If you haven’t been invited to join a student house by someone else, it may be up to you to organise a house. Among the many responsibilities that comes with this, one of the biggest questions is how many people you invite to live with you. There are advantages and disadvantages to both large and small houses, which can make it a difficult decision to make. Here are some of the most important factors to consider when determining how many housemates you should live with.
The Rental Market
It might be worth checking what student houses are available in your area before you contact potential housemates. Depending on where you live, there might be certain types of houses that are widely available. Your area might have lots of 5-bedroom houses but very few 4-bedroom houses, for example. Going for a number that is widely available will give you the advantage of having many options to choose from. Of course, just because a number is well suited to your local housing market doesn’t mean it’s the right number of people for you to live with, however, so it’s worth considering other factors as well.
See also: How To Organise Chores In A Student House
Cleanliness
The more housemates you live with, the more cleanliness can become an issue. More people means more mess in the kitchens and common areas of the house. It also makes it trickier to hold everyone accountable and organise who does what in terms of chores. So it’s worth taking into account what your mess tolerance is.
Amenities
How well a given number of housemates will work out also depends on the specifics of how the house is laid out. For an exceptionally nice house, it might be worth living with more people than would be your ideal preference. A large kitchen will make things easier whereas a small kitchen can lead to difficulties when more than one person needs to cook. Two bathrooms can make a house run smoothly while one bathroom can lead to lines for the shower.
Social Dynamics
The most important factor to consider is the way social dynamics play out with the group. If you know you need plenty of quiet and alone time, having fewer housemates is probably the best call. However, if you’re keen to spend lots of time socialising, you might find that having only one or two roommates is too lonely for you.
See also: Should Students Live At Home For University?
