Frugal Friday: Studio Living

I've had roommates for the past 7+ years and I'm more than ready to have my own space. While I like people, I would prefer to have somewhere quiet where I can go to have peace, be alone, and study without (extra) distraction.

It is, unfortunately, more expensive to live alone. To reduce the additional cost, I'm going to look for a studio apartment - but how do you live comfortably in a single medium-sized room that serves as bedroom, living room, and kitchen all in one?

The answer: with a little creativity!

Utilize Your Walls!



When you don't have much space, you need to use all of your space. The last thing you want is to be tripping over everything! Studio living works best if you're hyper-organized (aka: not me. Yet). 

I never use my wall space, but I really need to get in the habit of doing so. First of all, it's super practical. Second of all, it looks better than an endless rotation of bare white walls year after year. Third of all, it lends a creative spirit to the room! My mom is so good at this kind of thing, but just hasn't passed it on to me. Boo!

Create Your Own Rooms.

This will most likely not be an option for me, as I'm going to have a teeny tiny studio apartment, but dividers are great if you have more space to work with! They visually break up the space and they make entertaining (without having you guests sit awkwardly on your bed, staring at your fridge) a possibility.

Master Illusion to Maximize Your Space.

Mirrors, mirrors, mirrors! Not only are they great for getting ready in the morning, but they also reflect light (brightening your room during the daylight hours) and make your apartment look bigger. Anything to make a small room feel less cramped is a good thing!

Invest in Multi-Use Furniture.

If you'll probably be living in small spaces for a while (ie: most people who plan to live in cities more longterm) it may be a good idea to start investing in multi-use furniture.

The above is a great example - instead of having both a drawer and a bed taking up precious floorspace, you can have a combo bed-with-drawers!

Do you live with roommates, or alone?

Would you rather live in a larger apartment with roommates, or a little box by yourself? The later for me, as troll-like as it sounds!

Do you live in a big city? City rent is the worst!