How to Stay Sane in a House Share

by Alice Wilkinson

“A brilliantly researched and compelling read.” - Emma Reed Turrell
'An essential guide to modern living' - Daisy Buchanan
How do you keep it together when you're living together?

If you’ve found yourself asking this question (returning home from a day of winning in the workplace only to realize you've lost the fight for your own living room — again) then it’s likely that you're one of the millions of people living in a house share in the UK, US and beyond.

Between marriage rates dwindling and the cost-of-living soaring, house sharing is becoming more and more common – but that doesn’t stop it being one of the most complex living set-ups of the 21st century. Thankfully, journalist and serial house sharer, Alice Wilkinson is here to help you stay sane when you're feeling stuck.

This is the ultimate handbook for house sharers. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts and case studies to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares and how to navigate them to create a more harmonious home life.

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[Claire Buchanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A timely read that anyone who is or has been in a flat share can relate to. It makes you realizes some of your flaws and is cathartic for highlighting the flaws of others.

[Emilia Ranta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly believe this book has the potential to improve the quality of people's lives in flatshares - I wish I could go back 10 years in time and gift this to my younger self, what a change it could have made! My flatshare days are hopefully behind me, but I find this a great book for processing those experiences. While reading this I realised how little emotional work/capacity I've given to those experiences, and how unimportant I've deemed all of it, and how terribly wrong I've been in doing so. Thank you for opening my eyes to a whole new corner of emotional wellbeing I've been neglecting so far! Will be recommending to absolutely everyone.

[Angela Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made a lot of sense although my experiences are small - could relate some of this to moving from country to country during our nomadic lifestyle with International education when often saying goodbye to friends and associates who either move on themselves or when we have left. Would recommend this self help book to others going through such situations.

[Samo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with an important topic, and I did appreciate some of the advices given by the author or psychologist she has interviewed on how to get along well with your housemates.

But the content is quite repetitive. Most of the content could be concluded in one sentence: be honest with your housemates and yourself about your needs in a calm manner.

[Isabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

when i first started reading, i found it a bit basic and repetitive. but turns out that having the basic stuff laid out for you in a kind and knowledgeable way does actually help a lot! i feel so much more equipped for living with people than i did before :) lots of dog-ears of ideas and thoughts to return to!

[A.D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A frustrating lack of awareness for BIPOC, queer, and disabled housemates. Some of the advice is general enough to fit everyone, but this seems more like a guide for white, cishet, able-bodied and/or allistic women.

There are many types of relationships that aren't represented here, either.

[Silvia Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely fresh and new. Wilkinson has such a readable voice. Loved it!