Curbed?s advice columnist wants to help you solve your biggest solo-dwelling dilemmas

Welcome to House Rules, Curbed?s advice column; today, our columnist answers questions from readers who live alone. Other house-related dilemmas" Send them to [email protected].

How do I decide if living alone is worth it" Living alone is more expensive than living with others almost everywhere, so how do I weigh the trade-offs and figure out if it?s the right choice for me"
?Perplexed in the City
After spending my 20s and 30s living in dorms or with roommates, I finally rented my first solo apartment a year and a half ago at age 40, so I?ve been through this decision-making process fairly recently. I?m currently reveling in living alone, but I also think that shared living situations were the best choice for me when I was in them. (For a long time, they were also my only choice, given the state of my student loans!) Some things to consider as you decide: Your personality. Are you recharged by solitude, or drained by it" If you?re an introvert sharing a home, you?re going to need to find roommates who will respect your need to withdraw and retreat. If you?re an extrovert living alone, you?re going to need to do extra work to get your social needs met.
How you need or want to use your home. Do you work from home" Do you have friends over a lot" How important is it to you to control the decor and tidiness level of your surroundings" Some people ar...