More Americans are going solo. No, not the hunky Star Wars character. A global housing trend has broken out over the past few decades concerning the number of individuals who live alone.
Across the world, solo households are on the rise. In Sweden, people who live by themselves make up 47 percent of households, The Guardian reported. While that proportion has yet to take hold in the U.S., the figure continues to increase year after year, and developers are taking notice. According to the Census Bureau, 33 million Americans lived by themselves in 2011, a significant increase from any other decade. In total, solo households represented 28 percent of all household populations, up from 17 percent in 1970.
The loner appeal
While some may not take to living alone, there are many advantages of having your own space - including no roommate arguments. With roommates, whether friends or family, there is going to have to be some give and take. Whether it's splitting up chores, dealing with dirty socks on the ground or even just sharing the remote, living with another person means compromising. People who live on their own, however, have the freedom to run their house how they want without having to worry about someone else's preferences.
With more freedom, a solo household also has fewer responsibilities. That doesn't mean a person living alone doesn't do things like clean their home, but simply that they have the choice to do it whenever they want and are only doing it for themselves, not others. In this way, less responsibility and accountability can be a liberating way to live.
One of the biggest benefits of living alone is not having to share. When it comes to roommates, a lot of arguments are started over sharing food, clothes, furniture - almost anything can become an issue. Specifically, many people have trouble sharing a bathroom, especially before and after work hours. Of course, solo households don't have this trouble, and can take full advantage of their lavatory whenever it pleases them. When it comes to renters insurance, single policies may take the cake over joint policies between households or roommates. Insurance companies suggest that each person take out their own policy, but it is possible to add others to be covered. However, because renters insurance goes beyond material possessions and covers legal liabilities, it can be more complicated with an additional person.
