it’s very irritating — i even like closing the door for some reason to keep the cats out sometimes for complete privacy. I assume it’s something residual from childhood, but it’s very irritating. I’ve coalesced most of my main stuff that I use in the actual bedroom then the other rooms have more ‘display’ type stuff that I use less often
I can’t get myself to get up and be in my own damn living room. I don’t know why. It feels more empty, I suppose. It feels less….safe somehow. It’s very stupid and annoying that I am like this and I wish I wasn’t like this
and never mind the hell of knowing that some people actively hate being in their house, or preach that YOUr HomE iS JUsT A beD Get ouT THEre get OUt OF yoUr cOmFORT ZOnE. which is not the direction i want to go either, because that’s impossible for my brain and who i am at this point, and I’m fine with that. I like that about myself frankly.
But I want to watch a film on the big TV dammit.
I relate to this for sure, especially when I was first living alone. It’s natural to want to continue spending alone time where you historically have, so I wouldn’t worry too much. I would however try to optimize the space for how you want to use it. Maybe it feels empty because it is? You even said you decorate differently depending on where it’s going. Perhaps try to make your living room an extension of your bedroom. Carry the theme into that room and lean on the door being open to build cohesion. If it feels less safe, maybe try some things to make you feel enclosed. Some tall plants, over stuffed chairs, that kind of thing.
At the end of the day, being satisfied with less square footage than you have available to you isn’t a problem, it’s an asset. Good luck!