What do you think of this email from a roommate?

[Anonymous]

The two roommates have separate trash and recyclyables.

The house is cleaned weekly by a maid who also cleans out the fridge and removes old and moldy food, wipes down the shelves.
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Hi roommate,
I don't know if you noticed yesterday but I took out your trash and recyclables because the house really stunk like garbage. I opened the windows and lit candles (because of the smell). The fridge has been a little smelly too, and the 5 boxes of baking soda I bought are not doing the job. I hope it's OK, but I threw out a few clementines that had a lot of mold on them. I was hunting around in the fridge to see what might be the cause of the stink.

Do you have any suggestions for us? I'll clean the shelves but maybe you could wrap any leftovers you're saving in a plastic bag? I noticed a lot of the take out containers don't really close well and are probably contributing to the smell. I could pick up some gallon size plastic bags for us to put stuff like that in. And just an FYI, when I worked at the recycling center, they really prefer all containers to be washed because food particles smell and require more water and chemicals to clean them which kind of defeats the whole purpose. I think it would also help with the smell in the house. Let me know what I can do to help besides clean the fridge.

[Anonymous]

1) it's bizarre that you have separate trash.
2) sounds like you are a bit messy. Do you think the house stinks?

[Anonymous]

I would think there was a minor problem, which was being approached diplomatically, and wonder what I could do to help make the change. No biggie.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you need to make an effort to clean more. The once a week cleaning isn't enough and the email is a nice way of saying you a1 a mess sio much so that the house smells.

[Anonymous]

I think:

1) Recipient of e-mail is a slob.
2) Sender of e-mail is is painstakingly polite about the fact that recipient is a slob.
3) Both roommates are lazy and have terrible eating habits.
4) The line about the 5 boxes of baking soda is a little passive aggressive.
5) The lecture about the recycling center is over the top.
6) Thank GOD I am past this stage of life.

[Anonymous]

As a non confrontational person, I would not feel confronted or attacked by this person's e-mail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) it's bizarre that you have separate trash.
2) sounds like you are a bit messy. Do you think the house stinks?

I assume the OP is the writer of the e-mail, not the recipient.

[Anonymous]

I think putting it in a note is passive aggressive. Why not have a conversation?

[Anonymous]

I hate the smell of garbage, too, and things like raw chicken or shrimp shells can smell within hours sitting in a normal trash can in the kitchen. So weekly maid service won't do anything about something like that.

Overall, the e-mail sounds nice and seems to be constructively looking for a solution for a problem that really bothers one roommate. I do have to ask why two roommates are e-mailing instead of talking, though. ?

[Anonymous]

oh if op is the writer, put your big girl panties in and have a conversation.

[Anonymous]

When does the maid come? Wouldn't the maid address most of fridge issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) it's bizarre that you have separate trash.
2) sounds like you are a bit messy. Do you think the house stinks?

I assume the OP is the writer of the e-mail, not the recipient.

I agree. If so, OP, I would leave out the comment about the 5 boxes of baking soda. Also, don't lecture about recycling center rules. If the recycling stinks, then proposing rinsing of the recyclables as one of your solutions to the problem, but leave out the lecture about rules.

Otherwise, it is a good email.

[Anonymous]

If I received that email, I'll be more than willing to work with you. Very diplomatic and respectful

[Anonymous]

Generally the house does not smell. Honestly most people would tell you I'm kind of a clean freak and if you walked in to the public areas of the house right now it looks almost good enough to show the house.

Roomate does not seem to have a problem with leaving her dirty dishes in the sink for a day or two. It's not my favorite thing but generally I ignore it. It's not important enough for me to make a fuss.

She is right that there was a particular item that was smelly that day. She just got to the trash before I did.

I initiated separate trash a while ago without any input from roommate. The trash always seemed to be full and always needed to be taken out. I wanted to be sure I wasn't leaving too much trash that she had to take out all the time. Smell was not the issue; just frequency. We have a garbage disposal and most old food goes there.

[Anonymous]

OP again, I apologized for the incident with the trash this time which I think is unusual.

I think it's inappropriate for her to go through my food and decided two clemintines (gasp) need to be thrown out. Yes the maid throws out old food and cleans weekly.

I think it's inappropriate for one adult to lecture another about how to recycle.

I think the comment about 5 boxes of baking soda is too much too.

I agreed to be more attentive, asked her to let me know if she perceives a problem, asked her not to go through my food, told her she doesn't need to clean the food or fridge because the maid does that, and agreed to tie leftoover food in a plastic bag.