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As someone who has gone from a four-bedroom house to a studio apartment over the course of two years, I’ve gotten to experience the advantages and disadvantages of each accommodation. I’ve written about how wonderful it was to downsize as well as some benefits I’ve found in studio living; however, I’d be lying if I claimed that tiny living was amazing in every way.
That’s why I want to discuss three drawbacks I’ve experienced. Hopefully, these will help you weigh the cons against the pros as you consider downsizing!
1) Hosting guests is clumsy
While guest rooms may be a thing of the past, most homes still have space for out-of-town family and friends. And by “most homes”, I mean all except studio apartments.
When your kitchen, bedroom, living room, and office all occupy a single room, things are bound to get complicated with guests:
- Where will they sleep?
- How do you provide privacy?
- Where should they put their stuff?
- If you get up early, how will you avoid waking them up?
- What clothes should you sleep in?
Although it’s an opportunity to get to know your guests better, there’s no doubt that it can create some uncomfortable situations.
Possible Solutions
Thankfully, there are a couple of things you can do to improve your guest’s experience and reduce the awkwardness:
- Set expectations. Let your guest know ahead of time what their accommodations will look like, and present it as an adventure for both of you. This will help to avoid them being caught off guard and frame any weirdness in a positive light.
- Create privacy. Although you can’t provide a separate room, you can still create privacy for yourself and your guest. As dumb as it might sound, consider setting up a small tent or creating a makeshift room with curtains. We chose to pick up an indoor privacy tent similar to this.
2) Working from home is a challenge
Walking five feet to your desk is incredibly convenient, but if you live with a partner or child who is also at home throughout the day, it can be tough to maintain boundaries and focus.
This isn’t a new dilemma for those of us who work from home; it’s merely a problem that is expounded upon when you’re in a small space:
- How do you resist the temptation of TV, bed, etc. (when they’re so close) during work hours?
- Isn’t it unkind to say “no” to playing with your child?
- How can you get work done when your partner is always nearby?
- Are you making life more difficult for family by working at home?
Possible Solutions
Unlike hosting guests, this challenge can be a daily obstacle that requires creative thinking to address. Here are a few ideas to consider in this situation:
- Create boundaries/rules with your co-inhabitants. With the lack of physical separation, creating boundaries to protect your work time is crucial if you want to remain productive. It’s important to remember, however, that you are also impacting their space by working from home. Because of this, it’s essential to collaborate with them on boundaries that fit each of your needs. A boundary my wife and I have implemented is a neon light that I turn on when I’m available to talk and turn off when I’m busy with work.
- Reserve your desk for work. It can be difficult to leave work at work and home at home when your work and home are so close, but you can improve the situation by dedicating a small space exclusively to work. Rather than working at the kitchen table or couch, create a workspace that is only used during work hours. Doing so will help to create a mental shift when you’re in that space. You’ve gone from home to work despite only walking a few feet.
- Find a coworking space. If working in your studio isn’t working out, it’s worth considering a local coworking space. You may find the extra expense is worth it given your ability to be more productive.
3) Storage space is tight
Even if you’ve decluttered your heart out, storing belongings in such a small space can be difficult. Every square foot is precious, and it might have taken all of your strength to create the perfect flow when you first moved in.
Because of this, accumulating stuff for hobbies, projects, and normal life can create issues:
- Should you declutter before buying what you need?
- Where should you store new equipment?
- How do you maintain your studio’s flow with more stuff?
While 400 ft2 may be plenty for one person, it can quickly become too small for a family, even if you individually don’t have a ton of possessions.
Possible Solutions
While you can’t create space out of thin air, there are some strategies you can take to address this issue:
- Rent a storage unit. Although storage units can enable hoarding and a consumeristic mentality, they can also provide necessary space when you’re living in a studio. As I discussed in a previous post about storage units, if used intentionally, they can provide many benefits for a fairly low cost. Prior to my wife having an art studio with spare space, we rented a storage unit to hold seasonal and bulky items that we couldn’t fit in our apartment.
- Adopt a purchasing rule. Another way to address storage issues is to adopt a personal purchasing rule to limit the number of new items you acquire. One idea is to sell or donate an item whenever you need to purchase something new. By doing so, you’ll reduce the natural accumulation of more.
- Borrow instead of buy. When engaging with a hobby or project, borrowing can be an excellent way to acquire temporary items without needing permanent space. Not only is it cheaper and more sustainable to borrow, but it’s also a lower-pressure way to try something new!
Final Thoughts
With these disadvantages in mind, does a studio space still fit the lifestyle you have or are seeking to create?
For my wife and I, it no longer does. We’re going to be moving into a 2 bedroom home since 410 ft2 is no longer conducive to our current lifestyle. Despite the change, I still loved the time in our studio apartment. It came with a load of positives, and it caused us to live in a new way. As such, I have no doubt that we’ll return to studio living at some point in the future!
If you’ve experienced studio living before, what would you consider to be the biggest pros and cons?