Etiquette 101: On living together - Sivan
03.24.14

Etiquette 101: On living together

The first and only guy I’ve ever lived with (aside from my Dad) is Paul. I’m gonna go out on a limb here when I say he is extremely easy to live with, which I think is probably rare in men. He’s not a total slob, he let’s me decorate our home in my taste (finally), and just understands my daily routine and let’s me be. Although I am pretty OCD about having our home in tip-top shape (you never know who might just drop by), I also have my weird vices that we have had to come to terms with. Overall, I think just following some basic home etiquette will make living together a much smoother transition than most people thing it is. Today Paul is guest contributing to help out any guy who is facing some trouble, and of course I will cover my ladies:

As a girl living with her man:

  • Don’t get caught up on the normal guy stuff. They are naturally less neat so dripping water all over the floor after a shower seems like a no brainer to them while to us it is sloppy and infuriating. Just learn to get over it.
  • If you are in charge of the grocery shopping, always stock up on his favorite snacks and drinks.
  • Limit the amount of pink in the house. I am obviously in charge of decor here, but I have developed a whole new appreciation for gender-neutral decorating that now suits both of our styles.
  • Make the bed together in the morning. It is proven that making your bed sets the tone for a productive day, so why not share the wealth and have a nice clean room.
  • Paul usually makes us breakfast and I make dinner. In exchange, whoever cooks doesn’t have to clean. We find this arrangement very fair and effective.
  • Allow him time to sit and do nothing. Paul needs his fix of Fantasy sports everyday and it usually entails eating pretzels (which end up in the couch, on the floor, etc.) and listening to music. I take this time to blog, paint my nails, catch an episode of Kardashians, etc. Not every living moment needs to be spent together.
  • Do find an activity outside of the house that you can share. We go to yoga together twice a week, take the dogs on hikes, and of course indulge in a good meal a few times a month.
  • And just because I don’t want to sound like I have it all figured out, I will share my vices that drive Paul nuts: throwing the dirty towels in a pile outside the bathroom (that the dogs love to lay on), leaving my lunch dishes in the sink until dinner (when it is his turn to wash the dishes), never finishing a full can of anything (and putting it in the refrigerator), constantly making piles to take to the Goodwill, and lastly, falling asleep before turning off my bedside lamp.

As a guy living with his girl:

  • Put the toilet seat down. There is nothing worse than a girl accidentally sitting down in the dark with it up…
  • We will never be as clean as they are, so try to be respectful and at least clean up after yourself (ie: put the dish in the sink, make the bed look somewhat presentable, throw the dirty clothes into the hamper, etc.).
  • Take the trash out. It’s just one of those things that girls never want to deal with and appreciate more than they let on (especially when you do it without being asked) AND put a bag in after.
  • Bring home things they love occasionally. Sivan loves fresh flowers so when I make the occasional store run I’ll bring her some roses. Other times I just bring her sprinkle donuts and it gets the same effect.
  • Let them do their thing. I used to panic that our place was too girly, but anyone that comes over is always very impressed with how our place looks.
  • Don’t make too many annoying comments about their TV choices. Sivan likes to watch bad TV (and knows it) but it is her way of decompressing.
  • My vices that drive her nuts: Leaving empty water bottles everywhere, not wiping down the counters after doing the dishes, leaving clean laundry in the dryer for days, taking off my shoes at the front door (and leaving them there), and lastly, my closet. I have a system that she doesn’t understand and thankfully we don’t share a closet, but I do find her in there regularly attempting to clean it (aka ruining the system).