Extreme Downsizing options

[haha]

I have been gradually downsizing for the last 13 or 14 years, ever since 2001, when I sold the house I lived in. I am now living in the smallest place so far - a 285 sq foot studio apartment. It's very possible that my next living space will be equally small, or even smaller, in the form of another apartment, or perhaps an RV.

It is quite satisfying to know that I don't need a lot of things to be comfortable and happy, but I do need the right things.

I was already downsized when I began ER. I have lived in a 275 sq ft apartment in Manhattan for almost 14 years. The way I look at it, it's incredibly cost efficient, I shouldn't be spending a lot of my ER days indoors anyway, and I could easily sell it and use the funds to buy a nice townhouse or spacious condo in virtually any other part of the country. Different strokes etc.

These stories blow me away. I live in 675 sq. ft one bedroom with another 50 sq ft storeroom in basement, and lack of storage space in the kitchen is kind of a hassle. I spend a lot of time out, but not all of it, and even though little is wasted on bathroom and kitchen, (galley kitchen and 5' by 6' bathroom and I can't think of anything that I might do in either room which would need more space), as best I can tell I would have to give up some of my nice big opening into the living area which allows me to interact well with guests while I cook to try to get more dish and glassware storage space. I suspect I am not very skillful at getting the most out of what space I have.

I have a fireplace at one end, and my TV on an adjustable arm on a wall to the left of the fireplace. A big comfortable couch faces fireplace and of course the TV is just a little to L side. The right side has an attractive beech round table with leaf and chairs to eat at, and large windows all around.

Sometimes I wish I had bought a larger place, but except for the kitchen fault that I mentioned, everything else is close to perfect. I have lived here now for close to 3 years without a car, but with parking which my GF and other visitors can use in an area where parking is at quite a premium and getting more so. Somehow developers have convinced the city that a 70 unit apartment needs only 25 parking spaces.

Ha

 

[NW-Bound]

I have been gradually downsizing for the last 13 or 14 years, ever since 2001, when I sold the house I lived in. I am now living in the smallest place so far - a 285 sq foot studio apartment. It's very possible that my next living space will be equally small, or even smaller, in the form of another apartment, or perhaps an RV...

I just got curious, so measured the dimension of my master BR. It's 19'x15' = 285 sq.ft.! And my home does not even qualify as a McMansion.

 

[Major Tom]

I just got curious, so measured the dimension of my master BR. It's 19'x15' = 285 sq.ft.! And my home does not even qualify as a McMansion.

Sounds great. If you ever want to rent your master bedroom to me and 3 cats, just give me a holler

 

[NW-Bound]

But that 285 sq.ft does not include the bathroom, nor has a kitchen. I think you will be far happier with the space inside a Lazy Daze, which on a longer model is even roomier than my class C.

I want to go live in my 200 sq.ft. class C for a few months solidly to see what it's like. Many solo RV bloggers live full-time in something like this. It's got everything!

The longest class C is 31', so it's 31'x8' = 248 sq.ft.

 

[springnr]

675 sq ft, a fella could get lost! Three times the size of an aPodment.

I remembered the paper had an article complaining about no parking, getting around code, etc.
Tiny House Blog Seattle Archives » Tiny House Blog

 

[braumeister]

they are not "rarely returned".

The lifespan of a container ranges between 10 to 15 years depending on its level of usage and the conditions it has been exposed to. A well maintained container not exposed to harsh conditions can even have a lifespan up to 20 years.

Container Usage during its Life-Span

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

Short answer is yes, they understand.

In 1963, the first manufacturer of fiberglass yachts used a bow radius so large it was inefficient. The designer had seen Navy shipping containers in WW2. He knew of the modern container, introduced in 1955. He knew they would fall of ships, so he designed his boats with a fighting chance to survive an impact with one.

I sailed across the Atlantic in 2010 and we sailed over a submerged log while in 6,000 ft of water. We were five days sail east of Bermuda and five days sail west of the Azores. In other words, SOL if it had smashed our hull. Fortunately there was no damage, even to the rudder, which was the most likely case.

 

[eytonxav]

I just got curious, so measured the dimension of my master BR. It's 19'x15' = 285 sq.ft.! And my home does not even qualify as a McMansion.

Not my house, but I was thinking many MBR closets here in Texas are that big or bigger

 

[calmloki]

Most of our one bedroom apartments are in the 550-600' range, but we've had no problem finding people happy to rent a weird 158' apartment - #4 in this floor plan. It does benefit from two walls of windows that look out to trees, so there is visual room.
419 19th St SE, Salem, OR 97301 - Zillow

Shoot - thought the link would go to the floor plan in the mass of listing pictures - didn't

 

[springnr]

Downsizing? Or the new norm, unless we find a new rock or two to live on.

Japan's Micro Apartment Boom | Video - ABC News