11 Things Only Happily Single Women Have In Their Homes
Women who are happily single are content with their lives and fulfilled in their routines.
F8 studio / Shutterstock Despite expectations, social norms, and lessons women have been taught, oftentimes from a young age, by media, parents, teachers, and partners, about the importance of finding your soulmate, it’s perfectly acceptable, and often grounding and empowering, for some to embrace singlehood. Of course, women tend to appreciate and construct relationships from entirely different perspectives. Still, for happily single women who are intentional about crafting energy, intention, and daily rituals into their lives, it’s not just their quality of life and well-being that grow.
According to a study published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, many single women are much happier than single men, often because they’re actively unlearning and overturning heavy gendered expectations about “settling down.” It all starts with their daily rituals, mentalities, and routines, which is why there are certain things only happily single women have in their homes. They’re objects that provide security, evidence of rituals that promote independence, and furnishings that promote their mindful time alone.
Here are 11 things only happily single women have in their homes
1. A ‘lived in’ and welcoming aesthetic
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Despite more people, specifically women, adopting singlehood than ever before, a great deal of research falls short in describing the “why” behind this shift. Clearly, there’s been a literal shift of societal norms and values, especially amongst younger generations, but for happily single women, what’s the foundation behind their singlehood?
For some happily single women, it’s not been an intentional choice or a mindful decision, but rather something they’ve grown accustomed to and appreciate about their routines, which have become a “state of being,” as a 2024 study suggests.
They appreciate having more time to spend alone with friends, hobbies, and daily rituals, rather than focusing on a romantic partnership. They feel completely fulfilled and comfortable living life with their own agenda in mind, which is why their homes always feel lived in and have a welcoming aesthetic. They enjoy spending time at home, personalizing their furniture and decor to suit their desires, and appreciating the comfort and self-expression of their living spaces at every opportunity.
2. Custom decor
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Part of the reason why a happily single woman’s home is always lived in, welcoming, and personal is that they don’t have to make compromises about their little touches. Whether it’s the material of the living room couch, artwork hung up around the home, or a signature scent, happily single women have the freedom to make these choices without consultation.
When you walk into their homes, they’re often a reflection of their personal identity without boundaries or censorship. Although many couples tend to appreciate the process of meshing their lives together and making compromises about how to fill their spaces, happily single women take a similar approach of intention and mindfulness in crafting their own.
3. A book collection
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In a happily single woman’s home, you’re likely to find a bookshelf that serves as a reflection of their identity, interests, passion projects, and values. Depending on the novels she has displayed, the books scattered around her house, and the genres she prioritizes keeping on the shelves, you get a sense for who they are as a person.
That’s why a personalized book collection is one of the things only happily single women have in their homes. They can tell you everything about any one of them, as well, reminding you of where she bought it, how far she’s read into it, or who recommended the read.
In a married person’s house, especially for a couple where one partner tends to dominate the literary space, it may be less common for their bookshelves and novel choices at home to be a reflection of only themselves. It’s a blending of both partners, often requiring some compromise to fill gaps, especially for a couple who values and engages in reading practices frequently.
4. Creative projects and hobbies
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For many happily single women, their singlehood is one of the less interesting things about them. They may have put a lot of work into unlearning guilt around their lifestyle choices or reimagining their life outside the expectations of her friends or family, but it’s the time, intention, and habits she’s adopting with her own routine that are truly interesting and personal.
That’s why creative projects and evidence of daily hobbies are some of the things only happily single women have in their homes. They’re indulging and appreciating the benefits of nurturing a personal hobby, from better physical health to a more grounded mood, as a study published in Nature Medicine explains, without needing to split or share time.
When they come home from work or school, they have the freedom to craft their alone time and free moments however they choose, often building hobbies and creative routines that serve their best interests without distraction.
5. Thriving plants and pets
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For many happily single women, thriving plants and pets are often things they have in their homes. According to a study from the Social Indicators Research journal, owning a pet may even bring the same amount of happiness and life satisfaction as being married, without the same kind of commitment or time.
Of course, pets bring joy and plants offer intention into anyone’s space if they’re intentional about taking care of them. Still, for happily single women, they are a signal of the abilities and thoughtfulness they bring into caring for another living being, even if it’s not a human partner, as society pressures.
6. A personal calendar
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While regular rituals and events, such as paying bills, planning maintenance, and maintaining a routine, and making space for social activities and relationships, may be split between couples in a marriage, single people are responsible for managing all of these things themselves. In a happily single woman’s home, you’ll likely find some calendar or time management tool that makes dealing with all of this that much easier.
They not only gain the practical benefits of a physical calendar, like boosted productivity, achievement, and ease, but they’re also empowered to schedule things, make commitments to social plans, and ease their anxiety about a busy week themselves with organization and intention.
7. Self-care items
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While self-care technically looks different for everyone, especially with age and changing values, happily single women often prioritize it amid their routines. They’re not only largely more confident and self-assured, they’re empowered to put themselves, their well-being, and their own mental health first.
While mothers and wives may need to be more pressured into self-care and intentional personal time, as a study published in Women’s Health Reports argues, happy single women weave it into their schedules and rituals, sometimes even on a daily basis.
Whether it’s a quality moment of alone time after work or a date night at home with themselves, they’re always ready for a moment of intention, relaxation, or mindfulness, whether that means a face mask, a bubble bath, a few minutes for journaling, or even indulging in a comfort book.
8. Space for socialization
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According to a 2022 study, women who maintain healthier female friendships and solid intentional social circles are generally happier, more physically stable, and fulfilled than those who don’t make the time for them. Single women often have the space, time, and energy to offer these friendships in ways that a married woman, especially if she’s drained and unhappy, may not be able to give.
They have more space for quality time, connection, and conversation with friends and family at home than their married counterparts might, which is why comfortable spaces for socialization, well-used dining tables, and hosting spaces are all things often only happily single women have in their homes.
9. A signature scent
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Everything in a happily single person’s home is usually there’s and there’s only, so a signature scent is common in their places. There’s nobody else’s things, perfumes, or colognes in their space, but happy single women even have the freedom to craft a signature scent with things like candles and air fresheners.
When someone walks into their space, they immediately know who they’re about to see. That’s the power of their signature scent, even if it’s literally in the home where they spend most of their time.
10. Clean spaces
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Many women tend to view their singlehood as more fulfilling than their single male counterparts do, according to a Pew Research Center study, often because they know what a relationship or partnership looks like for them in a gendered sense, with more baggage around household labor and emotional work to consider.
These women are happier and more fulfilled when they invest time in their own spaces, routines, and bodies, and are more likely to find joy in the mindfulness of cleaning and empowerment in keeping their spaces clean.
Rather than taking on tons of household labor in an unbalanced marriage, happily single women have the space to form cleaning rituals and routines, even if that means outsourcing some of that labor, without underlying themes of resentment or frustration.
11. Educational materials
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Considering college graduates are less likely to get married, according to an Education Economics study, and married people often have less free time to commit to things like higher education opportunities, it’s not surprising that educational materials are some of the things only happily single women have in their homes.
They may even be freer to explore curiosities and commit to learning when they’re at home and indulging their free time, while others in marriages are attending to their relationships and domestic lives.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
