Whether you are living in University Hall’s or sharing a house with your friends, you’re going to be sharing a kitchen with someone. It might be your first time sharing that space, or maybe you’ve done it before, but these kinds of changes can be tricky to navigate. And no matter how well you know or like someone, you may find you have different idea’s about how to live.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re sharing a kitchen.
Space
A shared kitchen, particularly within University Accommodation, will offer enough shelf space for everyone; this includes at least one, usually two cupboards each, and an individual shelf in the fridge and the freezer (of which there are usually two). This means everyone should have their own space for their food and their kitchen utensils to be kept.
You might decide to share Washing Up Liquid, or Kitchen Roll, rather than having a hundred different bottles around the sink, sharing things communally is fine if it’s something you’ve all agreed on. Sharing items is like sharing the space, only use what’s offered and don’t go into anyone else’s things.
Cleaning
Remember to always clean up after you’ve finished cooking – or even as you go – nobody likes to make meals on dirty surfaces. You’re responsible for your own mess, don’t expect anyone else to clean it up for you.
If you’re staying in university halls, you will have cleaners coming in once a week to hoover the halls and given the kitchen a wipe down and a mop. But this does not mean you should leave the kitchen a mess to be cleaned when they come, it is still your own personal responsibly to clean up after yourself.
Communication
Communicating with your flatmates is the easiest way to avoid unnecessary conflict, and resolve any issues as they arise. It’s also fun, the kitchen can be a social space just as much as a cooking one. But perhaps you’re planning an elaborate meal and need to take up more of the kitchen space, or something that will need the oven for a long time, or even something as simple as buying too much food and needing extra storage in the fridge. These are all things that you should communicate with your flatmates, send them a text or mention it in passing, make sure they’re aware of your plans or ask for some more space.
This way, everyone stays informed, and no one needs to fall out.
If you can, it’s always nice to have some sort of flat group chat, to keep everyone in the loop whether they’re in the building or not. This is also a good way of letting people know if something happens – whether someone’s knocked over your favourite jar of pasta sauce or accidently set the smoke alarm off.
Rules and Rotas
It can be a nice idea to set up some ground rules early on, to make sure everyone is on the same page. These can be as a simple and obvious as; don’t borrow anything without asking, don’t use take people’s food, or make sure to clean up after yourself. If everyone agrees to these basic ground rules and sticks to them, it makes for a peaceful coexistence. They don’t need to be elaborate or a dictatorship of the space, just common etiquette you would expect when sharing a space.
Similarly, Rota’s can be a good way of organising time and chores. For example, having a bin rota to make sure the bins get emptied when they’re full, might be a fair way of deciding who has to that each week. This can work for bins, cleaning, mopping, and even, if you feel so inclined, you might want to make a rota for cooking times, so you don’t get in each other’s way.
Whichever way you use them, setting boundaries is always a good idea in a shared space.
Tracking Food Expiry Dates
It is always a good idea to keep track of your expiry dates. There’s nothing worse than opening the fridge after a long day, only to find your food has gone off, and you need to head out to the shops to buy more. By keeping an eye on what you have in fridge and cupboards, means you can plan and prep meals and expenses accordingly. This can help reduce food waste, encourage you to plan meals in advance, and reduce the amount of money you’re spending on food.
And don’t forget, if something is about to go out of date and you haven’t used it up, check whether it’s able to be frozen!
Essential Items
Because you’re sharing a kitchen, you’ll find that there are duplicates – everyone has their own saucepans, frying pans and cutlery. However there are certain items that, depending on whether you’re in university accommodation, may already be provided for you, such as a toaster or kettle, that are used by everyone. If you’re in your own place, these may be things you have to provide instead, but it might be worthwhile splitting the cost between you all so everyone has contributed.
Appliances like slow cookers, toastie makers, rice cookers or blenders are not supplied, though they may be things you wish to bring into your kitchen, you must make sure they’ve been pat tested first to be sure they’re safe. It may also be a good idea to make sure all your crockery and cutlery are easily distinguishable from each other’s, perhaps with a certain pattern or colour, something that cannot accidentally be mixed up.
Learning to adapt to shared environments can be tricky, hopefully these tips will make your time sharing this space easier, and comfortable. If you’re experience any issues in Halls, please contact your halls wardens/mentors.