In sharing housing, the kitchen is the center. Everyone has to eat. Few people have the money to eat all their meals out. So how do you share a kitchen?

The easiest is to have separate food. This avoids conflict around shopping, meals, cooking, meal times, tastes, guests, money, etc.  The refrigerator can be divided so that each person has their section of the fridge. Shelves and cabinets assigned to different people.

Some prefer to have meals together. It’s communal, it builds relationships. On the practical side, when you share food, you also share the basic tasks of shopping, cooking and cleaning. By sharing, you  simplify. For instance in a house of five adults, one person can cook one night and also do the dishes. That means that for four nights dinner is made and dishes cleaned for you. It can also save money, since you can buy in bulk.

Which is better? Depends on what you want.

What good sharing kitchen arrangements do you know?

Here is some excellent advice. It’s good anytime you are sharing housing whether as a resident or as a house guest.

I read them on a tile in a wonderful house in Western Massachusetts. I gather from a little Web exploration that there are other versions. This one seems very good to me.

If you open it, close it.
If you turn it on, turn it off.
If you borrow it, return it.
If you don’t know how to use it, leave it alone.
If you break it, fix it.
If you can’t fix it, report it.
If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you move it, put it back.
If it doesn’t concern you, keep it that way.