The New Girl gang got up to a lot of antics over the show's seven seasons, and much of it occurred at apartment 4D. The exact occupants of the loft changed regularly, but two people who lived there for a long time were Schmidt and Winston.
Despite the pair being great friends, they were very different people, and in turn, different kinds of roommates. While they both had qualities that made them wonderful to live with, the two of them also did things that their loft mates likely found infuriating. But who was the superior roommate? The easiest way to figure that out is by looking at what each of them did better than the other.
Schmidt: Cleanliness
Schmidt was obsessed with keeping everything spotless. So it was no surprise that he did most of the cleaning around the loft. And when he gave up chores for a short time, the rest of them (Winston included) couldn't replace him. Without Schmidt's commitment to cleanliness, the whole apartment became covered in garbage.
The rest of the gang clearly got better at keeping things neat at some point as Schmidt moved out (more than once), and it never got into that state again. Yet, it's unlikely any of them reached Schmidt's level of cleanliness.
Winston: More Flexible
For the most part, Winston let the rest of his roommates do what they wanted around the loft. Schmidt, on the other hand, resembled a dictator at times, forcing people to agree to his choice of decor and follow his rules.
On one occasion Jess tried to put a hutch she liked in the living room, Schmidt pushed it over, destroying it in the process. And he turned off the apartment's gas when she couldn't pay her share of the rent. Winston was far less controlling.
Schmidt: Did The Grocery Shopping
Once Schmidt stopped doing everything around the apartment, he also gave up doing the grocery shopping. Winston and Nick attempted to do it instead, and they went way over their $100 limit and then started fighting each other in the supermarket.
Viewers didn't see Schmidt buy groceries, but there was no indication that he suffered the same issues. His efficiency plus his fiscal responsibility means he likely didn't have much problem doing the groceries. And he saved everyone else a job in the process.
Winston: Never Made A Move On A Roommate
When two roommates get together, there is always a high possibility that it'll get very awkward if it doesn't work out, not just for them, but for their other roommates too. Winston avoided ruining the dynamic of the group by never pursuing any of his loft mates (except for the temporary roommate, Reagan).
Schmidt, however, attempted to kiss Jess on his 29th birthday. Thankfully, she denied him, they all had a laugh about it, and it was quickly forgotten. But there was always a risk that it could've gone another way, and people could've been forced to move out.
Schmidt: Paid For Things
Schmidt was always the richest member of the loft due to his impressive marketing job. Because of this, he bought plenty of things for the loft, including the freezer and the couch.
He would also pay for maintenance around the apartment, which was sometimes needed as they didn't have the best relationship with their landlord. However, he wasn't able to have everything repaired as Nick was usually opposed to spending money on things he could "fix" himself.
Winston: Caused Less Drama
During the groups' time living in apartment 4D, the loft mates had many arguments with each other. Nick and Schmidt fought about their different lifestyles, Jess got angry with Schmidt about him cheating on her best friend, and there was, of course, the memorable battle for the parking spot.
While Winston got into some disagreements himself, it wasn't as many as the likes of Schmidt, Nick, and Jess. Someone who doesn't often start drama is an ideal roommate.
Schmidt: He Was The Reason Jess Lived There
One of the greatest things Schmidt ever did for his loft mates was he brought Jess into their lives. He didn't do it directly, but he wrote the ad on Craigslist that enticed Jess to view their apartment. Jess thought the place was going to inhabited by women because of the way the ad was written, which could've been a key reason why she went to view the place.
Plus, he was the one who decided that she should move in when Nick and Coach weren't sure. Without Schmidt, Winston wouldn't have made a good friend, and Nick wouldn't have met the love of his life.
Winston: He Often Played The Peacemaker
Being the most level-headed member of the loft (most of the time) meant that Winston frequently needed to intervene in his roommates' squabbles. For instance, when Schmidt was angry with Nick and Jess and was trying to break them up, Winston was the one who calmed them all down and ended their conflict.
That was just one example of multiple times where Winston successfully played the peacemaker for his more emotional loft mates. Without him, they would've likely torn each other apart at some point.
Schmidt: Truly Cared About Being Roommates
Most of the loft mates lamented the fact that they were adults living with a bunch of roommates, not Schmidt, though. Schmidt (usually) loved sharing an apartment with his friends; he even had a party celebrating the tenth anniversary of living with Nick.
His love for it came from his own insecurities and his fear of missing out. As evidenced when he moved out the first time and set up a camera because he missed his friends. Regardless of his reasons, it was still nice to see that he cared.
Winston: Furguson
It's debatable whether owning Furguson made Winston a good or bad roommate. He did invite the cat into the loft without permission, but he was a great cat. And while initially, it seemed like nobody besides Winston cared much for Furguson, his memorial showed that wasn't entirely the case.
Plus, the rest of the loft mates got to enjoy him without having to deal with trips to the vets, feeding and buying toys, as Winston sorted all of that out.