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.

I forgot the best one - my bed all to myself

I absolutely loved living on my own!!

I'm married now and sometimes I do feel nostalgic for the 'living alone' days

Kitchen sink is always clean, ditto shower screen, can eat/not eat/have takeaway/order takeaway and not eat it instead of an expectant face wondering what will magically appear EVERY bloody night

I loved living alone and just put plenty of effort into maintaining my social life. One tip - say yes to every invitation. Going out leads to more invitations until you reach the stage where you say no because you want time to enjoy your own home.

I lived on my own for five years and loved it! Could do it all my own way and not have to worry about what anyone else thought. I admit it could be lonely from time to time, so my advice is just to plan your time well, so you have lots to do and then you can really enjoy the time you do spend in your own little retreat from the world.

and the tv remote is mine, all mine

Freedom.

Get up when and what you like (depending on your circumstances obviously). Eat when you like, Clean the house when you feel like it.

Watch want you want on TV, when you want to. Sleep diagonally across the bed, hog the duvet.

Have as many pets as you want. Wear what you like and choose who your friends are and no-one to drive them away.

Never feeling annoyed by anybody. I haven't managed to annoy myself yet.
A clean and tidy house, even though I live with a child.
No compromises, everything the way I want it to be.
Freeeeeeeeeeeeeedom.

I will never live with anybody again.

Oh, and farting loudly in the en suite bathroom in the middle of the night

You can do whatever you want whenever you want! Now that is true freedom!

SpunkOnMyBouquet is your username a clue as to why you now live alone; did he ruin your flowers?

I would like to second the comments about loneliness being different from being alone. Personally, I never feel lonely these days and am perfectly happy just pottering around in my own at the weekends. Though like others have said I do have a much better social life now too. Not in the going out drinking / dancing sense but just getting together with good friends for a gossip etc..

So one commented earlier that it made them wonder about what awful relationships people are in from the things they've said. Well, tgete might be that but I don't think its possible to love with someone else (even a flatmate ) without having to compromise and it it is often things you don't really think about like what time you eat dinner..

Oh, and I forgot to say - as others mentioned it's also all to easy to feel lonely in the company of others. I really think it's more about where your head is at. I find now that I actually need quite a lot of alone time or I get burnt out Wheras when I was younger I hated being on my own even for an evening.

Sorry about the typos! On my phone and can't figure out how to edit the comments ..

Where do I start - after 13 years of living with someone I am so looking forward to living alone. You can do what you want, when you want! Cook or takeaway, or a bowl of cereal, it's up to you. I love my own company but have many friends, it's your choice - see who you want when you want. Sorry but it's a in brainer, give me an affectionate cat and my own space any day!

"No brainer"

Definitely with you downgraded !

I loved having a private space I could shut the door on where no-one could get at me. I lived alone after a painful break-up, and my tiny flat became my retreat, a she-bear cave where I could lick my wounds. Most of all I liked pottering around and getting stuff done, tidying and cleaning didn't take too long when you live in a tiny flat!

Also, I made a list of things I wanted to do - travelling by myself, joined a book group, said 'yes' instead of 'no' to things, volunteered at Glastonbury, got involved with a cause I really believed in, bought a house and renovated it. It was a pretty busy 3 years and I got a lot of living done!

i lived alone for a year after leaving uni, before travelling/moving into a house share and renting rooms for a bit as moved to an expensive city for a bit/meeting DP etc all ruined that! I loved it.

Don't clean up after any one
noone else can be in the loo when you are busting
noone else can use up the hot water
noone can judge you for the amount of food you decided was appropriate for one person in one meal (for me this was anything from 3 pringles to take aways/roast dinners that would feed a family.. oh to be 21 again!)
noone to judge you for watching come dine with me back to back for two hours
take up whole sofa

ahhh loved it. One of the happiest times of my life

I mean I'm very happy now too but I have always liked my own space and been very comfortable in my own company.

I love living alone. I don't think I could ever share my space with anyone. As everyone else has said, it's being able to do what you want, when you want. Stay up all night. Stay in bed all day, even if you're not ill. Leave the washing up for two days, or until you run out of clean mugs. If you've had a bad day, or you're really tired, you can go home and shut the door and not have to interact with anyone.

I love going out and seeing my friends, and sometimes having them come to visit me, but I love being at home alone too.

OP, what is it that particularly worries you about the idea of living alone?

I'm in a private rent too, Fun, but there's always a certain amount of personalising you can do. Bedding, pictures, etc. And everything else people have mentioned still stands.

I'm not living with my husband!

it's completely fantastic

Even if you rent you can make your home a nest. I used to love coming back to my space where everything was calm and geared to my needs. I had cats who were responsible for every strange noise in the night. If you treat it as a spirit salving retreat then it works. Eat well. Cook for yourself properly. I used to cook a proper meal a few times a week and alternate left overs.

As others have said, absolute autonomy is the good bit. Not having to live on eggshells. Not having to Skype someone's mother. Not having to pretend to enjoy World of Warcraft. Trying not to complain when someone Skypes his mother from his computer in the living room when you're trying to watch QI. Not having to turn off The Full Monty because "there's nothing funny about unemployment." Not having to resist the urge to call someone a patronising wankstain. No wankstains on the duvet cover.

It can be lonely, but you can develop strategies - the lads on the till in my local CoOp like a chat so that's a but of human contact. Church is good if you're even a little bit spiritual. Walking a dog is also a great way just to chat to random people - if you can't keep your own in your flat, maybe you could borrow one? My dog would love walkies with new people.

No sharing space for clothes.