8 Items People Buy in Bulk Just to Annoy Their Roommates

Living with a roommate is a delicate dance of shared spaces and unspoken rules. When that dance breaks down, the grocery store can become a surprising battlefield. A passive-aggressive roommate can use their bulk-buying power as a subtle and very effective weapon. They will buy a huge quantity of a specific item, knowing that this will take up a huge amount of space. They also know it will be a major annoyance for the other people in the house.

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1. A Massive Supply of Toilet Paper

This is a classic passive-aggressive move. One roommate will buy a giant, 36-roll package of toilet paper. They will then store the entire, massive package in the small bathroom closet. This takes up all the available storage space. It leaves the other roommate with nowhere to put their own things. It is a quiet declaration of war over the shared bathroom.

2. A Giant Jug of Milk That Will Expire

Another common tactic is to buy a huge, one-gallon jug of milk. The roommate will then place it on the top and the most accessible shelf of the shared refrigerator. This takes up a huge amount of valuable space. It also creates a ticking clock. The milk will likely expire before one person can drink it all, which can start a whole new argument about food waste.

3. The Smelliest Food Imaginable

A truly passive-aggressive roommate will buy a huge quantity of a very smelly food. This could be a large jar of kimchi, a pungent blue cheese, or a bag of fish-flavored cat treats. The powerful and unpleasant odor will quickly take over the entire shared refrigerator and kitchen. It is a form of sensory warfare.

4. A Huge, Single-Use Kitchen Gadget

One roommate might suddenly decide to buy a large and very specific kitchen gadget. This could be a bread maker, a pasta roller, or an ice cream machine. They will then leave this bulky, single-use appliance out on the limited counter space for weeks at a time. This is a very effective way to claim a huge amount of the shared kitchen for themselves.

5. A Case of Your Most Hated Beverage

If your roommate knows that you absolutely hate a certain brand or a flavor of a drink, they might go out and buy a huge case of it. They will then fill up the entire refrigerator with the one thing they know you cannot stand. It is a subtle but very clear way to send a hostile message without having to say a word.

6. The Cheapest, Scratchiest Paper Towels

Paper towels are a shared household expense. One roommate might decide to “save money” by buying a massive, 24-roll pack of the cheapest, scratchiest, and least absorbent paper towels imaginable. This forces the other roommate to suffer with a terrible product for months. It is a long-term and very annoying form of passive-aggressive frugality.

7. A Huge Bag of Onions

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A large, mesh bag of onions is a great value. It is also a very smelly one. If a roommate leaves a huge, open bag of onions in the small pantry, the powerful smell will quickly permeate the entire space. It can even make the other, more neutral foods, like a box of cereal, taste like onions.

8. A Massive Container of Protein Powder

A huge, five-pound tub of protein powder is a staple for many fitness enthusiasts. It is also a massive space-hog in a small kitchen. The large, bulky container can take up an entire pantry shelf. The fine, dusty powder also tends to get everywhere. This creates a constant, low-level mess for the other roommates to deal with.

The Pantry Power Play

The shared spaces of a home, like the kitchen and the bathroom, are the front lines of any roommate conflict. The things we buy at the grocery store can become the ammunition in a quiet, passive-aggressive war. These bulk-buying tactics are a funny and slightly sad example of how we use our consumer choices to communicate our frustrations. Sometimes, a giant jug of milk is not just a jug of milk; it is a message.

Have you ever had a roommate who used their groceries as a passive-aggressive weapon? What is the most annoying bulk purchase you have ever had to live with? Let us know!