7 Brilliant Things about Living in a Cohousing Community ...

One of the most brilliant things about living in a cohousing community is that there will always be company around. There will be a communal space where you can meet up with the group, and you'll all share meals at least once a week. Plus you can always go round someone's house or chat to them in the garden. But you've also got you own home for when you want some quiet time. Best of both worlds!

If you hate living in an anonymous environment where your neighbors never speak to you, then cohousing could be for you. The whole purpose of cohousing is to build a community that everyone participates in. So everyone feels that they belong to a community and can make friends there.

Cohousing communities often share facilities such as laundry and child care. This means that you don't need to have your own machine or organise individual child care. You may be able to share other items such as tools that you rarely use (so it's not worth buying your own). And of course, you share your space and time with others, and all look out for each other.

Loneliness is bad for your health and mental well-being, but in a cohousing community you'll never be lonely. There will always be someone to have a coffee or a chat with, plus there will be communal meals that you can participate in. And you can help stop other people feeling lonely by helping them be part of the community.

It's good to mix with people of different ages, and in a cohousing community you'll likely find people of all ages. This will benefit everyone; younger people can keep an eye on older neighbors, and older people will enjoy keeping an eye on their neighbors' children. You'll get to know people that you wouldn't otherwise have met, and hear their stories.

Communities like these are very supportive and you'll never be left alone when you need support. People look out for each other and offer help when it's needed. It's also a good feeling to be able to give other people a hand and to do your bit towards making the community a pleasant place to live.

Finally, although the residents in a cohousing community may be very diverse, they all have something in common: the wish to be part of a fulfilling community. You'll meet people that share an interest in the environment and helping others. Isn't that a lovely way to live?

So if you're looking for a different way to live and want to feel part of a community rather than just another anonymous resident, cohousing is worth looking into. It's not a commune, but a way of combining having your own private space with the support of a community. Do you think that a community is hard to find these days?