How to live in a tiny apartment
Six tips for living large in a small space.
As previously divulged here on Medium, I live in a teeny apartment. Not only do I live in it, I love it. So much so that I constantly wish others would downsize too and encourage those who do.
Fortunately for me — and for this lovely planet — downsized homes seem to be the way of the future. Especially so in real-estate-strapped San Francisco, where well-designed micro condos are officially a thing.
But more often than not when people see my place or tiny ones like it, the exclamation of “Aww it’s so cute!” is quickly followed by, “I couldn’t possibly live in such a small space.” Actually, it’s super easy. (For one, consider how much less time it takes to vacuum.) Anyone can do it. Yep, even you.
So for all those brave or cash-strapped souls whose homes are tiny, be it by choice or circumstance, here’s my take on how to make it work — and work wonderfully at that.
1. Give everything a home
Mr Rogers sure had this one figured out. Each time he walked in the front door, a hanger awaited his coat in the closet, his discarded shoes went under a bench; everything he set down or took off went to a designated spot in his house.
When you live in a small space, everything you own needs its own home too, from your boots to your purse to your unopened mail. Designate a spot for everything and diligently put it there the minute you walk in. With so little space, strewn papers and discarded jackets suddenly make it impossible to find a place to sit (and easy to think, “Ugh I need more space”). Mount a hook for your purse, one for your keys, give each pair of shoes their own place in the closet and each book a place on the shelf. Perk: you’ll lose things way less often.
2. Stash cleverly
“No space left behind” should be your motto on storage. My tiny apartment doesn’t have space for a dresser. The solution? Twelve-inch deep shelving along the hallway between my bedroom and bathroom to store items from floor to ceiling. Stash things high and low, and you’ll be shocked how much storage you can get out of a little space. Mount hooks wherever possible—lots of pretty ones can be found on Etsy. And don’t forget to measure your under-bed space and get baskets or boxes that fit perfectly.
3. Donate frequently
Instead of using your house as one big storage unit for all the stuff you own, get rid of things frequently and make more room for yourself.
Afraid of purging? Keep a bag or basket someplace (I keep one in the shed where I store my bike) for things you think you might want to get rid of, and leave it there for two weeks. Set a calendar reminder if you need to. When the time comes to donate it, sift through the items and think about whether you’ve missed any of them. If not, you don’t need ‘em.
Do this constantly, and be conscious about what new items you invite into your home, asking yourself, “Do I have room for this?” (Need help? Here’s a link to my post about decluttering.)
4. Grocery shop like a European
If you live in a tiny apartment, you don’t need a Costco membership and likely don’t have a family of four to feed every night. So, grocery shop like a European. And by that, I mean shop locally and frequently throughout the week. For one, your produce will be fresher. But you’ll also need fewer cabinets to store things in this way (ever seen the refrigerators in Europe? Tiny!). So assuming you live in an urban area, find your nearest farmer’s market, bakery, or mom-and-pop corner store and support them. Yum.
5. Let the light in
Throw open the windows, lift up the shades. Letting natural light in to a tiny apartment can make the place feel breezy and big. Don’t like your view? Get window boxes to plant things in or set potted plants on your windowsills.
Pro tip: Be mindful of where you put furniture so that light can get in. I used to have a hefty ceiling-height bookcase next to the window, and when I moved it out in favor of something smaller I was amazed how much more light came in.
6. Prioritize for how you live
What do you spend most of your time doing at home? Sleeping? Watching sports? Grooming to go out? Dedicate space to the things you do a lot and you’ll be comfortable. I don’t own a TV or a couch, for instance, but my home is a haven for my loves: sewing, sleeping, and reading books; the only dining table I own is a wooden one in the yard (perfect for sunny sunday brunches). Since you have to make sacrifices, build a space that caters to your daily life.
Lastly, because your place is small, accept that you’ll want to (and will need to) get out that much more often. Your home is a refuge, but don’t forget that life is mostly happening out there. So step out the front door to the park or the coffee shop, your days will be filled with that many more experiences because of it. And after all, that’s what life is about.
Not sure yet about living small? Test drive one of these rad places on Airbnb and see how it feels.
