Sisters we need to talk..


About Communal Living

The British are not very good at talking about money so excuse our awkwardness while we try to explain…..

Communal Living

Having just come back from a long weekend in an off grid community where 100 people managed to get along fairly harmoniously in a valley with no electricity and no running water this one is right on topic!

As adults in the UK lots of people share their homes with only their close family. The family unit falls into a routine and everyone generally knows their roles and tasks. There may be some bickering over whose turn it is to do the washing up but generally the family members know who needs to do what to keep the family running smoothly.

Add in some extra people to this mix and the whole dynamic changes!

At first it may feel like a host / visitor arrangement while everyone learns where things are kept and how things are done. This is normal but probably not sustainable!

While we also may be very conscious of asking for help with housework, for a long term successful living arrangement it is better to come to some agreement that feels fair to everyone.

Maybe find out which tasks people enjoy (my personal favourite is giving the kitchen a good sort!) and then divide up the less popular tasks and take turns?

Maybe you have decided to cook together and explore each others traditional meals? Maybe you have decided to eat separately but share meals on birthdays and special occasions?

Whatever you decide, the key is to find what works for your household, which will be different from what works for the next persons household.

Keep on checking in to make sure all are happy with how things are going and please feel free to share any top tips about what works for you!

#weneedtotalk #community #shared tasks

Just to note: we are happy for the text of these posts to be shared to other groups if you think they are helpful, as long as they are shared accurately

"Sisters we need to talk about..." Is a series of discussion topics hosted by Sunflower Sisters on their private community group on Facebook.  The group is open to ladies only and is a support group for both sponsors and guests, you can take part in the debate by joining our private community homepage by clicking the button below.

This topic was originally debated on Facebook on 31/08/2022