5 top tips to surviving a shared kitchen

Coming to university may be the first time you have had to share a kitchen with people you have just met.

Don’t worry it’s not as daunting as it sounds and the kitchen can be a great space to have some fun and bond with your new flat mates. 🙌🏼



We have compiled a few tips that will make this transition into university life a little smoother. 😉



1. Clean up after yourself 🧹

The number one tip for sharing a kitchen is to clean up after yourself. No one wants to come home to a huge stack of dishes on the side, so get into the habit of washing up as soon as you’ve finished cooking. The easiest way to do this is to tidy up as you go so there isn’t much to do at the end. Your flat mates will thank you for being clean and tidy in the kitchen and it sets a great example for everyone else. 



2. Don’t hog all the space 🙅🏼‍♀️

On your first day it is a good idea to divide the cupboard space equally between your flat mates so everyone has enough space to keep their stuff. It may be a good idea for your taller flat mates to take the upper shelves while the shorter among your take the bottom shelves.

Assigning people individual shelves in the fridge can be another fantastic way to help people keep track of the food they have and ensure nothing goes missing.  



3. Have a cleaning rota 🧼

As well as cleaning up after yourself, it may be worth having a weekly rota for doing the bins and other kitchen cleaning tasks. Having a rota ensures that all the jobs get done and they are shared equally.

Remember cleaning doesn’t have to be dull, put on your favorite playlist and the time will fly while you clean. 



4. Ask before borrowing 🗣

It can be tempting to ‘borrow’ a splash of milk if you’ve just made yourself a cup of tea and realise you are out. Although this might be fine, it’s always worth asking before just taking it. The same applies with kitchen appliances, double check that your flat mate doesn’t mind you using it and always clean it up after you are done. 





5. Communicate with your flat mates 💬

If you planning on making a more elaborate meal that will require a lot of preparation space it may be worth asking your flat mates what time they are planning on cooking. There is nothing worse than everyone crowding around the hobs at the same time, so a little bit of planning and coordination goes a long way.   



We hope that these tips will help you survive sharing a kitchen and allow friendships to flourish between you and your flat mates. Now you just need to decide what to cook!

Check out some delicious student friendly recipes from our catering team here.