18 Pros and Cons of Living Alone

People are very different when it comes to what living situation they prefer. I've lived by myself for two and a half years now, and I absolutely love it. Although, I know not everyone would. Here are some pros and cons about living alone.

You don't have to consider anyone else

There's no one else in your home that you need to consider when deciding what to watch or what music to play. You don't have to check with anyone whether it's okay for you to have a game night or have people stay over.

...but you're always alone.

You can't just walk to your flatmate's room and hang out or watch a movie. Socialising takes more effort than when you live alone, as you'll have to go somewhere or invite people over. You're always coming home to an empty house or flat, so if you're a person who easily feels lonely, this is something to keep in mind.

No one eats your food

We all know that a huge issue many people face is that their housemates will eat their food. If you live by yourself you'll never come home to find some of your food is missing or that someone has eaten your chocolate.

...but if you're out, you're out.

What you can find in your kitchen is only the stuff you've bought yourself. If you're in the middle of cooking and realise you forgot to buy eggs, there's no one you can borrow any from, and you'll have to run to the store.

The kitchen is always free

You'll never have to wait for someone to finish cooking before you can go and make your dinner. We've probably all had those flatmates who love to just loiter in the kitchen and take up space, making it impossible for you to prepare your meal.

...but you're always the one to cook.

The luxury of coming home to your flatmate surprising you with dinner is long gone. If you want homemade food it's always up to you to make it.

Decoration is entirely up to you

It's nice to have full freedom when it comes to decorating your place. You won't have to put up with anyone else's weird or even ugly decor or interior ideas.

...but you have to do everything yourself.

Not all of us are equipped with great skills when it comes to assembling furniture or hanging something on the wall. You'll also probably learn how difficult things such as finding the right curtains and picking a colour you'll continue to appreciate throughout your tenancy is.

You get to feel independent

Living by yourself is a great way to feel like an independent grownup. You have your own place just to yourself and you're proving that you are capable of running a home, which can be an empowering feeling.

...but you have to sort out everything.

When it comes to bills, what electricity or broadband supplier to choose or setting up your TV license, it's all up to you. You don't have a person in your home to discuss it with or someone there to help you.

You can do laundry whenever you want

I think we all know how frustrating it is when you really need to get your laundry done, but your flatmate gets to the washer before you. If you only have one drying rack (unless you have a dryer) you might have to wait a couple of days. And that's a long time if you've run out of appropriate-for-work outfits.

...but you have to do all the cleaning.

All the cleaning is on your head. You're obviously the one making the mess as well, but whereas before you'd clean when it was your turn on the rota, you now have to do it every time. There's no one to share the jobs with.

You have full privacy

There's no one in your home that can make you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to hide anything from anyone and you can even walk around naked if you want. No one's around you to annoy you or make noise, so if you appreciate full privacy, that's something you'll really get to enjoy living by yourself.

...but it's more expensive.

Living by yourself is definitely gonna cost more, not just rent-wise but with bills as well. Having no flatmates is a financial priority or sacrifice you'll have to make if it's worth it for you. Figure out whether you can justify it for you and how important it is for your wellbeing.

You don't have to deal with your flatmates' guests

You no longer have to put up with your flatmates always having their partners over, or maybe they have certain friends that you really don't vibe with that you'd rather not have in your home. The only people in your home will be people you've personally invited.

...but no one can let you in if you lock yourself out.

Having to contact your landlord because you've locked yourself out is definitely one of the worst scenarios I can imagine as a tenant. If you're unlucky one day and manage to forget your key, it's really nice to know that someone in your house will be able to let you in. That's a luxury you won't have in your own place.

There's no flatmate drama

If you've lived with multiple different people without experiencing any drama in your home, you're one of very few lucky ones. Of course having disagreements is a natural part of any relationship, but some people are definitely harder to get along with than others.

...but no one's there to lend you things.

You can't just run to your flatmate's room and ask to borrow their blue dress or black boots, or use someone else's kitchen gadgets that you don't wanna buy for yourself. Borrowing things from others takes a little more effort when you don't have flatmates.

Those were 18 pros and cons to living alone or with flatmates that I think we can all relate to in some way. We're all different and one living situation doesn't make sense for all of us, so give it a think and figure out what's important to you. Good luck!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you enjoyed this article, please share it on your social media and send it to someone you think will like it too!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to support me, you can send me a tip below this story, which would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for your support!