Living alone doesn't mean living lonely! It can be the best time of your life or the worst, depending on your outlook. Here's why you should think again before you bemoan your solo status.
For some people, the thought of living by themselves can conjure up images of day after day of isolated loneliness (and empty pizza boxes stacked sky-high). Living solo can either be great fun or very depressing, depending on your approach to the situation and the way you conduct your life. If you’re one of those people who fears that living alone is more like solitary confinement, there’s hope! Here’s how to turn your outlook around and make your domestic arrangement infinitely more enjoyable.
Make your house a home.
Go wild – it’s your chance, maybe the only one you’ll ever have, to decorate exactly how you want to. So you want to put up flowery wallpaper and beaded curtains and hang your prized “Beefcake of the Month” calendar? There’s no one to stop you! It’s your space, and only yours, so personalize it in any way you see fit. Make your house a haven, a place you feel good about coming home to.
Take pride in your surroundings.
However you choose to snazz up your pad, make it a place to be proud of. Don’t let clutter and dirt overrun things just because there’s nobody there but you to see it on a regular basis. If you don’t like to clean, and you can afford it, hire someone to come in and do it once a week – it’s probably not going to be as expensive as you may think, considering that since you live on your own, your quarters are pretty small anyway. If that’s not your thing, just make a concentrated effort to keep up on your cleaning. Do the dishes immediately after you dirty them rather than waiting until they fill the sink; toss junk mail instead of stacking it on the table or desk.
Bone up on your culinary skills.
Even though you live by yourself, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat well. Although Cocoa Puffs, canned soup and ramen noodles are easy and accessible, they shouldn’t be the staples of your diet. Use this time to learn to cook without having to test out your recipes on anyone but yourself. That way if something tastes terrible, nobody will ever know but you, and you have the chance to try it out repeatedly and perfect it (without being made fun of) before actually serving it to someone else. Cooking an actual, balanced meal for yourself will make you feel as if you’ve accomplished something, and it will keep you in touch with the civilized world. Best of all, if you want to prepare a gourmet meal and eat it by candlelight in your grungiest pajamas, you can!
Bring home a buddy.
This can be the perfect time to enhance your life by getting a pet, any kind you want. You don’t have to worry about someone else’s allergies or the way they dislike cats because they’re “creepy.” Pets can be great company for those times when, inevitably, you’ll feel a teeny bit lonely. Plus, walking them is great exercise for you (provided you have a pet that walks) – and who knows, an afternoon at the dog park could lead to some great social experiences.
Live safely.
You’ll feel much better and less stressed about living alone if you know that you’re as safe as possible in your own home. Consider safety precautions such as deadbolts, peepholes and adequately sealed windows a crucial investment! Keep your answering machine message vague, rather than providing specific details such as, “I’ll be back on Tuesday.” And when you leave the house, yell a clear good-bye over your shoulder, even if you’re just talking to your houseplants. This may make you feel a bit on the dorky side, but intruders are less likely to break in if they think there may be someone else still in the house.
Keep your social connections.
Don’t isolate yourself just because you can. It’s important to maintain friendships and stay connected. Social connection has a major impact on your health and wellbeing! Throwing dinner parties or just having someone over for a few drinks can go a long way (and it’s a perfect excuse to keep your surroundings in tip-top shape when you may be otherwise tempted to let things slide). Get out and volunteer. Join a gym or an exercise class, thereby killing two birds – namely, physical fitness and social time – with one stone. Have other single-dwelling friends come for a sleepover like you had in junior high, complete with messy facials and karaoke. When you live by yourself, you learn to value and appreciate your friends more, since you get enough “you time” when you’re at home.
Take advantage of your solo status.
It’s a prime opportunity to do… well, basically anything you want, since there’s no one there to see. (Make sure your shades are closed first, though.) Privacy permits you to do many things that your roommate-having counterparts might not be afforded the luxury of. Fill your CD cabinet and stereo with tunes that you love, no matter how cheesy (Ace of Base, anyone?) and crank them. Dance with a mop, or use the handle as a microphone. Walk around naked – but invest in a good quality bathrobe for quick backup in case there’s a knock at the door. Shower – and do other bathroom things – with the door open. Give your hair a protein pack and walk around with your head wrapped in tinfoil and a shower cap. The world … or at least, your place … is your oyster!
Enjoy the fringe benefits of being alone.
Not having to share anything. Not having to worry about tiptoeing around to avoid waking your roomies up. Having the freedom to set your own schedule, without regard for anyone else’s. Not having to worry about who bought what food, and whose turn it is to do the dishes or take out the garbage. No arguments over rent or utility bills or any other financial commitments. No consulting someone else before making a household decision. Nobody’s significant other camping out for days, weeks, months on end without contributing a dime. Need I go on? The positives are practically endless.
Don’t turn and run for the nearest “roommate wanted” ad when the prospect of living alone looms large in front of you. Believe it or not, it can be a beautiful thing, and you can have a very happy and fulfilled life even without living companions. Try it out for a while; if it doesn’t suit you, it’s not usually hard to find someone looking for a place to stay. Chances are, though, that you’ll relish lounging around in your undies watching “I Love Lucy” marathons much more than having someone to share your space with.