“If you’d asked me ten years ago, I would’ve pictured a husband, a couple of kids, and a house with a white picket fence,” says Catie, 40. “But here I am — solo in my Manhattan apartment, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Her space is filled with patterned wallpaper, art she loves, and books she’s read cover to cover. No compromises. No one else to persuade. Just her vision, exactly as she likes it.
For many, living alone is often viewed as a temporary stop — a pause before the “next thing”: a marriage, a family, a shared lease. But for these twelve women, solo living is not just a stage; it’s a fully formed, fulfilling lifestyle — rich with autonomy, peace, and yes, a few unexpected lessons.
On Fully Embracing Yourself
“Coming home and not having to explain anything to anyone is a balm to my introvert soul,” says Katie, 34, who lives in a remote farmhouse in rural California. “I can sit in silence, make soup at midnight, or blast Florence + The Machine and dance in my kitchen.”
Meanwhile, in Chicago, Natalie, also 34, revels in the unpredictability. “Living alone is FUN. PJs and true crime after work? A spontaneous Hinge sleepover? Knowing nobody drank the last LaCroix? Heaven.”
For Kaitlin, 44, solo living came after a painful divorce. “I had to rebuild my life from the ground up. It started with learning how to be alone — figuring out what I liked, what I wanted to watch, when I wanted to sleep. It was terrifying at first, but deeply transformative.”
On Freedom (and Occasionally, Nudity)
“I love peeling off my clothes on a hot day and walking around naked,” laughs Claire, 25. “There’s something so simple and joyful about being completely yourself in your own space — unobserved, unfiltered.”
On Inspiration and Legacy
Katie’s old farmhouse carries more than creaky floors and vintage charm — it holds history. “It’s the same house my mom lived in as a young woman. It feels like I’m part of a lineage of strong, independent women.”
Cheryl, 69, points to pop culture. “I watched The Mary Tyler Moore Show religiously growing up. A single woman making it on her own? That was electric.”
And for Catie, it’s Diana Ross’s unapologetic anthem that sums it up: “It’s my house, and I live here.”
On the Challenges
It’s not all blissful solitude. Living alone comes with its own set of bumps.
“Rent is a beast,” admits Catie. “Especially in Manhattan. I don’t save as much as I’d like.”
Allie, 40, in California, agrees — but with a twist. “Cooking for one used to feel lonely. Now I say I’m good at feeding myself. There’s an art to throwing together something delicious from what you already have.”
Then there’s the dreaded sick day. “Being sick by yourself at 3 a.m. is the absolute worst,” says Clara, 37, from Ontario. “You want someone to grab meds or just be nearby.”
On Connection
Living alone doesn’t mean living lonely.
“My dog, Toby, is my little witness,” Allie says. “He gets me out of the house four times a day, and he’s the best company on the couch in the evening.”
Clara, who lives next to her twin sister, feels the same. “We wave from our kitchens. I host dinners, make plans with friends. Being solo just makes me more intentional about social time.”
On Moving On, Moving Forward
For many women, living alone began with transition — a divorce, a loss, a choice to reclaim space.
Cara, 41, stayed in the house she shared with her ex. “It was bittersweet at first. But changing the furniture, swapping out the art — it helped. And I found a tight-knit community that made this house feel fully mine.”
Margarita, 57, has lived solo since her husband passed in 2008. “At first, I hated the silence. Now, I treasure it. I’ve dated someone for years, but I don’t want to live with anyone again. My autonomy is sacred.”
And then there’s Jan, 45, with the most unforgettable reason: “I will never come home to find a roommate trimming her boyfriend’s toenails on the couch again. Never.”
On Building a Home That’s Entirely Yours
Sarah, 38, bought and renovated her fixer-upper alone. “I had to check the ‘single, unmarried’ box a lot. But now, every inch of my apartment — from the paint to the antique mirrors — reflects me. It’s empowering.”
Jan accidentally ended up with a bubblegum-pink bathroom. “I didn’t set out to make it girly, but I love it. It makes me happy every time I walk in.”
On Lessons Learned
Cheryl, still in the home where she raised her kids with her late husband, says, “I’ve become confident managing repairs and decisions I once made with a partner. I’ve found trusted people. I’ve found confidence.”
And when someone asks Catie how she knows how to fix things? “I laugh and say, ‘Who else is going to?’ I recently replaced a shower handle. Google, trial and error, and voilà — total badass moment.”
Katie still remembers the mouse who challenged her on her first night alone in a cabin. “That moment? That was my initiation into solo living. And I’ve never looked back.”
Living alone doesn’t mean waiting for what’s next.
For these women, it’s the destination. A space of peace, personal growth, occasional frustration, and deep, unapologetic joy.
Have you ever lived alone? What did you learn about yourself in the quiet?
