Hina Khan, W’s Relationships Strategist and host of Save Us from Our House.

Coping with a Slob

We all remember Felix from the “Odd Couple” but while it may be funny to watch on TV, it’s less fun when you have to live with one on a day to day basis. You can try to change their messy ways, but you’re probably better off finding tricks to cope with them. In this way, you can co-habit happily for years to come.

Make certain areas of the house off-limits
Set up a room or a bathroom that you can keep as clean as you like without having it constantly messed up by the other person. Think of this as your sanctuary. A place you can go to when the mess in the rest of the house gets to you.

Stop picking up after them
Once they have no more clean clothes or a place to put their dishes, they may just decide to clean up after all. If you’re constantly doing it for them, you leave them no incentive to change their ways.

Accept your fate
Decide what you can live with and what you can’t. Choose your battles and clean the things that bother you the most. Let the rest go. You can’t always change people, but you can change the way you react to them.

Talk about it
Set time aside to talk about housekeeping without blaming or name calling. Discuss expectations. You may not agree on everything, but at least you know where you stand.