Why Small Apartments Rock
Fun Fact: I grew up on a 200 acre horse ranch. Until I was 15 my idea of “small space living” was a tent on a camping trip. So by the time I finished high school and moved out on my own, I couldn’t even comprehend how someone could enjoy living in a tiny apartment. However, when push comes to shove, a struggling college student is not going to be able to afford anything more than that, so into a small apartment I went.
And I loved it.
The truth is, living in a small apartment was perfect for me for a number of reasons that I hadn’t even considered before. So if you’re considering a move, take a look at this list and see if small-space living might just be perfect for you too.
1.) Lower overall costs. Now in New York City, location is everything, so a teeny-tiny spot in Manhattan might be more expensive than a larger space anywhere else. Location aside though, a smaller space generally means a lower rent, lower insurance and lower utility costs. A smaller space is easier to heat, to cool down and to light, all of which add up to lower monthly bills.
2.) You don’t need much stuff. I don’t exactly know what it is, but it’s incredibly freeing not to have a huge amount of possessions. And don’t worry, I’m not some crazy minimalist. In fact, I’m a hot-blooded woman who likes a sale just as much as the next one, and the size of my closet is not going to determine the number of shoes I will try to fit into it. But when you don’t have a lot of room, you don’t have a lot of stuff. There’s no need to have 3 separate area rugs, you only need one. And who needs a dining room table when there’s nowhere to put it?
3.) Everything is at your fingertips. In a tiny apartment, you can feel free to lounge in the living room or get some work done in your home office while dinner is simmering away on the stove. When everything is so close, you don’t feel stressed about keeping an eye on things. It’s all in the same general area!
4.) It’s easy to move. It may not sound like a big deal now, but until you buy a place and settle down, you never really know how often you are going to move. As a college student, it seemed like I was moving at least once a year, if not more than that. And even if you love the place your in now, if you’re renting many things can change. Your landlord could sell the building and give you 30 days, you could be starting a family and need to move into a more efficient place, or you could get a new job that requires you to move across town. The ability to pick up and go without relying on a ton of friends or a moving crew is a huge relief.
5.) It’s easier to organize and to clean. When you have limited space to put things, you tend to get very creative and very organized. And when you think about it, the amount of effort it takes to clean a studio apartment is incredibly minimal. There no mopping and vacuuming for days on end, it takes 10 minutes and you’re done!
What do you love about living in a small apartment?
