I have had my own apartment for about 3 years now. First in Atlanta, and then again when I moved to Philly. When I first left roommate life and transitioned into my own place, I was worried I was going to be lonely or bored. As it turns out, I’ve rocked living alone and I truly enjoy my own company. There are so many perks to living alone!

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, however, you also know that I’m impatient for what’s next. So basically I spend a lot of time daydreaming about a house in the suburbs with a husband, dog, and kids. Since that’s not in the cards just yet, I’m making an effort to be mindful and focus on the positives in my present life. So I’ve put together a list of all of the perks of living alone.

Living alone is glorious. Here are the perks of living alone:

• You live in your own filth: If you don’t want to clean up after yourself, you don’t have to. You can live in as much of your own squalor as you want. Even better, you never have to encounter anyone else’s dishes in the sink, socks in the couch cushions, or hair in the shower drain. I tend to keep things pretty neat, but I take great joy in knowing that any mess I see is MY mess and no one else’s.
• You can watch whatever TV you want, whenever you want: Not sharing a TV means you can watch 4 Hallmark movies in a row with the captions on, and no one will ever know (or ask you to change the channel).
• Nothing disturbs you: I’m a Highly Sensitive Person, so noise has always been the hardest part of living with other people. If you live alone, you’re never bothered by the sound of someone else’s music, no one ever does laundry at 1am, lights from the living room never keep you awake, and you basically never have to see another human being unless you want to. You can live your life without any disturbances. What bliss.
• No need to maintain personal hygiene: No one else has to see you. This means you can go days without showering, changing your clothes, or doing your hair/makeup. Last weekend I did not leave my apartment or see any humans, and I spent 48 hours in the same t-shirt. No shame.
• You always get the good spot on the couch: Settle in! You get the best view of the TV at all times.
• Everything is yours: Everything in your own apartment belongs to you. This means you never have to ask someone else to use anything. Even better, no one else will ever use your things. No one will eat the last pizza bagel you had in the fridge (I am definitely not still bitter about the time this happened to be in college). No one will misplace your scissors (except for you), and no one will load the dishwasher incorrectly. You have complete control over everything in your space.
• The thermostat is in your control: Everyone has different temperature preferences. When you have your own thermostat, you get to keep it as balmy or cool as you want. 74 for me, please!
• The decor is up to you: No one else has to agree with your decor, and you don’t have to adjust to anyone else’s style. If you want to plaster your walls with Taylor Swift posters, go for it. Everything you use to decorate is just for your enjoyment!
• Freedom: Honestly, the biggest perk of living alone is having complete freedom. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want in your own home. There’s no pressure to be respectful to your roommates, because you don’t have any! The place is allll yours. Chances are you won’t live alone forever (I hear marriage is best enjoyed while cohabitating), so enjoy it while you can!