To ask if you’ve lived alone did you struggle

181 replies

Legally77777 · 27/01/2026 22:19

Or not

OP posts:

ToddlerMumma · 29/01/2026 13:16

I lived alone for most of my 30s. Some of the happiest years of my life

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 29/01/2026 13:19

Loved it. Had endless evenings to myself in the week, washed up my tiny amount of dishes and laundry with ease, and was always busy Fri-Sunday.

My husband worked away a lot in our early years of cohabiting, and I find I miss a bit of the free time I had.

Leo800 · 29/01/2026 13:33

I enjoyed living alone in my 20’s and could do it again if needed. However, I’m much more content now with a partner. I like having someone to share daily life with & I like the physical closeness.

TakeTheCuntingQuichePatricia · 29/01/2026 13:35

Struggle with what?
Money? Routines? Loneliness? DIY? Feeling safe? Boredom?

Sugarfish · 29/01/2026 13:41

I lived alone for a couple of years and really enjoyed it. I was in a different life stage back then where I’d be out with mates every weekend, so with that and working I never really felt lonely.

I think I’d be ok now, I don’t go out as much but I like my own company and when my partner is away for the weekend I enjoy the alone time. I’ve always been really independent. I think whether you cope depends on your personality. Sometimes I wish I lived alone again, I’m not great at compromising and would love to decorate exactly how I want to. Only eat the dinners I want and my house would be tidy all the time.

Macaroni46 · 29/01/2026 14:01

ooscal · 29/01/2026 10:26

You really have to like yourself and your own company to be comfortable about sole living I think. It also depends on the type of person you are, whether you rely on or crave company, or don't.

Take me for example. I'm late sixties now and have lived on my own since I was late twenties. I bought my own house when it was not easy for a single woman and I thought I had won the lottery. I am still in that house now because that first purchase was perfect for me, and still is, although it's much "grander" by now!

I'm not a recluse but I'm not a "joiner" of things either. I'd say I have built a life for myself that doesn't require much from others. I have family and friends that I can call upon at a minute's notice to help out in emergencies or whatever. My sister and I go away a lot also, although she has a family and grandkids I don't. Friends peel off as you get older, or they get sick and die, but I have a few constants around still for cultural things, coffee, walks and so on. I've known them since university days.

I also have a partner for over 30 years now. He lives in the country an hour away, and I'm in the city. It's a perfect combination for us. We share the attributes of each others lives, go out places during the week, and have mutually agreed trips abroad/away. But we would never live together in the same house. We both like our lives just the way they are!

So really, it's horses for courses isn't it?

Your post made me think. You have a sister and a partner. That makes a big difference. When I lived on my own I had no one. No siblings. Barely any extended family. One very distant parent. No partner. I truly was alone in the world.
Yes, I had friends but at that time most were married or partnered up / still had children at home and were not available at the weekends. They wanted to meet up during the week, which I did, but I couldn’t enjoy that as much as I was working a very stressful job with long hours and an early start. My work role meant I was pretty isolated at work too due. Then come the weekend I’d be rattling around on my own. Bank holiday weekends were the worst.
I really think your family set up, relationship status and job make a big difference. Now I love living alone, have a partner, friends who are also living alone, a more sociable job and a cosy little house.

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