No roommate setup is perfect. Even celebrated TV pairs — Monica and Rachel on Friends, Blair and Serena on Gossip Girl — had moments when they couldn't stand to be around one another.
You see someone's highs and lows, and uncover their quirks, as well as your own pet peeves. That's why people often caution against living with your best friend. Being roomies can be a completely different experience than spending nights out together.
But, whether you're gearing up to live with new people, or signing a lease for another year with your current roommate, there are some gadgets that can make things run much smoother. Here's what you can put in your kitchen, common space, and bathroom to help keep tensions low.
For Your Kitchen
Avoid going to the kitchen and finding an empty coffee pot with this coffeemaker, which brews enough for two thermoses at once. Now, neither of you has to worry about running low on caffeine.
Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Custom Pair Thermal Stainless Steel Coffee Maker, $69.99, available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
Photo: Bedbathandbeyond.com.
It's easier to stock up when you're running low, thanks to Amazon's Wi-Fi-enabled Dash Buttons. When you see you're due for a new filter, press the button, and an order will automatically be placed.
Brita Dash Button, $4.99, available at Amazon.
Photo: Amazon.com.
Put this voice-controlled speaker on your fridge and use it to do everything from turn on Spotify and call an Uber, to leave a sweet digital message for your roomie — or a list of grocery items. The speaker uses Amazon's heralded Alexa voice service (the same one that's in Amazon Echo) to help you and your roomie with all your needs.
Invoxia Triby, starting at $199, available at Invoxia.
Photo: Courtesy of Invoxia.
For Your Common Space
These color-coded ties make it easy to differentiate between whose charger is whose, while also solving the problem of having a million cords everywhere.
The Container Store Hook & Loop Cable Ties, $4.99 each, available at The Container Store.
Photo: Containerstore.com.
It can be tricky to control how often your roommate has her boyfriend over (third roommate, anyone?), but you can have a say about how often you have to see photos from their vacation. A digital photo frame means you can both take turns displaying photos that you love in your shared living space. Now, if only her boyfriend could take shorter showers.
ViewSonic 8-Inch Digital Photo Frame, $39.98, available at Amazon.
Photo: Amazon.com.
Apple TV was created to be shared — you can use it to play games together (your iPhone can double as an extra remote), and also to find movies that both of you like to watch. Siri updates have made her even smarter, and she can help recommend shows and movies that both of you will like. Plus, Apple TV's home menu makes it easy to organize your apps for cooking, games, and shopping in one place.
Apple TV, starting at $149, available at Apple.
Photo: Apple.com.
If your roommate is prone to leaving the lights on, this easy-to-install switch can help. It fits over your existing light switch and is Wi-Fi enabled, meaning that you can turn the lights off via an app. Save the planet and your friendship.
Belkin WeMo Light Switch, $49.99, available on belkin.com.
Photo: Belkin.com.
This handy charging station has four USB ports in back. Now, both of you can power up your phones and tablets in style.
Quirky Aqua Converge POP Charging Station, $29.99, available at The Container Store.
Photo: Containerstore.com.
For Your Bathroom
If you've ever opened your bathroom cabinet to find an empty plastic wrapper where there should be extra toilet paper, the Cottonelle Dash Button is for you. After all, nothing creates bad vibes between roomies like seeing you're out of toilet paper when you need it most.
Cottonelle Dash Button, $4.99, available at Amazon.
Photo: Amazon.com.
This isn't glamorous, but it will make your space feel cleaner. Instead of your standard toilet brush, Loogun, which began with a successful Kickstarter campaign, is a motorized cleaner that sprays water directly into the bowl. There's no splashing, and you and your roommate won't have to dread your turns cleaning the bathroom.
Loogun, $46 (depending on exchange rate), available for pre-order at Loogun.
Photo: Loogun.com.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Is Instagram Censoring Comments About T.Swift?