What's it like living in 185 sq/ft?

Since moving to Seattle a month ago, a lot of the questions I get from my friends and family have been about my apartment. When I decided to move to Seattle without a job lined up, one of the reasons I felt confident that I would be able to afford the move was because I knew the city was allowing developers to build affordable micro-studio apartments.

Micro-studios are super-tiny apartments, ranging in size from about 140 to 275 sq/ft. As you can imagine, most micro-studios are cheaper than regular-sized studio apartments, especially because almost of the ones I’ve seen include utilities. They are especially appealing to transplants and residents who need flexible leasing terms because many come pre-furnished and most of the leases can be signed month-to-month.

Micro-studios don’t feature the full set of amenities expected of normal sized apartments, or even studios. Indeed, many people in real-estate are more likely to compare them to rooms in boarding houses or dorms than to studio apartments. For example, the developers of my apartment complex economized space by forgoing individual kitchens in each unit, building a shared kitchen in the basement of each stairwell instead. My apartment does have a kitchenette, complete with a few feet of counter space, a microwave, and, like a dorm room, a mini-fridge. Fortunately, I do have a private bathroom, however, it doesn’t come with a sink (meaning I have to wash my hands and brush my teeth in the same place I wash my dishes).

Despite the lack of amenities and the lack of space, I really like my unit. I’m on the third floor of my building, and in one of the corners of my room there are two giant windows that provide a nice view of downtown Seattle. The bed that came with my unit is raised, giving me an extra 30 sq/ft of space, and the ceiling is a little taller than average, providing the illusion of more space and ensuring that I don’t feel cramped when I turn in for the night.

Most importantly, the small space really appeals to my sensibilities. While I’m not opposed to owning things, I have always avoided collecting lots of stuff, especially stuff that is big and heavy and carries with it lots of obligations. I believe that every time you bring an item into your home, you bring with it a certain set of responsibilities that you tacitly agree to. When you have a big apartment filled with lots of stuff, you become bound to all of the responsibilities you have accumulated. And that means that it takes more time and money to get things done.

The small size of my apartment guarantees that I won’t become encumbered by my belongings. When you have fewer things to take care of and think about–when you no longer have to worry about if it’s time to replace this-or-that item, or if you need to repair this thing or clean that one–it becomes easier to live intentionally, spontaneously. And since moving to Seattle was always more than about finding a new home for me, I like the sense of unencumbered potential for adventure that my teeny-tiny apartment affords.