Hey Men, If You Have These 23 Things In Your Apartment, Women Consider You A Walking Green Flag
Reddit user u/BrokenHarp asked the community, "Women, what things do you notice or look for at a man's apartment that are green flags?" Women quickly replied to the thread with their perspectives and experiences, and many of their "green flags" seemed to signify just how LOW the bar is for men these days. Here's what they shared:
1."I had someone offer me their single, slightly damp towel as my post-shower option. He had no other towels — not a single one — I asked. I opted to go home for my shower and be a bit late to work. If you have overnight guests, a green flag is having several nice bath towels, washcloths, and hand towels."
2."Hand soap in the bathroom. I befriended a guy who did not have hand soap. He was 24. I bought some and left it there — just a regular-sized bottle. It was still sitting there, almost unused (except for when I used it) almost a year later. So yeah, hand soap."
3."A plunger in the bathroom. I don’t care WHO you are; toilets get clogged. Nothing is more horrifying than when it happens at another person's house with no plunger in sight. Ask me how I know."
4."Plants. They are the next best thing to having a pet. They need care, they're alive, and having one (or many) shows that a man has a nurturing side."
5."I will add this small yet important thing guys tend to miss: a clean dish rack. I have seen men’s dish racks accumulate gunk at the bottom while they have clean dishes, cups, and utensils on the top. That’s gross."
6."The kitchen is reasonably stocked with equipment. I understand being low on food — I am often scant in that department. But at least have basic pots and pans, spatulas and tongs, a strainer, a whisk, a ladle, etc. It makes coming over for cooking dates much easier. You can find all this stuff at Goodwill, so there's no excuse."
7."A waste basket in the washroom within arm's reach of the toilet. Especially if there is a plastic bag lining it."
8."Spices. Every guy I dated with an assortment of spices knew how to cook, cooked at home, didn't eat takeout all the time, and didn't expect me to do all the cooking. It was an equitable split. Meanwhile, the man I married has MANY positive qualities, but when I dated him, he owned a salt shaker and a jar of Morton's Seasoning Salt. That was a sign that going forward, this man hated cooking at home (even though he owned all the pots and pans), that he'd spend a lot of money on takeout (multiple times a day), and that when we moved in together, he'd expect me to cook all the meals."
"I married him because he makes up for it in many other ways (he does the cleaning and laundry, plus he's funny and cute). But every time I ask if he can help make dinner and he offers to use Doordash for food instead, I think of that lonely jar of seasoning salt."
9."An affectionate, well-behaved pet! It’s amazing how much a person's treatment of another living creature can tell you about who they are!"
10."The bar is so low. I say curtains. I once dated a dude without curtains, but he thoughtfully found a clean T-shirt to cover my face from the morning sun. There were so many other red flags."
"Proper curtains or blinds are good, not towels or sheets on the windows (unless you moved in that day and the curtains are still packed). Maybe a throw blanket on the sofa. I always want a blanket; it just adds to the coziness."
11."Books or intellectual pursuits. Seeing a collection of books or evidence of intellectual interests can be attractive and suggest depth and curiosity."
12."If the toilet smells fine and there are no signs of pee anywhere, a generally clean house, sheets that haven't been used for so long you can tell it's been ages since they were last changed, things like that."
13."Stuff on the walls. Empty walls are creepy, but walls with generic art for the sake of it feel borderline sociopathic and make me wonder what mask you're wearing. Anime, nerdy stuff, framed pictures of dog crap, honestly, all are preferable to nothing or things that don't tell me anything about you. I don't understand why so many men don't let themselves be comfortable with creativity or some kind of hobby. I check out r/MaleLivingSpace sometimes, and so many of the most upvoted posts look like Airbnbs. So much effort has gone in, but they don't actually feel like someone lives there."
"Have something sentimental. It doesn't matter what it is, but something that has personal value is always a good sign. It shows you're a real person with a real lived-in space."
14."His bed is made, and there's not a thin layer of dust covering every surface."
15."Good cable management 🤌."
16."Condoms. Please be prepared. Huge green flag, IMO."
17."A well-stocked fridge. It doesn’t have to be full, but there should be more than one takeout item and some energy drinks."
18."A cat. Dogs are great, but they'll generally accept affection anytime. A cat has to consent, and a guy who has a great relationship with a creature that demands consent for affection is a big green flag."
19."A comforter set and at least the mattress off the floor. If your mattress is on the floor with a lone blanket and pillow, no. I'd walk out. I can do without a headboard, but you need a bed frame and a comforter set."
20."FLOSS!"
21."Skincare. It doesn't have to be extensive, but even just some proper face wash."
22."A basket for dirty laundry and not just random stinking piles of clothes everywhere."
23.And: "A sense of style is a real plus, even if it's not my style. It's nice to see that thought went into his purchases."
Well, well, well. Many of these "green flags" feel like the bare minimum to me. But, let's see what you think! What are some "green flags" in a man's (or a woman's!) apartment? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
