Part 1: What to Discuss Before Move-In Day

Have this conversation over video call or text before you arrive on campus. It's far easier to work through disagreements when you're not standing in the same 200 sq ft room for the first time.

Sleep & Schedule

  • What time do you typically go to sleep and wake up on weekdays?
  • Do you need the room dark and quiet to sleep?
  • Do you nap? In the room or elsewhere?
  • How do you feel about alarm snoozing?

Guests & Social Life

  • How often do you plan to have friends in the room?
  • Is it okay if a partner sleeps over? How often is reasonable?
  • What's your policy on guests staying past midnight on weeknights?
  • Do you want a heads-up before someone comes over, or is drop-in fine?

Cleanliness & Shared Space

  • How often do you think the room should be cleaned?
  • What's your approach to dishes, trash, and laundry?
  • Do you want to split cleaning duties formally, or just handle your own mess?
  • Is it okay to leave things on shared surfaces (desks, floors)?

Study Habits & Noise

  • Do you study in the room or mostly in the library?
  • Do you need quiet to focus, or is background noise fine?
  • TV/music while studying — yes or no?
  • Are there specific hours you'd want guaranteed quiet?

Temperature & Comfort

  • Do you run warm or cold? What temperature do you like the room?
  • Window open or closed at night?
  • Lights — any strong preferences about overhead vs. lamps?

Part 2: What to Buy (and Who Brings What)

Duplicate items waste space and money. Divide this list before you both show up with two mini fridges.

Big Items — Decide Who Brings One

  • Mini fridge
  • Microwave (check if your dorm allows it)
  • TV / monitor
  • Fan or space heater
  • Full-length mirror
  • Rug
  • Couch or extra seating (if space allows)

Shared Supplies — Split the Cost

  • Dish soap, sponge, paper towels
  • Trash bags
  • Cleaning spray and wipes
  • Command strips and hooks
  • Power strips / extension cords

Personal Items — Each Brings Their Own

  • Bedding, pillows, mattress topper
  • Towels
  • Shower caddy and flip flops
  • Desk lamp
  • Hangers and storage bins
  • Laptop and chargers

Part 3: The Roommate Agreement

Many universities offer a formal roommate agreement template through housing. Even if yours doesn't, writing down your agreements — even in a shared notes doc — creates accountability and gives you something to refer back to if conflict arises.

The goal isn't to create a contract. It's to create a shared understanding so that neither person is operating on unspoken assumptions that the other person never agreed to.

What to Cover in a Roommate Agreement

  1. Quiet hours (e.g. weeknights after 11pm)
  2. Guest policy (frequency, overnight, curfew)
  3. Cleaning schedule or responsibilities
  4. Shared vs. personal items — what can be borrowed, what can't
  5. What to do if something isn't working — how to bring it up

Before Any of This: Find the Right Roommate

This checklist assumes you've already chosen your roommate. If you haven't, it's worth being deliberate about that process too. RoomieU matches you with verified students from your school based on compatibility — so you walk into move-in day already aligned on the things that cause the most conflict.