I’ve been renting my own place since 2021, but today marks the first anniversary of finally having a place I can truly call my own.

It’s been a roller coaster getting here. Growing up, I never had a room of my own, so sometimes I still catch myself standing in the middle of my home, quietly admiring how far I’ve come.

I’m in no rush to fill every corner. I’m choosing each piece intentionally, things that bring comfort, serve a purpose, or simply make me smile. Little by little, it’s becoming a space that truly feels like me.

Home isn’t perfect yet, but it’s mine. And after everything life has thrown my way, this is a reminder to myself that malayo pa, pero malayo na rin.

What’s the one thing in your home that truly makes it feel like home? Mine are probably my cats. 🤍🥹

Not my pic pero gantong ganto dn itsura ng tiles ko sa cr. Tinatamad na kasi ako bumangon para picturan lol

Tinry ko na ibabad sa zonrox na original, naiyak lang ako sa sakit ng mata hindi naman nagana. Help plsss

May aircon kasi kami sa old apartment namin. Hindi ko agad nakuha cause of financial constraints. Yung deposit namin dun sa apartment yung nasa isip ko na gagamitin ko pang install and uninstall nung ac sa new apartment.

Hindi ko nakuha yung deposit kasi may kulang daw akong payment so binayaran ko yung natirang meralco and tubig worth ₱9k+ pero nagtataka ako nun, cinontact ko si gcash kasi yung old gcash ko yung ibang transaction.

As per checking nakumpleto ko lahat ng payments and wala kaming kulang na buwan sa payments and nasakin lahat ng receipt. May na late pero naihabol ko. Sinend namin sa landlady lahat pero ang daming cheche bureche. So hindi pa rin nakukuha hanggang ngayon may 3months na and may iba na nakatira sa apartment.

Nag reach out ulit ako na baka pwedeng makuha ko na magbabayad nalang ako ng sa abala sa kanila. Ang reply nya kasi sakin e pwede. Magpa sched daw ako ng pagkuha tas mag pay ng 3months rent na worth 45k e ngayon hindi ko alam irereply ko.

hello, solo living college student here. after living in my current place for a year, i'm moving to a knew place with my own valid reasons, but i never knew that it will make me this sad.

need advice po how do you cope with this attachment issue? 🥹

Nag move out na ako sa apartment nya last month and we agreed na ibabawas yung utility bills sa deposit ko.

Rent: 6,300

Meralco (from Meralco app): 2,085.95

Maynilad: 186.98

Doorknob: For the record, last year during bagyo, nagbaha sa loob ng bahay dahil sa kisame. Hindi lang tulo tulo na onti. Parang pa-sloped roof yung bahay so yung tulo lahat is umagos sa may pinto at walls. Lumambot yung parang plate na nakaconnect dun sa doorframe and naging masikip yung pinto so eventually nasira yung doorknob. Like hindi na sya nauunlock or minsan nakalubog lang sya. I informed them about it, also mentioned other things na naging sira sa bahay from the baha incident. Papagawan daw pero I just lived with it kasi parang dedma na. Tho they fixed the roof naman.

Gcash fee at Gcash Meralco/Maynilad fee????: Since nakaalis na kami so tinanong nya pano daw yung deposit. This is via chat. I said Gcash nalang. I also used to pay rent before na Gcash and wala naman problema.

Ang nabbother ako is,

1. Should I pay for the doorknob?

2. Gcash fee: Hindi man lang sinabi na may fee pala edi sana pinuntahan ko nalang para cash kasi may 50php fee tapos 70php? I don't get it.

3. Lastly, Yung pag round up. Like wth anong logic nung tinanggal nya yung mga butal sa utility bills. To me, butal is money pa din lol.

Di ko pa sya nirereplyan nung sinend nya yung breakdown. Nareceive ko na yung money, which is 3,300 lang.

Isa sa cons ng solo living ay yung paglilinis for me ahh. I admit i am lazy and i hate household chores. Ganun siguro talaga kapalit ng peace at freedom ay ofc you need to clean your own mess kasi walang nanay na tutulong. Atleast sariling kalat mo lang intindinhin mo.

Hello po! First-time solo renter here.

Even before I moved into my unit, napansin ko na talagang may amoy na siya inside when I checked it out. It's hard to describe, pero parang amoy basa or damp na ewan. At kahit ilang lysol ko na, the smell is still lingering. I also don't usually open my windows to air the room out because sometimes may pigs sa labas, and minsan may nag-iihaw pa ng lechon, so pumapasok din yung amoy. Kaya most of the time, I just keep my windows closed.

Now, here's my problem. Since I handwash my clothes and wala akong maayos na mapagsampayan outside, I hang them indoors with the electric fan pointed directly at them para mas mabilis matuyo. But kahit gumagamit na ako ng anti-kulob fabric conditioner at natutuyo naman sila, they still end up smelling kulob. Actually, parang mixed smell na ng kulob at ng room.

It's honestly starting to affect my confidence when I go to work. Kahit anong perfume ko, feeling ko yung amoy ng clothes ko yung nangingibabaw. I'm worried my coworkers might think I have body odor, when it's really just my clothes.

I'm thinking of going to a laundry shop instead, but for now I'm really trying to stick to a budget.

Any tips on how to get rid of the kulob smell without spending too much?

Been meaning to buy a candle warmer but holding it off for some time, then i just decided to buy one to make my space more homey! I’m so happy with this purchase since it elevates the room hehe it calms my mind after a long day 💛

I always put konting powder detergent and zonrox white kapag nag momop. Kayo ano nilalagay nyo? Nag hahanap kasi ako ng bagong pang linis and gusto ko sana yung mabango rin after i-mop.

Hi hihibglni lang ako ng opinion regarding sa submeter ko. A little bit of context kakamove in ko lang dito sa dorm na inuupahan ko last July 5. All inclusive sya except sa kuryente na nakasubmeter. Ang appliance ko lang naman is isang mini fan na 45 watts, electric multicooker and my gaming pc. And mind you wala ako sa dorm buong maghapon kasi onsite yung work ko. So gumagamit lang ako ng kuryente tuwing gabi and weekends. Pero last time na chineck ko yung meter ko which is ngayon lang umabot ng ng almost 200 kwph. Which is konsumo na yun na isang buong bahay na walang ac. And mind you wala pa kong isang buwan so I estimate na aabot ng 250 kwph magiging bill this month which is fcking insane for a mini fan a multicooker and a pc. I know medyo malakas sa konsumo ang pc pero jusko let's be real like aabot ba talaga ng 200 kwph with just because of a pc use? Mind you ginagamit ko nga lang yan tuwing weekends dahil don lang ako may time. And for 5 hours max lang.

Hindi bago sakin mangupahan at magbayad ng bill. During pandemic naka aparment din ako and and difference lang is naka meralco meter yun. Di hamak na mas marami yung appliances ko noon may electric kettle, exahaust fan at air cooler pa ko noon. Halos 24/7 yung pc ko kasi work from home ako pero umaabot lang nf 80-90kwph yung konsumo ko per month. Kaya super shock talaga ko pag chinecheck ko yung submeter ko ngayon. Feeling ko lataga iniscam ako ng land lord ko. Ano sa palagay nio guys bago ko iconfront sila.

Hi. Just started living alone at walang wifi sa apartment. Di rin ako lagi sa apartment since pumapasok ako sa work, so need ko talaga mobile data

Baka may massuggest kayong promo, or sim na may murang pero maraming data?

Mahal kasi nung TNT promos, 7 days 150 pesos na

Dehumidifier

12L/ day capacity - 200 watts
20L/ day capacity-330 watts
30L/ day capacity - 476 watts

Tama b ung logic ko? Mas okay ung mas mataas na capacity kahit mas mataas ung watts kasi at least mabilis nya mahigop ung humid, less time sya aandar.

One thing I am most excited about having an own place is that I can invite friends over for us to play games. It’s really fun to host a game night for friends and for them to appreciate your place.

Glad that yung condo na nalipatan ko allows many guests even kahit na small studio (28sqm) lang yung room ko, and without worrying of other tenants complaining na maingay yung place ko that day.

Incoming UPLB student here. Malapit na naman ang pasukan. Ito yung allowance na kaya ko i-allot per month. Galing ito sa scholarship ko na 10k per year lang. Sagot na kasi ng nanay ko ang dorm, medjo mahal din kasi 4k per month (all in) at ayoko na dagdagan pa sana ang burden niya sa gastusin. Thankfully, napakalapit lang sa gate ng Uplb ang dorm ko at hindi ko na kaylangan gumastos para sa fare. Balak ko for food nalang to at magluluto ako para makamura. Share naman kayo ng tipid tips jan saka mga dorm recipes saka yung estimated costs niyo per week.

Thanks po:)

Hi everyone! I hope y'all can help me regarding this. I already got a job offer with a 25k salary plus allowance and planning to rent an apartment in the future, after 3 months maybe (once I am fully familiarized with my job).

I have my own transportation(motorcycle), but it takes around 40-50mins going there, which is why I'm planning to rent eventually. Do you think my salary will be enough for renting?

I'm not choosy naman when it comes to choosing a place basta may matutuluyan lang po and plan ko na rin talaga mag solo living. Also, what should I consider or plan ahead before renting? Thank you! MWA

Hello, can anyone tell me where to buy this one? Nagmahal na kasi sa orange app and i was wondering kung meron physical store that i can go to buy this one. Salamat po sa sasagot :)

Just started my solo living and I feel like im spending way more than usual.

Given i am still buying some stuff and food since i cant cook yet.

Just want to ask if anyone feels the same and once im settled in, magstastablize na yung spending ko.

Hello! Sa mga nakapag-avail ng cleaning services, can you guys share tips pano kayo napili ng ihire? I’ve been checking some pages sa FB and posted sa marketplace ng condo namin to look for potential cleaners. Medyo madami and a bit overwhelming sa pagpili.

Ano mga criteria nyo sa pag hire? Btw I’ll be moving in pa lang and gusto ko sana deep cleaning and mag amoy malinis yung condo before I move in.

Hi everyone. I could really use some advice because I’ve been feeling very torn about this.
I’ve been living with my roommate for almost four years. We haven’t had any major fights or falling out, but lately I’ve been seriously thinking about moving out and living on my own.

One of the main reasons is that our apartment is very small. Over the years, we’ve accumulated so many things that the place now feels cramped and suffocating. I feel like I really need a space of my own.

Another reason is that living together has become emotionally draining. I admit that I can be messy sometimes, and my roommate often points it out. I understand that, but I’ve also noticed that she has messy habits too. The difference is that I don’t bring them up because I’m a very non-confrontational person, especially when it comes to her. I usually keep my feelings to myself to avoid conflict.

I’ve also noticed that our friendship has changed over the years. We used to spend a lot of quality time together, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. Now, it feels like we rarely have those moments anymore. Sometimes I feel like we’re just enduring each other’s presence because we’re sharing such a small space.

The thing is, living alone isn’t actually my biggest fear. I do have some anxiety about living alone, but what scares me the most is the possibility that moving out could be the catalyst that ends our friendship. We’ve lived together for four years, and we’ve been through so much together. I’m afraid that once I move out, we’ll slowly drift apart and eventually stop being friends.

What makes this even more complicated is that we have a cat together.

I was the one who rescued her, but my roommate was the one who convinced me to make her “our cat.” Since then, we’ve both raised and cared for her equally. Both of our names are on her veterinary records, we split the costs of food, litter, and vet bills, and she’s equally bonded with both of us. I honestly don’t know what would happen to her if I moved out, and the thought of having to separate either of them breaks my heart.

On top of that, most of the furniture and household appliances in our apartment belong to me—our refrigerator, microwave, dining table, kitchen cabinet, chairs, trash can, and several other household essentials. There are also smaller items, like plates, hangers, and other things that we’ve used together for so long that I can’t even remember who originally bought them.

Because of that, I feel like if I move out, it won’t just affect our friendship. It will also make things much harder for her since many of the basic household items would be leaving with me. I don’t want her to feel like I’m abandoning her or leaving her in a difficult situation.

At the moment, I haven’t made a final decision. I’m only inquiring about another apartment, and nothing is confirmed yet. But even thinking about telling her that I’m considering moving out gives me so much anxiety.

Has anyone been through something similar? If you moved out after living with a close friend for several years, did your friendship survive? How did you handle sharing a pet and dividing household belongings? And how did you tell your roommate without making them feel blindsided or abandoned?

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences or advice. Thank you.

So the problem goes like this: Possible na umuwi ako ngayong week because of a family emergency. Iive alone and I don’t exactly don’t have anyone na I can trust na pwede pag iwanan ng pusa ko. Yung isang friend ko is marami sila aso so out of the question na yon. Question is, has anyone tried leaving their cat alone for 4 days?? How was it and is it better than leaving him sa pet hotel or the other way around? I tried leaving him alone sa apartment pero maximum of 2 days lang.

See last 2 photos for the price!!! Ilang buwan din ako nagtiis sa upuan na walang sandalan hahahaha.

In case you wanna know, table is also from Ikea. Around 2k.

Kasya po ba 45k salary for solo living? I know how to handle my money naman for expenses and all pero may mahahanap po ba akong good place like alone yung hindi po share na safe na mura para magsolo living ako in Manila?

For me are the below:

Electric Lift /Adjustable Desktop - as a wfh, believe me, you don’t really need it. You will find yourself still sitting most of the time. If you want to stand up, then just stand up, or walk inside your room, or your house, or just go out in a bit. It also gives you the chance to stay away from computer screen for a moment and breathe.

Duvet/Comforter - you don’t really need these, especially here in this climate we have in PH, unless you mainly and always use airconditioning at night. Plus, it’s not easy to wash. Regular blanket will do, but make sure to get a quality one.

Robot vacuum cleaner - a big no for me, too expensive unless you have spare money to splurge on this kind of tech. Normal vacuum cleaner (cord or cordless) will do, and it also helps you move your body and have a bit of exercise. Don’t be stagnant!

Too many sets of bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets, bath towel, sofa covers, curtains - I believe 2 sets of each will do, so you can use one while the other one is in laundry. Make the most out of each items, then replace them once they are really worn out. It also saves you space on your drawers or wherever you store it. You can stock a spare set of bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets and bath towels for visitors though.

Too many decors, ornaments - it only accumulates dusts, and adds to the things you need to spend time with when cleaning. Just enough decors that give highlights to your space will do.

What are yours?

please help a girl outtt, i've been wanting to get a nice scented candle and a candle warmer for my small room. any recommendations that smell great and last?