(ENG only) It has been almost two months since I moved into a studio apartment on my own with my partner in crime, aka my cat, Ziggy Stardust. And I must say, I absolutely love it. It is not my first time living in a studio and actually I’ve always lived in fairly small spaces. But this time studio apartment living is giving me life: as I’m going through a time of personal challenges, the many perks of living alone in a studio are giving me the chance to focus on myself and feel good because I have a space I can call just mine, where I am free to be, feel and do. 

Studio apartment living is certainly not meant for everyone, but personally it fits me like a glove. Here are the reasons why I love it so much. 

1) independence freedom and privacy

My tiny home is like my sanctuary. Here I can be whoever I want, do whatever I want and as I please the most. I can just follow my own flow and rhythm without depending on anyone else’s. My home is not simply a place I eat and sleep into and receive my mail, but is instead my refuge from the world, my little private corner I can call my own, the kingdom to which I am the only queen (aside from my cat of course). Also, as an introvert, I treasure and cherish my time and my space. Whenever I close the door behind me, I feel in the right place. 

2) cut the costs

sure, it might not be as cheap as splitting the costs as you do when you live with someone, but studio apartment living allows you to maintain your privacy and independence at reasonable prices. Living small can be a great way to keep the costs under control: less space to take care of, usually lower rent to pay than the average apartment, less space to heat, less space to put your stuff (so it helps you reduce how much you buy). 

3) easier and faster to cleaning

while I do love a clean, organized space, cleaning around the house is not exactly my favorite thing to do. When I know that I only have to deal with 30 sqm, I know that it will take me about 1 hour to clean the entire apartment from top to bottom. A studio apartment is so much faster and easier to clean. Less time and energy spent for cleaning and tidying up means that I have more time for what I truly love. 

4)the “cozy nest” factor

aside when I was living with my parents (it was a fairly large apartment where 4 people lived, but still, I had the smallest room of all), I have always preferred small spaces to larger ones, as they make me feel more protected, safe, secure and giving me a sense of calming coziness. I’m someone who as a child used to love sleeping with my back against the wall, or carry my favorite stuff with me everywhere so I could keep that sense of home with me at all times, and create a small nest everywhere I went. Even now as an adult, I carried my love for smaller places through the years and when I travel somewhere I never unpack my backpack and usually keep it in the corner closest to my bed. Living in a small space allows me to feel safe, cozy and comfortable at all times, as between these 4 walls there’s pretty much anything I need. 

5)simplicity

Obviously, when the space is tight you are forced to keep things simple when it comes to your possessions. Small space living forces you to keep things simple at all times (‘cause there’s no space at all for the non important ones) and to keep the clutter under control. And when you live in a small space, simplicity becomes the thing that really guides your daily life. 

I’m curious to know if you’ve ever lived in a studio apartment or very small space, how did you like it and which ones the perks (or maybe bad sides even) of it.

I’ll talk to you soon!

Jen

PS: this blog post is simply a transcript of my Youtube video. If you want to see pretty footage of me and my cat rocking our studio apartment life, feel free to check out this video: