Here are the 6 Golden Rules of buying furniture with flatmates.

So you’re done with your degree(s) and are ready to move out of your parents’ home, into an apartment with your friends. Congratulations!

But wait, there’s a catch. It’s shared space, which means decisions are going to have to be shared. And, seldom has a discussion on a shared purchase ended in peace, unless you’re wise about it.

So before you crash on your couch and whip your smartphone out to check out every single piece of furniture that goes with the couch, here are some golden teachings to ace buying-furniture with your flatmate:

Read it, repeat it, remember it and don’t forget to share it with your flat mates -

Measure your room before you buy!
 Before you open any website to buy your furniture, measure the room. Pull out a measuring tape and measure every corner and angle. Click some pics so you can marvel at the miracle transformation in retrospect!

New game: who can step on the least amount of furniture to get to the fridge!

Furniture isn’t one-size-fits-all.

There might only be two of you living in the apartment, but you’re going to have friends over. Remember, the only way to woo that guy/girl in office is by calling her over for a party at home. So you need a dining table that is big enough. Choose the perfect table not just based on the price, but the quality and size too. You don’t want to be playing the butler to your flatmate’s party!

It’s okay for everything to be tiny if you’re a hamster, though.

Multi-purpose is the new roommate agreement.

Did you know that a couch can have more than one purpose? Especially when it’s a couch that can turn into a bed! So when your friends come over to spend the weekend with you, your flatmate doesn’t have unexpected guests on his bed. Plus, there’s enough space for everyone to spread out during a movie night too.

The whole gang’s here!

Low-maintenance furniture for the busy… and the lazy.

With those long working hours cleaning and maintaining your furniture is going to be a big pain. Unless, you pick a piece of furniture that looks good, is comfortable, and is easy to clean — you will end up fighting with your flatmate over whose turn it is to clean.

Turn up the volume and have a dance-cleaning party!

Classy over clutter.

More furniture doesn’t always mean a better looking house. You and your flatmate might have different tastes in furniture. Black wooden table against a parrot-green fabric sofa? Disaster.

Go with one theme for each room. Light wood for the living room. Glass for the dining room maybe? Keep it simple.

You trendsetter, you.

It should be weather-proof.

You may love your leather. Your flatmate might be a fan of fabric. Let’s save you an argument — some materials don’t do well in certain kinds of weather. Like your clothes, furniture can fade, dry out or get ruined. So all you really need to do is figure out the kind of material that will work with your weather!

One of the best (and sometimes worst) things about having a flat mate is that you’re not making these decisions alone. So the next time you’re sitting down to buy that new TV (when you get promoted), check out the furniture section on Flipkart and you’ll be awed by how easy it is to make-over your home.

Now that you’re ready for the shopping adventure for the new chapter of your life, here’s one last gem of wisdom that embodies every teaching we’ve spelled out- friends before furniture. Period.