for certain tasks you may find that things get a little easier. Just remember, if it's a weekly task (ie. your roommate has to vacuum this week), you can't start hounding them on Monday when they actually have until the end of the week.

4. Respect the mess (Yes!)

This one might be hard to hear, but bear with us…

If your roommate doesn't even notice the mess, maybe that's their safe zone. For example, just as you like everything in its place, perhaps that "mess" that you see is actually organized chaos for them. Maybe this is a stage they're going through, maybe their life is messy right now and their messy surroundings help them deal. Maybe they literally just don't have the time. Whatever the case may be, remember, just because you're all about clean and tidy, doesn't mean that person actually has to be too!

5. Hire a housekeeper or reevaluate the relationship…

In the end, if all else fails and you constantly find yourself squabbling about the mess, it might be time to think about parting ways (this is ideal if you're relative strangers) or hiring someone to come in and handle the mess for you.