Living alone definitely has its perks. When you live solo, you are free to blast those annoying songs that no one else seems to appreciate as loudly and as often as you want, that is up until the neighbors get involved. You can also eat and drink whatever you want, straight off the jar or milk carton and better still, you can hog the bathroom for however long you like until all the hot water runs out.
With absolutely no one to answer to, you become the master of your own apartment or house. Hang out all day in a towel or your boxers and none will be the wiser. In many ways, living the solo life is living a great life. That is until you inevitably need help to open a jar or assistance zipping up your favorite dress.
Get ahead of these tricky situations by arming yourself with all the top necessities needed for a person living alone. Here are things that you should own 100% own if you live alone:
Basic tools
Living alone is a dream-up until you suddenly need to carry out some simple repairs around the home only to discover that you are not armed with the tools that you need. Because attempting to pull nails off the wall with your bare hands will probably not end well (for you), make sure that you equip yourself with some basic tools.
There are particular home repairs that everyone that lives alone must be prepared for, whether you are renting or own your place. That new IKEA shelf that you just purchased is not going to put itself together; leaky pipes and clogged toilets are inevitable so you should prepare for those.
Some of what you need include:
- A heavy-duty utility knife that can help you cut through practically anything
- An adjustable wrench for those hard to reach spots around your home
- A cordless drill and drive capable of drilling through different materials including wood, plastics, metal and beyond
- A quality toilet plunger because accidents happen
- A long extension cord because you are going to need a long cord for something at least once in your life. So, better to have it and not need it
Robotic vacuum
The humble vacuum cleaner has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few decades. Long gone are the days when you needed to set aside at least half a day to keep your carpets and house dust-free. These days, thanks to the joys of robotic cleaners, you can leave your home and return to a completely clean space.
Most robotic cleaners integrate both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which means that if you are used to voice-controlling your other devices, these vacuum cleaners should be very straightforward to use. Robotic vacuum cleaners also come with a dedicated app if voice control is not your thing.
Before you go ahead and purchase the first robot vacuum that you see, you must pay attention to what your needs are. You can go for a dual function cleaner that can both mop and vacuum or opt for a low maintenance cleaner that only cleans hardwood floors. Alternatively, you can also invest in a powerful hoover capable of reaching every nook and cranny in your home, cleaning up pet hair, debris and everything else in between.
Sex toys
When you live alone, a little self-care can do wonders whenever you need your spirits boosted and a sex toy can help you do just that. Sure, partnered sexual adventures are great but there is something liberating and energizing about solo sessions. And with a great dildo, you never have to worry about solo quiet nights on Valentine’s Day ever again.
Self-pleasure is a wonderful way to connect to your body, whether you live alone or with roommates, so that you can become more confident and experience pleasure. Self-pleasure is also associated with pain and stress relief, as well as promoting sleep. As such, if you are having a difficult time falling asleep, all you need to do is whip out your favorite dildo and get cracking.
A drain unclogger
Now that you are living solo, it is time to admit it; that hair drain really does belong to you and there is no one else around to blame it on so you have to fix it yourself. Save yourself future plumber fees by purchasing a quality drain unclogger.
If you can, try and get yourself one that is covered in barbs so that you can retrieve any stuck hair from your drain. While you are at it, make sure that you also invest in a quality plunger to help you take care of other less pleasurable bathroom disasters.
Fly/insect swatter
Remember how you would call your dad, brother or older siblings whenever a creepy insect showed up unexpectedly in your room? Well now that you live alone, killing insects is all on you now. Invest in a fly or insect swatter to keep those creepy crawlies at a distance.
Do you find a fly swatter too close for comfort? Purchase insecticide or one of those high-end bug sucking vacuum cleaners that will prevent you from carrying out any post-mortem clean up. and don’t forget some paper bags too so that you can dispose of the remains properly.
A well-stocked first-aid kit
Moving out means that you no longer have the reliable services of Dr. Mom to bandage you up or kiss your boo-boos when you are in pain. You may still be able to convince her to send you a care package when you come down with the flu, but before then, make sure that you at least have basic first aid essentials.
Some of the essentials that you should always have include:
- Hydrogen peroxide for cleaning open wounds and cuts
- Benadryl or anything recommended by your doctor for allergy attacks
- Band-Aids
- Some kind of pain reliever and something for sorting out fevers
- A can of chicken soup, although let’s face it, it won’t taste as good as mum’s.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are finally leaving home to head out to college, are moving to your first apartment or buying your first home, there is so much to get used to when you are living the solo life. Ensuring that you have a couple of essential household items will make your life so much easier as you attempt to find the balance between living on your own as well as your responsibilities.
