Woman Teaches Entitled Roommate How “Don’t Touch My Things And I Won’t Touch Yours” Really Works
Living with roommates can be incredibly fun or an absolute nightmare. If you share a space with your best friend, you might spend every evening sharing dinner together and enjoying walks around the neighborhood. But if you live with a stranger who eventually becomes an enemy, it can be hard to even relax in your own home.
Below, you’ll find a story that one woman recently shared on Reddit, detailing her experience with a particularly petty roommate and how she managed to get the woman to move out.
We can expect to have to make some compromises when living with roommates
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
But when this woman’s roommate demanded no one ever touch her things, she decided it would only be fair to enact the same rule
Image credits: Gabrielle Henderson (not the actual photo)
Image credits: roam in color (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Erik Mclean (not the actual photo)
Image credits: 190PairsOfPanties
Later, the woman answered a few questions from readers and provided more details about the situation
Nearly a third of households in the United States are shared by roommates
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
While owning your own place, or sharing a space with your romantic partner, is the dream of many of us, it’s not always possible, especially when you’re young. If you live in an expensive city, just finished university or enjoy living with friends, having roommates can be a wise choice financially and for your social life.
According to Flex, 31.9% of households in the US are shared by adults who aren’t married or romantically linked. And as difficult as it can be to find a great roommate, it’s not impossible, as nearly 45% of renters who have one roommate say they’re extremely satisfied with their arrangement. About half of renters who have roommates have more than one, and 10.5% have a whopping 4 or more people sharing the same space.
But not everyone who shares their living space lives by the old “what’s mine is yours” mantra. How much roommates decide to share with one another depends on their relationship and how comfortable they are with each other. And according to Spring Creek Apartments, there are certain things that just make sense to share. Couches, TVs, coffee makers, kitchen tables and chairs, printers, fans, speakers, dishes, appliances and gaming systems often reside in communal spaces for the whole household to use.
It’s up to individuals to decide exactly how much they’re comfortable sharing
Image credits: monicore (not the actual photo)
It can also be a lot easier to share dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products and paper towels than trying to have multiple versions of each cluttering up the apartment. When it comes to what not to share, anything that has to do with personal hygiene should be kept away from your roommates, as well as clothing, towels, bedding and earbuds or headphones.
Food can also be a divisive topic, as it can be incredibly frustrating to realize that a roommate has been snacking on your carrots and hummus while you were at work. But if it’s simpler and easier to share essentials, such as butter, eggs, milk and bread, you can agree with your roommate to take turns between who buys those things.
While it can seem nearly impossible to find a roommate who doesn’t drive you bonkers, your home is the one place in the world where you should feel the most safe and comfortable. So it’s worth it to hunt for a perfect match. According to Pods, it’s important to figure out exactly what’s important to you in a living situation before agreeing to live with someone new. Discuss cleanliness, your lifestyle habits, and pet peeves before signing any contracts. And if it’s possible, speak to one of their former roommates to hear an honest perspective on how they like to live.
When conflicts come up between roommates, it’s best to address them directly and honestly
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
If you still find yourself in a situation where you’re unhappy with your roommate, Austin Therapy & EMDR recommends addressing the situation directly. Set firm boundaries with your roommate, and explain what exactly is making you uncomfortable and why. Try not to be aggressive or passive aggressive, but just be honest with them that having dishes left in the sink or loud music playing while you’re trying to sleep is frustrating.
And of course, if the situation doesn’t seem to improve no matter how respectful you’ve been, it might be time to either move out or ask them to move out. If the relationship is causing you stress or negatively impacting your mental health, the roommate relationship has likely run its course.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. What do you think about this woman’s malicious compliance? And have you ever had to deal with a similar roommate? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing challenging roommates, look no further than right here!
Amused readers shared their thoughts and called out the former roommate for her pettiness
Some even shared similar stories of difficult living situations
I have dealt with my share of roommates, and I have only one thing to say on the subject: NEVER AGAIN. I have had my sheets soiled, then torn up for rags, my dish towels used to wipe up floor spills, my bath towels used to dry off the dog, and even found my hand mixer damaged where it was dropped and put back. That, and the place left an absolute mess 24/7. I now live alone, and wouldn't trade it for any amount of money.
Only roommate I've ever had was my sister. We share an apartment and literally the only problem we have with each other is her POS boyfriend coming over. Even that we found a happy-ish medium on. He isn't welcome over on my days off, and I don't say a word about what a lazy, pathetic, self centered a*"hole he is in front of her. She knows I think it of course. And I know she has him over anyway on my days off if I'm not going to be home. But we've come to accept these things because coexisting peacefully is worth overlooking some stuff here and there
LOL - this is why I opted not to share houses a VERY long time ago. Love the description of calling her a 'pinecone' - storing that for later.
Say you are Canadian by naming Balderson cheese and Giant Tiger without saying you are Canadian. And from Ontario to boot…
Ha! I have the opposite experience. While Ashley is great at work and terrible at home, I had three people who were great off-the-clock yet were ruthless backstabbers in the office. It baffles me how a person can live with two faces, so I cut ties with all three, even after I left the company.
Genuine question what is this American phrase ”I used it on accident ". In the UK we say ”I used it BY accident". What on earth does "on accident" mean?
It means the same thing. The UK version is used here too, and is the proper way to say it, the other way is less formal. A lot of our casual phrases are not really correct grammar, but are widely used anyway
Load More Replies...
I once had roommates that wrecked the plumbing while I was away for a weekend. The idiots were too lazy to buy toilet paper so they used paper towels instead and clogged it. Of course I was the only one buying toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc. From that point on I'd keep my toilet paper in my space and only brought it out when I needed to.
A roommate let a friend move in for three months, nope, nope and nope!
I had a horrible roommate. She would eat EVERYTHING in our dorm room. One time I walked in and she was dumping my grated cheese into her mouth. I was so pissed. I moved out after she got drunk and threw up olive garden all over her bedding and threw it on my side of the room. I knew her from home and we stayed friendly but one time she left a bucket of kfc in my fridge. I opened it up to get a Pepsi a week later (extremely hungover) and smelled that rancid chicken bucket. I grabbed it and puked in it like 5 times. I texted her like thanks for leaving your nasty chicken in my fridge and she went OFF saying I ruined her chicken and owe her another bucket. Insane.
I had a roommate that tried this and I did the exact same thing to her. I put all her stuff in a little box in the kitchen and let her know that everything else is mine and it's not for her use no exceptions. I was gonna let you use it but you messed up with your so called laying down the law over using something of yours, it's not funny when the rabbit has the gun is it? So if you want to refrigerate something go buy your own refrigerator, if you want to cook something go buy a hot plate because my stove isn't for you to use, neither is my tv, my couch, my extra bed etc get your own or leave and this is the one and only time I'm gonna say it. Also save your apologies because I'm not interested. She moved out after a week of sleeping on the cold hard floor eating store bought sandwiches but I taught her a life lesson either stfu or have your own things in your own place.
I can see if it was an expensive shampoo, bath wash, or a treat that she like to get for herself to eat, but dish soap and salt and pepper is going way overboard, and then going to your other roommates, and trash talking you, and then snubbing your welcome dinner takes the cake. Y'all did better at putting up with her than I would've. I had a roommate who knew for health reasons, and food allergies, that I had to eat a very special diet, but she would let her teenage sons come over and eat all my food, and drink my drinks when I wasn't there,and never once did she offer to pay me back, or replace anything. So one day she got the pasta salad, and she was really excited to eat it, and while she was napping, I saw it, and it didn't contain anything that I couldn't have, so I ate it. She went to the fridge, and started cussing, and asked me if I ate it, and I sarcastically told her that maybe her sons did, but it wasn't going to affect their health. She knew not to let her sons do that ag
I learned the hard way that housemates need their own supplies. I used to have everything available but not anymore. They ruined my pots and pans, threw expensive silverware in the trash with their pizza box and more. One Housemate used a whole container of soap once a week & a new dish towel every day. But I’m generous with sharing my food after I’ve prepared it. Another guy took a new bag of chips and ate the whole thing & Thought I didn’t notice. Salt, pepper or spices are ok, but if borrowing some thing significant one should ask.
Wait... what??? "... organic, unbleached, free range, feminine paper products..." Free range??? This IS a bit of sarcasm, right?
Probably a little to make a point that it was expensive.
Load More Replies...
I still live with my parents (gee, with everything crashing down around us, it's hard to move out, huh?) and my mother has always been a terrible "roommate". She heavily mentally and emotionally abused me as a child, and now I snap at her for the same s**t. Go figure, she never likes it, and when it's something annoying (like taking almost an 8th of a 13x9 cake I made and leaving me a less than one inch sliver of it), she acts like a stupid school girl and like it's SO FUNNY. Lo and behold though, when the same thing is done to her (with stuff that's much easier to make that she didn't even make herself), she gets all sorts of pissed off. She never did mentally age past her 20s.
The third picture. The cupboards..The handles are leather?? Wtf that's just wrong.
Yea, leather or fauxleather handles in kitchens is apparently trendy right now. I dont get it either but they are all over the place here.
Load More Replies... Ashley will suck c***s in hell for eternity for her transgressions that fateful day.
I have dealt with my share of roommates, and I have only one thing to say on the subject: NEVER AGAIN. I have had my sheets soiled, then torn up for rags, my dish towels used to wipe up floor spills, my bath towels used to dry off the dog, and even found my hand mixer damaged where it was dropped and put back. That, and the place left an absolute mess 24/7. I now live alone, and wouldn't trade it for any amount of money.
Only roommate I've ever had was my sister. We share an apartment and literally the only problem we have with each other is her POS boyfriend coming over. Even that we found a happy-ish medium on. He isn't welcome over on my days off, and I don't say a word about what a lazy, pathetic, self centered a*"hole he is in front of her. She knows I think it of course. And I know she has him over anyway on my days off if I'm not going to be home. But we've come to accept these things because coexisting peacefully is worth overlooking some stuff here and there
LOL - this is why I opted not to share houses a VERY long time ago. Love the description of calling her a 'pinecone' - storing that for later.
Say you are Canadian by naming Balderson cheese and Giant Tiger without saying you are Canadian. And from Ontario to boot…
Ha! I have the opposite experience. While Ashley is great at work and terrible at home, I had three people who were great off-the-clock yet were ruthless backstabbers in the office. It baffles me how a person can live with two faces, so I cut ties with all three, even after I left the company.
Genuine question what is this American phrase ”I used it on accident ". In the UK we say ”I used it BY accident". What on earth does "on accident" mean?
It means the same thing. The UK version is used here too, and is the proper way to say it, the other way is less formal. A lot of our casual phrases are not really correct grammar, but are widely used anyway
Load More Replies... I once had roommates that wrecked the plumbing while I was away for a weekend. The idiots were too lazy to buy toilet paper so they used paper towels instead and clogged it. Of course I was the only one buying toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc. From that point on I'd keep my toilet paper in my space and only brought it out when I needed to.
A roommate let a friend move in for three months, nope, nope and nope!
I had a horrible roommate. She would eat EVERYTHING in our dorm room. One time I walked in and she was dumping my grated cheese into her mouth. I was so pissed. I moved out after she got drunk and threw up olive garden all over her bedding and threw it on my side of the room. I knew her from home and we stayed friendly but one time she left a bucket of kfc in my fridge. I opened it up to get a Pepsi a week later (extremely hungover) and smelled that rancid chicken bucket. I grabbed it and puked in it like 5 times. I texted her like thanks for leaving your nasty chicken in my fridge and she went OFF saying I ruined her chicken and owe her another bucket. Insane.
I had a roommate that tried this and I did the exact same thing to her. I put all her stuff in a little box in the kitchen and let her know that everything else is mine and it's not for her use no exceptions. I was gonna let you use it but you messed up with your so called laying down the law over using something of yours, it's not funny when the rabbit has the gun is it? So if you want to refrigerate something go buy your own refrigerator, if you want to cook something go buy a hot plate because my stove isn't for you to use, neither is my tv, my couch, my extra bed etc get your own or leave and this is the one and only time I'm gonna say it. Also save your apologies because I'm not interested. She moved out after a week of sleeping on the cold hard floor eating store bought sandwiches but I taught her a life lesson either stfu or have your own things in your own place.
I can see if it was an expensive shampoo, bath wash, or a treat that she like to get for herself to eat, but dish soap and salt and pepper is going way overboard, and then going to your other roommates, and trash talking you, and then snubbing your welcome dinner takes the cake. Y'all did better at putting up with her than I would've. I had a roommate who knew for health reasons, and food allergies, that I had to eat a very special diet, but she would let her teenage sons come over and eat all my food, and drink my drinks when I wasn't there,and never once did she offer to pay me back, or replace anything. So one day she got the pasta salad, and she was really excited to eat it, and while she was napping, I saw it, and it didn't contain anything that I couldn't have, so I ate it. She went to the fridge, and started cussing, and asked me if I ate it, and I sarcastically told her that maybe her sons did, but it wasn't going to affect their health. She knew not to let her sons do that ag
I learned the hard way that housemates need their own supplies. I used to have everything available but not anymore. They ruined my pots and pans, threw expensive silverware in the trash with their pizza box and more. One Housemate used a whole container of soap once a week & a new dish towel every day. But I’m generous with sharing my food after I’ve prepared it. Another guy took a new bag of chips and ate the whole thing & Thought I didn’t notice. Salt, pepper or spices are ok, but if borrowing some thing significant one should ask.
Wait... what??? "... organic, unbleached, free range, feminine paper products..." Free range??? This IS a bit of sarcasm, right?
Probably a little to make a point that it was expensive.
Load More Replies... I still live with my parents (gee, with everything crashing down around us, it's hard to move out, huh?) and my mother has always been a terrible "roommate". She heavily mentally and emotionally abused me as a child, and now I snap at her for the same s**t. Go figure, she never likes it, and when it's something annoying (like taking almost an 8th of a 13x9 cake I made and leaving me a less than one inch sliver of it), she acts like a stupid school girl and like it's SO FUNNY. Lo and behold though, when the same thing is done to her (with stuff that's much easier to make that she didn't even make herself), she gets all sorts of pissed off. She never did mentally age past her 20s.
The third picture. The cupboards..The handles are leather?? Wtf that's just wrong.
Yea, leather or fauxleather handles in kitchens is apparently trendy right now. I dont get it either but they are all over the place here.
Load More Replies... Ashley will suck c***s in hell for eternity for her transgressions that fateful day.
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