Whether you’re moving off to college and shaking up in a dorm, moving in with a friend, or renting out a room in your home, sharing your living space with someone who you aren’t romantically involved with can be difficult. Fortunately, there are things you can and steps you can take to make your living arrangement more comfortable. From something as obvious as renting a storage unit in Mountain View for additional space to difficult conversations about privacy and boundaries, here are some things you can do to be a good roommate. 
Be Conscientious about Shared Space
Unless you’re moving into a huge home, sharing a living space with another person can quickly feel cramped and crowded. To give your roommate a bit of extra breathing room, do not overwhelm the apartment or dorm room with your belongings. If you have a lot of stuff and don’t want to get rid of any of it, rent a self-storage unit and keep your extra belongings safely stored away until your living arrangement changes.
Set Personal Boundaries
Although roommate conflicts are not entirely unavoidable, you can lower the stress and diffuse conflict before it arises by setting personal boundaries with your roommate in regard to each other’s belongings and personal space. Make sure you and your roommate are both on the same page regarding each other’s personal boundaries and you will find yourself in a rather enjoyable living arrangement. If you have any belongings that you don’t want to share for personal or sentimental reasons, you can keep them safe and secure in a storage unit.
Address Conflict Early and Honestly
When conflict does arise—and it will—address the problem head-on before things get any worse. Communication is the key to any successful relationship, including the relationship between roommates. Talk about your feelings and about what can be done to remedy the situation to keep your problems from escalating. Of course there is the possibility that things might not work out, in which case it pays to have your things in a storage facility in Palo Alto that allows for prorated returns on early move-outs.