The unconventional guide to living alone

 

What are some of your ‘unconventional’ guides to living alone? This was a question I posted on Quora a few days ago. There have been different misconceptions about this kind of lifestyle. Some say living alone is lonely and that the longer you live this way, the more you become miserable. Some say it’s fun and exciting and even intend to do it long-term.

According to an article by Claire Lower, living alone can be awkward at first. This is true, especially when you’re so used to having people around you. For younger folks, it could be when they are moving away to go to college. For adults, when they’re calling a long-term relationship quits. For older people, it could be when their life partner passes away. But it could the best thing after giving yourself time to adjust.

I started living alone in 2016 after breaking up with my partner. I have to admit that it was hard that I almost regretted my decision and move back to my brother’s apartment. I had no one to talk to, my routine is always work-home-work. I stayed in the office after working hours to talk to my colleagues, because I dreaded the feeling of going home. I even asked a co-worker to move in and become roommates with me.

That didn’t happen, of course. But to my surprise, after almost a year, I began to appreciate the solitude.

I began to enjoy the silence around me. No one would always ask and nag me about my whereabouts. I began to appreciate the art of ‘masturdating’ (it is so, so good and worth trying). Sleeping, although challenging at first, became much more comfortable. I don’t have to share my bed with someone. The best thing is that I have the freedom to do my favorite things and bring out my creative side.

So, as someone who is living alone, here’s my list of ‘unconventional’ guides to enjoy living by oneself:

1. Decorate your place. It doesn’t have to be expensive.

This is where you can unleash your creative power. Looking for inspiration from Pinterest or magazines is a good start. Plus with the convenience of online shopping, you can have the materials delivered to you. But as I’ve said, decorating doesn’t have to be expensive. Anything you have, whether old fabrics, tin cans, or even beer bottles is good to use.

Lately, I realized that I needed to have a pinboard to put all the small notes I used from my meetings. And so I decided to go online to shop. But I found the pinboards online to be expensive. The 20 x 30cm already costs almost P200, so I ditched the plan and asked for help from my landlord. He was kind enough to give me a carton box. I cut it to my preferred size and painted it black. I attached strings and made my own pinboard of my preferred size.

2. Create a schedule for your chores.

If you live in a small space, say a dorm, you don’t have to do a lot of chores. Cleaning, laundry, cooking, doing the dishes, and throwing out the trash are the basics. You can definitely create a schedule for these. My schedule includes the following:

Cleaning: Wednesday & Saturday

Laundry: Thursday & Sunday

Trash: Everyday

I cook every other 2 days. I cook meals that are good for 2-days and store them in the ref. It saves you time and gas. When you schedule your chores, you’ll be able to plan your week better.

3. Get a dog or cat. If not, a plant.

A Quora member who posted their answer to my question even suggested a stuffed toy because it’s less work. That will do as well because the goal is to have someone (or something) to talk to. Because let’s be real, living alone can also be boring at times. It doesn’t mean we don’t yearn for some solo TED Talk. So having any of these three I mentioned would be superb.

Pets are not allowed in our building, so I got myself a small succulent plant that I named Amanda. She doesn’t mind me talking (sometimes shouting) to her when I’m stressed or bored. She’s a good listener and she doesn’t mind a little neglect too.

4. Learn how to cook.

A basic skill all humans should have. Living alone doesn’t mean you can indulge in delivery foods every day. It’s a waste of money and it’s not healthy. Learning how to make at least 1–2 decent recipes for yourself is a great help. Cooking is a relaxing task. Who knows? You might find yourself a new hobby.

5. Store foods and basic essentials (including liquor).

Make sure your pantry is full. You will never know what will happen. One time I caught the flu and wasn’t able to go out. Luckily, I have enough food in my cabinet and on my fridge and they kept me alive for 4 days. I also make sure I have enough medicine to take whenever I’m not well. I live alone, so I have to take care of myself. If it’s Friday night and you want to chill without going out, having an ice-cold beer or vodka will be an awesome add-on. This is of course, optional.

6. Have an extra pillow.

Did you know that hugging a pillow while sleeping has benefits? This is true, especially if you are a troubled sleeper like me. It lessens your tossing and turning and also adds warmth. Plus, it also comes in handy if in any case, someone is coming for a sleepover.

So far, I only have a few people who answered my question on Quora. If you are a member, you may post your ‘unconventional’ guides (link at the start of this post), or you can share them here. I would love to read all your tips and maybe will learn a thing or two from you all, who knows?