To ask for the perks of living alone

[FunFunFunFun]

Soon I will live alone for the first time in my life (I'm 33). The prospect is daunting and I fear I will be crippled by loneliness. (Sounds dramatic and unhealthy I know).

So, what are the best parts of living alone? Let's put a positive spin on my predicament.

Autonomy, autonomy and autonomy!

About everything; when to eat; what to eat; where things are kept; how to arrange the furniture; when to go to bed; whether to sit in front of a fan consuming ice cream and DVDs on a day like today. It will be lovely OP. I still miss it sometimes

naked in front of a fan..., I mean to say.

I've never done it but I'm jealous, being an introvert I'd love my own space and freedom to please myself.

You don't have to worry about or apologise for anything.

It can get lonely mind you.

Having sole rights over the remote control and being able to watch whatever you like on the TV no more Formula 1. Being able to do what you like without thinking about anyone else. Being able to eat crap if you can't be bothered to cook a proper meal. Not having to tidy up after anyone else.

I love living with my DP but do occasionaly look back wistfully on the years I spent living on my own before I met him!

Being able to please yourself all the time.

Do you have children? Nearby friends? Do you enjoy your job? What are your hobbies?

I love dh and the kids.....but I miss living alone sometimes. Watching what I want when I want, eating whatwvwr and wherever, not having to do the washing everyday, less washing up, less supermarket shopping, going to the gym when I fancy instead of having to be home for family meals.

I wouldn't swop my family but do miss those days sometimes.

I loved living on my own. Peace and quiet, things stayed I left them, only me to worry about! If I got lonely I rang friends for a chat or went out for a bit but that was rare.

I've lived on my own for three months now, nearly four. I thought I'd hate it. I can't handle being on my own, I'm easily lonely, and I'm going through a painful break-up. I'd never have chosen to be on my own.

It's okay. I mean, I still wouldn't choose to live on my own, if I'm honest, but it's undoubtedly been good for me. I don't hate it. I'm not cripplingly lonely or sad.

You can literally do what when you want. It doesn't matter when you go out or when you get home. You can eat whatever you like. You can decorate how you like, and buy things you like. You can have people round when you want too.

I lived alone for 10 years and adored it mostly. The decision making on EVERYTHING is yours and yours alone. It is so liberating to decide you want to eat your pudding first if you want.

Everybody who comes into your house does so at your choosing.

You can hear yourself think.

You can paint walls bright yellow if the mood takes you.

I really valued that time. Yes, occasionally I felt lonely but the positives were numerous.

I found out who I am rather than being someone else's idea of me.

I am quite extrovert but still need time to myself even now I share a home with dh and ds.

Embrace it and enjoy.

Singing as oud as you can in the shower and dancing round naked.

Being answerable to no one and the house being as you left it when you go to work.

Oh and no resentment because somebody isn't pulling their weight and being able to drop off the grid for a whole weekend if you want to.

I love my DH but living alone again would not bother me in the slightest.

It would be next to impossible for me to live with other people now. No idea how others manage it, when do you get time to just phutz about and think about what you want to?

Only disadvantage, it's a very inefficient way of sharing out housing. But 1/3 of adults do this in the UK, which is often forgotten by planners/ advertisers/ smug couples .

Benefits to living alone:

You can watch what you want.
You have less housework and no one to pick up after.
You can decorate your place however you want without discussions over colour schemes or unwanted barker loungers.
You don't have anyone to argue with. Life is peaceful.
You can tailor your diet any way you want.
You can camp out in the living room and binge watch boxset of your choice and eat popcorn.
You don't have to make any allowances for someone else, for what they think of you, your appearance or your behaviour and you don't have to worry if they are happy/sad/pissed off with you.

HTH

Oh yes, you bop along to any music you want!

Many of the benefits mentioned above, but I'd add heating being turned on or off when I want it, at the temperature I want it. Never having to search for something that's been put somewhere I wouldn't have put it. Freedom to eat breakfast cereals for my supper if I can't be arsed to cook something. Total autonomy over the "look" of the place - everything in it is what I chose.

I've never once been lonely - love, love, love living alone! Hopefully you will, too, OP.

Going out to work with a nice tidy house and then coming home.....to a nice tidy house!!

Being able to go to bed at 7pm if the mood takes you. No cleaning up other people's mess piss , relaxing in the bath for an hour without anyone banging on the door for the toilet, being able to watch what you want, do what you want, eat what you want. I love my own space and quite happily occupy my time. I miss it!

Living alone also means you can go out every night with whoever you like and have who ever over for dinner etc. it means you can go out to the gym, swimming, Spanish class, anything really without bothering anyone about when you get home.

living alone makes you much more sociable.

Do what the fuck you like
Eat what the fuck you like
Drink what the fuck you like
Watch what the fuck you like

Oh, I loved living alone and miss it still.

1. No mess but what you create.
2. No compromising - everything is exactly as you want it.
3. Eating what you prefer, when you prefer.
4. The bathroom is always available.
5. Hard to lose things - they are exactly where you left them.

Please do not fear loneliness. IMO it is just as possible to feel lonely in a crowd as it is to feel lonely alone.

Enjoy!

I would so love to live alone again. Lived on my own for may years.

Quiet - you can go to bed a t 9pm or get up at 11am - and no-one is crashing around to disturb you.

Tv/Phone?reading - all can be done in privacy and peace

The place stays tidy.

You can entertain whoever you want to, whenever you want to.

Joy, joy, joy - I envy you that.

(I realise that circumstances are not necessarily ideal and living alone does often mean the loss or breakup of something but if you choose it, it is wonderful in itself.

Do what the fuck you like
Eat what the fuck you like
Drink what the fuck you like
Watch what the fuck you like
Fuck who the fuck you like

I loved it. Those 5 years went way too fast.

Thanks so much everyone. I'm bookmarking this thread for constant referral.

Angeale Have you lived alone? What did you do when you felt lonely?

RepeatAdNauseum Your situation is my situation. How's it going? Did it get easier over time?