12 Things You Only Do at Home When Alone

Home alone time is a precious commodity, and scarce for many of us. With your roommate, kids, or partner out of town, you suddenly find yourself in your house or apartment with nothing but the sweet, sweet sound of silence. After you stop grinning from ear to ear, get busy doing the stuff that makes you feel good, for no other reason than it makes you feel good. Take full advantage.

1. Walk Around Naked: Unless you grew up in a non-naked family, this is at the top of most people’s lists.
2. Play Music Really, Really Loud: Cut through the silence with a power ballad or your latest summer jam. The singing and dancing is of course optional, but encouraged.
3. Take a Nap: With no one to interrupt you, this is the time to squeeze in a no-guilt, deliciously luxurious middle-of-the-day siesta. Feel free to drool on your pillow.
4. Absolutely Nothing: Stare at the walls, ponder your belly button, or twirl your hair with your finger. That’s the extent of it.
5. Stalk Your Ex Online: It’s hard to casually hide your screen with your fiancée around, but this is your time to go full-on Sherlock, and find out exactly what she’s up to with her new boyfriend or girlfriend.
6. Do a Home Spa: Whether your treatment means a bath and face mask, or just standing in the mirror examining your blackheads under a bright light in a close-up mirror…
7. Watch Your Favorite Movie: Trade in Frontline for the night and instead queue up Bring it On or Star Wars for the 49th time. If you’re not used to being home alone though, I’d stay away from the scary stuff.
8. Prancersize: You know you want to try it.
9. Cook the Food Everyone Else Hates: Is your roommate vegan? Cook a big ‘ol steak while he’s out of town.
10. Call Your Friend: No one is pulling your pant legs begging to be picked up, or asking where the tax bill went. Call your long-distance buddy and get caught up on all the latest gossip about college friends, or have a heart-to-heart with your best friend.
11. Leave the Bathroom Door Open: Why does this feel so freeing? It just does.
12. Talk to Yourself (or Your Pets): Feel free to use whatever voice or accent comes naturally to you.

I know someone is bound to say the obvious, so I’ll leave you to it. But besides that, what else do you reserve for private times when you are home all by your lonesome?

Re-edited from a post originally published on 6.23.2014 – cm