Girlfriend Needed the Spare Room as Her Office, But Her Boyfriend Thinks It’s Unnecessary
Many people prefer the remote work setup due to the conveniences it offers. You can bring work home or anywhere without worrying about being late or working overtime. Commutes and heavy traffic are removed from your life, lessening the stress you feel daily. You also save money since you don’t have to pay for transportation fares or buy lunch outside. Working from home gives you the freedom to pursue a lifestyle you can’t achieve with a face-to-face setup. You can also do tasks in your pajamas, and no one will scold you.
Convenient right? However, there are a few factors that you need to consider before you achieve those perks. Aside from a fast internet connection and reliable device, you need a space where you can work comfortably. The environment is a huge contributor to finishing your tasks. If you feel uneasy in your current work area, you’ll be unmotivated, negatively impacting your output. For this reason, a separate space is vital in a work-from-home setup. It would be best to have an area where you can solely focus on work and not be disturbed by outside forces. If you have a spare room at home, you might want to redecorate it into an office.
That was roombrooms‘s plan for their spare room, but, according to her post on Reddit, her boyfriend disapproves of it. Before OP started her remote job, her boyfriend suggested that the other room should only be a spare. It only served as a guest room, especially for his younger sister. “His younger sister comes over once a week or a few times a month to stay the night because of her job. She uses the room as a guest room,” OP explained. This was alright, but she was having trouble moving her monitor and laptop from one place to another. She really needed one space where she could continuously finish her tasks.
OP consulted her boyfriend first, but he rejected her suggestions. She even mentioned that they should buy a sofa bed so there would still be space for his sister. However, they didn’t end up with an agreement, which frustrated OP. For this reason, she asked the people of Reddit if she was really in the wrong or not. Opposite-Guide-9925 commented, “NTA. Why do you have a dedicated room for his sister, who doesn’t live with you? That is ridiculous! Make it a guest room/office. There are plenty of furniture options that can make both work in one room, even if it’s small.” It was indeed confusing unless her boyfriend gave her a justifiable reason why the spare room should stay the way it was.
“It’s pretty luxurious to have a spare room dedicated to accommodating a frequent visitor. You’re making practical and economical use of space, and essentially prioritising your work needs over the work needs of someone who doesn’t otherwise live there,” NeatCasual wrote. OP surely has the entire right to use the room as she needs to. Her job is a huge factor in why they get to keep their house and live there with ease. The boyfriend must understand that his sister needs to adjust, because she’s not even a resident there.
Redditors kept sending supportive comments to OP since a lot of them find the situation truly infuriating. You’re in your own home, you pay rent, and yet you can’t fully use the space — who wouldn’t be frustrated, right? The boyfriend must discuss living arrangements with an open mind instead of dismissing OP’s needs. They can even turn the spare room into a multipurpose room if feasible. Learning to compromise is vital in a relationship. If you also find this issue intolerable, comment down your thoughts below roombrooms post.
