Living alone is something I never thought I would do, but here I am! Chillin’ in a messy studio, sitting at my workspace (on my bed), and loving this sweet solitude. I can’t tell you whether I prefer living alone or living with roommates. They’re both wonderful options for different reasons. Over the past couple months, I have learned that there are quite a few rewards of living alone, as well as some bummers.

Pros of Living Alone

1. I’ve been getting the best sleep of my life. I am the lightest sleeper ever, so any tiny noise wakes me up. Living in the city means there are occasional sirens and crazy people yelling, but it’s not too bad.

2. I can make a mess and it’s okay. This actually should be in the “Cons” section.

3. I can buy all the home decor and dishes that I want! Okay, that isn’t true. At all. But you know what I mean. I’m excited to finally display all of my glassware and bowls  without cluttering the shelves.

4. Living by myself challenges me to go out and seek community. Having social interaction isn’t so effortless anymore.

5. I am so much more productive! After college, I only lived with friends. That meant wine and cheese girls nights were a regular thing (I miss those nights so much). Those were the best times, but the absence of wine and cheese nights has led me to many, many nights of getting stuff done. I think that has made me happier and less overwhelmed in the long run.

Cons of Living Alone

1. Whenever something hilarious happens, I just have to laugh all by myself. In the past, I would run down the hallway to laugh with a roomie. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with laughing alone. It’s not as weird as it sounds. Oh, now you probably think I’m a crazy person. Moving on…

2. The silence makes me jumpier than usual. The other day, everything in my studio was so quiet until I heard a floorboard creak. I immediately knocked over my cup of coffee, spilling it all over the floor, the couch, and myself.

3. I end up talking to myself way too much. Again with the crazy lady business. I like to think this is normal but sometimes I stop myself and I’m like, “Whoa. Too far.”

4. It takes a great amount of self-discipline to keep things clean and beautiful around here. It was easier to stay motivated while living in a shared space. Now, I’ve only got myself to impress. This should be in the “Pros” section (see Pro #2).

5. There is much more time to feel homesick. Homesickness is a brand new feeling for me. In the past, I would sometimes get sad before leaving my family for an extended period of time, but I always knew when I would see them next. This is a different kind of ache. I never liked my hometown much, but I now would fly back in a heartbeat just to hang out with my family.

Do you live alone or with roommates/a significant other? If you live alone, I would love to hear how much you like or don’t like it. How do you deal with loneliness and staying motivated to straighten up your space?

 

ps. Photos are from my Instagram. Aren’t those dahlias amazing?! Whole Foods was good to me yesterday. 

Life is beginning to feel so normal in Portland. I can’t believe I haven’t even been here two months yet. More and more, I’m realizing that my location has a huge impact on my motivation. Like colorful office supplies, a fresh new environment has made me so much more inspired and productive.

1. The great thing about Portland is that there is nature everywhere, even in the city. But it isn’t the same as driving into the forest, hiking up to waterfalls, and visiting rose gardens. A few weeks ago, I went to the International Rose Test Garden here and I was reminded of how much I need to be in nature. I’m going to make it a point to get out more.

2. On this day, I began decorating my studio. For like a second. I really need to get things together!

3. There are so many beautiful cafes that I love around here. Everything is so well designed. This is Commissary, home of yummy sandwiches, the best kombucha, and the prettiest mint decor.

4-6. I’m so thankful that my family was able to visit me recently. Since I have always lived close enough to home, a month without seeing them felt like forever. Also, Copper had his first Anthropologie experience! He was so well behaved. We made it a point to take him there after the longest walk/doggy park date ever. So he kept trying to fall asleep in Anthro. What a cutie. I miss my family and Copper so much already.

7. My talented friend Bee took some photos of me for blog/business purposes. Sometimes a tripod and self-timer just doesn’t cut it. I’ll share more later. So thankful to live in the same city as that lady!

8. I live around the corner from Heart so I have been practically living there to work on blog stuff. I’m obsessed with their giant windows, A+ coffee, and most-delicious-cookies-ever.

9. Earlier this week, we had a super fun informational meeting at work where we learned about AG Jeans and other company stuff. Breakfast and other perks were included. I truly love working at Anthro. :)

What do you have planned for today? I’m working tonight, so I am going to spend the day getting as much cleaning, blogging, coffee-drinking done as possible.

 

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