Roommates Baking Business Taking Over Kitchen: AITA for Refusing to Share?

A 28-year-old woman refused to keep playing house in her own kitchen, and her roommate turned it into a full-blown baking operation. At first, it was just flour, a few extra tools, and the occasional “sorry, I’m busy” moment.

But over a year of sharing the space, the roommate, 29F, started a home baking business, and the kitchen slowly stopped being a shared room. Her supplies, ingredients, and projects spread everywhere, until OP couldn’t even find her own pots and pans. The tension peaked when OP came home ready to cook dinner and found her roommate mid-batch, taking over the entire kitchen while claiming she “had orders to fulfill.”

Now OP is stuck wondering if she’s the bad roommate for wanting access to the kitchen she also pays for.

Original Post

So I'm (28F), and I've been living with my roommate (29F) for about a year now. We get along fine for the most part, but things have gotten a bit tense recently.

Quick context: I love cooking and baking, and our kitchen is my happy place where I experiment with recipes and unwind after work. Recently, my roommate decided to start a small baking business from home.

I think it's great that she's pursuing her passion, but here's where the issue arises. She's slowly taking over our shared kitchen space with all her baking supplies, tools, and ingredients.

It's getting to the point where I can't even find my own pots and pans because her stuff is everywhere. The final straw was when I came back from a long day at work, looking forward to making dinner, only to find her in the middle of a huge baking project that had taken over the entire kitchen.

I politely asked if I could have some space to cook, and she brushed me off, saying she had orders to fulfill. I lost my cool a bit and told her that I need access to the kitchen too, and that she can't monopolize the entire space for her business.

She got defensive, saying she needs the room for her baking and that I should be more supportive since it's bringing in extra income for our household. I feel like she's being unreasonable by not respecting that it's a shared space, and I shouldn't have to constantly work around her business.

But she thinks I'm being unsupportive and selfish. So AITA?

The Unwritten Rules of Shared Spaces

This situation highlights the often unspoken rules of living with roommates. When one person starts a business, especially from a shared kitchen, it can feel like a takeover, which is exactly what the OP is feeling. It’s not just about baking cookies; it’s about the time, space, and even the smell of flour dust that permeates their shared home. The OP's frustration is palpable, especially when they mention feeling pushed aside in their own kitchen.

In shared living situations, boundaries can easily become blurred, turning a supportive endeavor into a source of resentment.

Comment from u/CoffeeBeanQueen97

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Comment from u/sunny_side64

That’s when OP realized her “happy place” was getting replaced by her roommate’s baking battlefield.

Balancing Support and Personal Space

The tension between supporting a roommate’s entrepreneurial dreams and maintaining personal space is central to this dilemma. The OP’s roommate likely views her baking business as a passion project, but the OP hasn’t signed up to be a silent partner in a kitchen operation. This raises questions about how much support is expected in shared living situations and if there’s a tipping point where ambition overshadows the need for personal space.

The roommate might feel entitled to use the kitchen, believing it’s just a temporary arrangement. However, the OP's discomfort suggests that this isn't just about the physical space but about feeling heard and respected in her own home.

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Comment from u/LemonadeDreamer88

The roommate brushed her off when OP asked for space, then doubled down with the whole “support me, it brings in income” argument.

For another kitchen power struggle, see the roommate conflict over mess and boundaries in a tiny kitchen.

Community Reactions: A Divided Front

The community's response to this situation has been particularly revealing.

Comment from u/PizzaPastaRamen11

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Comment from u/RainbowSprinkleGal

Things got louder after OP snapped that she can’t monopolize the kitchen just because orders are due.

The Cost of Compromise

Compromise is often the name of the game in shared living, but this situation raises questions about what’s fair. The OP’s kitchen is being used for a business venture, which could potentially generate profit, while she’s left feeling like an afterthought. It’s not just about sharing space; it’s about sharing opportunities and the emotional toll of feeling sidelined.

When one roommate’s success comes at the expense of another's comfort, it creates an imbalance that can be hard to navigate. This story resonates because it reflects real-life struggles many face in their living arrangements, where the stakes feel personal and high.

Comment from u/TeaTimeTales77

And now both women are digging in, with OP feeling sidelined in her own home, and her roommate calling her selfish for refusing to share the takeover.

What's your opinion on this situation? Join the conversation!.

Final Thoughts

This kitchen conflict encapsulates the challenges of living with roommates when personal ambitions clash with shared spaces.

The Bigger Picture

This situation really underscores the friction that can arise in shared living spaces when personal ambitions take over. The OP, who cherishes her time in the kitchen, feels sidelined as her roommate's baking business expands, turning their communal space into a one-sided operation.

Nobody wants to share a kitchen that’s been turned into someone else’s bakery.

Want the other side, where the roommate’s baking business takes over the kitchen? Read if she’s wrong for asking for space.