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- Re: 5 Problems You Only Face While Living Alone (a...
5 Problems You Only Face While Living Alone (and How to Deal with Them)
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5 Problems You Only Face While Living Alone (and How to Deal with Them)
Remember that roommate you had that walked around naked? Or the one who clipped his toenails in the living room while watching TV? There’s a reason you now live alone and love it. At some point you decided it was time, could afford it, and today you certainly don’t look back. But, while great in some respects, there are parts of living on your own that are, at the very least, different, and at the most, a pain in the ass. Here are five major ones, and strategies for dealing...
1. ECONOMIES OF SCALE
Problem: Generally, the more you buy at one time, the cheaper it becomes. While a family of six cruises through a pot of chili, that much food can get wasted in a household of one. It's also more expensive to buy smaller quantities of toilet paper and other household supplies.
Solution: The Kitchn has some great tips for cooking on your own. For everything else, consider teaming up with a friend, family member, or neighbor to split that 24-pack of toilet paper. You’ll save money and space in the process.
2. HEAVY OBJECTS
Problem: You get an itch to decorate first thing on Saturday morning and find yourself stymied by your grandmother’s huge, six ton armoire.
Solution: Don’t hurt yourself by trying to lift things yourself. First, break the piece down in any way to make it manageable: empty contents, remove drawers or legs. If it's still too big or heavy, round up a friend or next-door neighbor to help you out on the fly. Otherwise, save up all your little odd jobs and hire someone one Saturday afternoon to knock out everything out on your to-do list that requires help.
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I've lived alone much of my life despite the fact that I hadn't purposely intended it to be so. I was widowed at a young age and unfortunately picked out several wrong men in my desire to remarry and ended up being used and then tossed away like a used paper towel. I have to say that I learned to be content with myself and who I was which has enabled me to be quite happy living by myself. But as most singles, I too, have found things I cannot handle on my own, especially since I now have severe muscle damage in my left shoulder and some in my right arm.
The food/toilet paper issue hasn't been much of a problem. I started meal planning over the last 2-3 years and am getting better at it all the time. Due to working most of my life and now tending to my mother (who is in a LTC facility now), I don't have any friends who come and visit; only acquaintances I see during my daily travels. So when I see a sale on toilet paper, I buy several packages and store them in a corner behind the door in my bedroom. And when there are super sales on meat, I buy a quantity, repack into individual portions and then freeze them.
I don't have any problems with loneliness because visiting my mother every day I have a chance to talk with a lot of people both who live at the facility or work there. And also because I did spend so much time on my own, I have become content and built activities in my life that I enjoy doing. And if I should feel lonely, which is rare these days, the moment it "hits me", I take a minute to acknowledge it and then move on to doing one of my favorite pastimes and the mood passes quickly.
The major problem is the moving of furniture, buying a new TV and hooking up the cable box, and dvd player, or buying an appliance such as an air conditioner for new venetian blinds. The cost is much more than someone who can buy these kinds of things, lift them and install them themselves. It truly bothers me. I've tried to get a program set up in our co-op that revolves around the "livable community" concept, but so far has not worked. I'm afraid that I will just have to pay signficantly more to have these kinds of things done much to my dismay.
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The person I lived with for 30 years, was the master of deceit. The joy of my life is never having to wonder where the other person is or what that person is doing. I might not have a huge income, but I at least know what I have. I know what I can and can't do. I bought sliders to move my furniture. I even discovered the joy of flying. I enjoy my life. It is what I make of it.
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I am glad that you are happy with your choice and that you have moved on to a happy life.
As we have said here many times, chosing to live alone is not always a worst case choice and the important thing is that we make the decision for ourselves!
Thank you for the post.
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Re:
I have been living by myself 11 year .what I learn from our parents to be independent.when our mother pass way me and my father have to live by ourselves .and then my sister and children's move downstair than that change real quick were not by ourselves anyone. There wasn't peace and quiet don't get me wrong as our father was getting older and I did need the help.after our father pass way . And my sister want stay . I decided to leave and move to Naperville IL . I learn so much about living by myself and how save money . I Love it living by myself I have my freedom and peace pieces mind. I still shops big . I mean is , I the way like having a family .what you can still cook like big meal meatloaf or bake chicken and vegetables .these how it works every other meals you cook for dinner stretch it out. What I mean is eat for lunch and dinner so food won't go to waste and for 24 pack of bath tissues that will save you don't split you use it for yourself.you never know that you might need it.now if the storm comes stock up like winter storm.from Anne Kimble
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Thank you for your comments. I am glad that you are happy with your choice to move Anne!
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I'm a master of #2 .. taking apart heavy objects, so I can move them. When I had my other house, I moved 2 or 3 6'x36" bookcases back & forth several times, between the living room and guest bedroom! Take out all the books & non-fixed shelves, straddle the bookcase between 2 flat dollies, stand them up to turn corners & get them thru doorways .. then do everything in reverse, when you get them where you want them! Ditto for moving dressers & chests, by taking their drawers out.
The idea of giving a contractor a house key, then changing the door lock, must have been made by someone who doesn't know how much a locksmith charges for that .. and guess what, it also creates more time you have to take off, to be there with the locksmith! Duh.
Registered on Online Community since 2007!
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@EveRH wrote:I'm a master of #2 .. taking apart heavy objects, so I can move them. When I had my other house, I moved 2 or 3 6'x36" bookcases back & forth several times, between the living room and guest bedroom! Take out all the books & non-fixed shelves, straddle the bookcase between 2 flat dollies, stand them up to turn corners & get them thru doorways .. then do everything in reverse, when you get them where you want them! Ditto for moving dressers & chests, by taking their drawers out.
The idea of giving a contractor a house key, then changing the door lock, must have been made by someone who doesn't know how much a locksmith charges for that .. and guess what, it also creates more time you have to take off, to be there with the locksmith! Duh.
When you live alone I think that you become adept at dealing with issues yourself and over time work out ways to handle various issues. That includes people who will be able to help or that you can hire if you need to and lots of ways to deal with things yourself. One of the main things to remember is to be careful with unusal listing or carrying or reaching or climbing, because if you hurt yourself you are alone.. keep the cell phone handy!
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Five is really not many..
and I like the idea that this article shows ideas to handle them... I have found that the secured condo building setting deals with several issues; safety, someone to receive your packages, someone to move things if you don't have kids ( hahhahah) and activities if you want to join in.
Anyone else?
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