Discuss

• Discuss your concerns with your roommate, hearing both yours and his side of things. It might just be a misunderstanding or his nit pickiness may be caused by other problems in his life. Avoid getting emotional or resorting to name-calling during this discussion. Look at the logic of things and see how you can solve the problems.
  
  

Compromise

• Shared living situations rely on compromise to make things comfortable for each person. You may be more lax about cleanliness, while she wants everything perfectly clean all of the time. Discuss how you want the living situation to be, and work toward a compromise that benefits everyone.
  
  

Roommate Agreement

• Make a roommate agreement when you first move in together, or later if it seems necessary. Think of it like a constitution for your living situation. Agree on the rules, type them up and sign the document. For example, “All dirty dishes must be put in the dishwasher, not the sink.” Assign duties to each roommate, such as cleaning and other household chores. Signing this document binds you to it, so if problems arise, you can point to the roommate agreement, which motivates the other person to comply.
  
  

Close Your Door

• If you have your own room, close your door, especially if your roommate’s nit pickiness relates to your room, such as how you decorate it or how clean it is. Inform your roommate that your room is your place and that it is off limits to the roommate unless you invite her in. Closing the door helps stop her from frequently looking in and inspecting how things are.
  
  

Spend Less Time There

• If the nit pickiness will not stop, consider spending less time at the home. Visit the gym, coffee shop and library more often. You should feel comfortable spending time in the home, but if the nit pickiness conflicts with your ability to relax and accomplish work in the home, consider doing it somewhere else.
  
  

Move Out

• If the nit pickiness gets to be too much and no efforts to resolve the problem have worked, it may be time to move out or seek new roommates. State your intentions and give your roommate enough time to arrange for someone new to move in or a new place to move. As always, keep things amicable and avoid further arguments or conflict.