The ever-changing economy has made living in shared spaces more common nowadays. Whereas living alone was once the norm, it’s now considered a luxury as more people find themselves cohabitating with others to make ends meet. This can include having roommates, adults still living at home, and other situations. While cohabitating is great for your budget, it can present certain challenges, especially if you’re dating and hooking up regularly. There are ways to live your best sex life without making things awkward, of course. You just have to study sex etiquette for shared living, so you don’t disturb your cohabitants while they’re trying to get some sleep or perhaps have a date over themselves.
Here are some suggestions to remember:
Discuss It
Setting aside time to talk to the other adults living in your space is necessary if you’re already having a sexual relationship with somebody or are planning to. Let them know that sex is something you’d like to do in the space and discuss some basic rules concerning what it would take to keep everyone involved happy. In the best cases, apartments and homes have rooms that are far apart and relatively well soundproofed. In other cases, the walls don’t buffer much of the noise, so setting a few general guidelines makes sense. Find out what makes the most sense for you, and remember that these rules can be reviewed and changed later on as long as you and your housemates agree.
If they have to talk to their other housemates while company is over, another thing to discuss is ensuring that everyone knocks before entering bedrooms. Once again, communicating these things ahead of time can clear up potential miscommunications and save everyone from awkward moments.
Let Others Know In Advance When Possible
Scheduling can be even more important for people in shared living. Sometimes, people want to have company or even family over, and hearing someone else having sex during these visits is less than ideal. So if you’re planning on hooking up in your home, schedule the hook-up when other people are less likely to have company, like late at night. If you let them know ahead of time, you can get more information about everyone’s schedules and ask if it’s okay for you to have company over during these times. Some living spaces also use a shared calendar to make things even easier.
Consider Your Living Space
Living in an apartment is different from living in a large, sprawling house. If you live in an apartment, there are many things you can do to help buffer some of the noises. The same goes if you’re living in a two-story house with other people. For example, if there’s a chance people below might hear you having sex, perhaps you should consider investing in a carpet to absorb some of the sounds. There are also ways to buffer the walls with decorative wall hangings and curtains.
One of the biggest issues is the squeaking sound that will likely be coming from your bed. If the dreaded bed squeak happens to you, using some metal lube can be massively helpful. Also, check how your bed frame against the wall affects other people in the space. If there’s someone in the bedroom next to you, and your bed frame is hitting the wall repeatedly when you’re having sex, it may be time to move your bed to a different part of the room or add a bit of cushion between your bed and the wall. Additionally, while discussing your living space, consider making the kitchen or living room off-limits for sexual encounters.
The ever-changing economy has made living in shared spaces more common nowadays. While living alone was once the norm, it is now considered a luxury as more people find themselves cohabiting with others to make ends meet. This can include having roommates, adults still living at home, and other situations. While cohabiting can be great for your budget, it can present certain challenges, especially if you’re dating and hooking up regularly. However, there are ways to live your best sex life without making things awkward. You just have to study sex etiquette for shared living spaces, so you don’t disrupt your cohabitants while they’re trying to get some sleep or perhaps have a date over themselves.
Here are some suggestions to keep in mind:
Discuss It
Setting aside time to talk to the other adults living in your space is necessary if you’re already having a sexual relationship with somebody or are planning to. Let them know that sex is something you would like to do in the space and discuss some basic guidelines concerning what it would take to keep everyone involved happy. In the best cases, apartments and homes have rooms that are far apart and fairly well soundproofed. In other cases, the walls do not buffer much of the noise, so setting a few general standards makes sense. Find out what makes the most sense for you, and remember that these standards can be reviewed and changed later on as long as you and your housemates agree.
Another thing to discuss is ensuring that everyone knocks before entering bedrooms, especially if they have to talk to their other housemates while company is over. Again, communicating these things ahead of time can clear up potential miscommunications and save everyone from awkward moments.
Let Others Know In Advance When Possible
Scheduling can be even more important for people in shared living spaces. Sometimes, people want to have company or even family over, and hearing someone else having sex during these visits is less than ideal. So if you’re planning on hooking up in your home, schedule the encounter when other people are less likely to have company, like late at night. If you let them know ahead of time, you can get more information about everyone’s schedules and ask if it’s okay for you to have company over during these times. Some living spaces also use a shared calendar to make things even easier.
Consider Your Living Space
Living in an apartment is different from living in a large, sprawling house. If you live in an apartment, there are many things you can do to help buffer some of the noises. The same goes if you’re living in a two-story house with other people. For example, if there’s a chance people below might hear you having sex, perhaps you should consider investing in a carpet to absorb some of the sounds. There are also ways to buffer the walls with decorative wall hangings and curtains.
One of the biggest issues is the squeaking sound that will likely be coming from your bed. If the dreaded bed squeak happens to you, using some metal lube can be massively helpful. Also, consider how your bed frame against the wall affects other people in the space. If there’s someone in the bedroom next to you, and your bed frame is hitting the wall repeatedly when you’re having sex, it may be time to move your bed to a different part of the room or add a bit of cushion between your bed and the wall. In addition, while discussing your living space, consider making the kitchen or living room off-limits for sexual encounters.
Look into other spaces.
If the rooms in your home are too close together, try finding other spots like the bathroom, if it’s a bit farther away. If your housemates are not comfortable with the idea of you having sex in common areas, you can also consider having sex at the other person’s house or a hotel on occasion.
If you and your roommate share a room/dorm.
Refrain from having sex in the same space as your roommate unless you have clearly discussed it beforehand. Even if you think they’re asleep, they might not be. Avoid anything that might make your roommate feel uncomfortable or awkward. Some people have more active sex lives, while others have sex less frequently. Talking things out is an essential part of cohabiting. Approval is necessary for both the people having sex and others who might be inhabiting the same space.
An age-old concern with many solutions.
For decades and possibly centuries, people have found creative ways to have sex regardless of who else they may be living with. Leaving notes on the fridge and hanging a sock on the door are time-honored traditions that many have used in college and beyond. While those methods still work, open communication is still the best way to keep things running smoothly.
The ever-changing economy has made living in shared spaces more common nowadays. If you’re currently having a sexual relationship with someone or are planning to, it is crucial to set aside time to talk to the other adults living in your space. Some shared living spaces use a shared calendar to make things even easier. Living in a home is different from living in a large, sprawling house. Moreover, when discussing your living space, consider making the kitchen space off-limits for sexual encounters.