Recently, I moved out of my childhood home, into my own apartment. This was needed in the sense that I’m about to be 26, and it is time to live my own life.

Growing up, my childhood home would be considered small for the area I live in, even more so with that fact that there were 6 of us living in it. This did lead to some chaotic times, but also created some of my fondest memories.

Due to growing up so close knit, the adjustment period to living alone has had its up and downs. These are the top five things I have realized living alone so far:

1. I hate cooking for myself.
2. I am suddenly obsessed with cleaning.
3. I love how when I want company I can invite someone over, and when I want to be alone, I can shut out the world.
4. I love not having anyone constantly asking me what I am doing.
5. I miss the loudness of my childhood home.

So, it turns out I am not the greatest cook. The other day I burnt pasta, no idea how it occurred, but it did. It is also SUPER hard to portion the right amount for one person and not have leftovers. I am no fan of leftovers, so it is important not to have any. The future looks bleak cooking wise, so will likely stick to pre-made meals.

I have never been a messy person, but lately my love of cleanliness has reached a whole new level. Having anything out of place drives me mad, and all dust must be dusted, at all times. I think it could just be knowing I pay a massive amount of rent, so my place should at least stay looking good.

I would say I am more of an introvert in life, but one that can be extroverted WHEN I WANT TO BE. Living alone is ideal because I have days where I invite a friend over for a drink and then can be all set with socializing for a few days. Being alone does not bore me, I’m quite content with my own company.

When I moved home from Ireland, one aspect of having to live in my childhood home again that drove me insane was my parents always needing to know what I was doing and where I was. It created a lot of tension between us, only because I was used to going my own way and it was a step backwards for me having to relay all this information all the time. Living alone, I can just go about my day and no one knows the wiser.

Finally, it does get very quiet living alone. My childhood home was always very loud because there were so many of us. I definitely miss that aspect of it. To combat that silence, I have taken to always having a background noise on, whether it be the tv or music. I also talk to my plants, A LOT.

Well, there you have it. Living alone is a new experience for me, one that I love most of the time, but also have my conflicts with. I think the plan is to get a cat and once that happens, it will be happy days for sure.

Cheers!

Mirjam

What are your experiences with living alone or moving out of your childhood home. Feel free to leave a comment! Xx