Thanks Nat! For most of our friends and family it is horrifyingly small. But we don’t mind! We’re building another tiny space on our property next to our log home later this year. Maybe when they come to visit we can make some converts. 🤷🏻♂️
That is so lovely of you to say, thank you! We do what we can to make our home all of those things and we really love living tiny, so we are glad we could share our home with you!
You’ve done a great job with this space!!!! I lived in a 120 sq ft mini studio for 4 years. It was 1/2 of the back porch of an 1880’s house that had been converted into 7 rental units. Loved it! And it saved me ~$15,000/yr in rent. I kept my bikes, skis, camping gear and paddle boards (my toys) at a storage unit, but I got rid of ALL of the rest of my “stuff”. It was a great decision - no regrets!!
Thanks so much! Yes, that sounds a lot like this space and some of the other converted house spaces we have seen in our area. That's a huge amount of money to save on rent, well done! Appreciate you sharing your experiences!
Sandra Johnson It was about $150/mo, which is much less than renting or owning a larger apt/home. I considered it part of my rent. The bikes, skis, etc, were things that I used regularly and were an important part of my lifestyle.
It looks nice for 187 square feet. You can use a small fan in the entrance to blow the cool air in to the main living space. The bathroom looks much larger then expected and I've seen door sizes as small as 2feet in regular houses. Also having a full size kitchen is a big bonus , I think being able to cook on a larger scale is cheaper , gives you more options and can be a time saver. Having a full size bed is definitely a plus ( the days of me sleeping on a futon are long gone ..Lol) . I understand people think the amount of rent is outlandish for the amount of space you have , but I'm sure if you moved out the landlord would have no problem finding another renter and probably charge them more as well. I once lived in a 500 square foot cottage and moved to a 800 square foot house the additional 300 feet made it feel like a castle 😀 Your apartment looks great 👍👍
Yes! Our cabin is roughly 800 sq ft and it feels enormous! LOL :) Fan is a great idea, we are going to do that for sure. Absolutely, the full sized kitchen is perfect for all the cooking we do, we make most of our own food and you are right it is much more cost effective to do so. It is just so funny to have this big kitchen in the smallest of the tiny homes we have lived in, even in our 500 sq feet home the kitchen was smaller. Thanks so much, we are glad you enjoyed our tour!
FOR SURE. And this building has 4 units. This is the smallest one. If this isn't a lesson in why investment property in the DC area isn't a good thing, I don't know what is. Great comment!
You must live in the country .i grew up in Chicago and recently moved at 51 to Vegas you can't rent anything and i mean anything under 1200$ i pay 2000 a month. Why don't i own? Disabled single mom with 3 kids.
Very impressive use of space. I admire you for doing what you have to do while funding the log cabin restoration! There are many, many people in the world who would give anything to have such a warm space in which to live. Hats off to you!
Thank you! When compared to other places in the world this apartment is still very generous, but we understand that it is small when compared to homes in the US. It is such a cozy home for us at the moment and it supports us with our log cabin dream, we couldn't be happier or more grateful for this little space.
You did a wonderful job dividing such a small space. It looks cozy. I definitely think it's cool that you're living in such a snug area in order to work toward a bigger goal. I love it!
Hi Alicia, thank you for your kind words, we really appreciate them! We really enjoy tiny living, but we also feel it has been our number one thing that has helped us achieve our log cabin project dream. It has really worked out for us!
@@bellwetherfields6476 That shelving is very useful, but I checked the Container Store web site and it's so expensive! As with rents in many metro areas, it seems the urge to gouge is hard for some to resist. Nice job on the apartment. I like the way the kitchen components match in color--are they all from IKEA?
This lay out is actually good for 186sqm. I love studios as it serves my purpose and I have found it helps me able to do so much more and I have come to realize we don’t need all this stuff that we think we can’t do without. Now this is not for everyone of course or especially with a big family. But it’s a great option for someone who wants to love with intention or as what these guys are doing working on a project.
Hi, please be careful with leaving things on top of the radiator and keep things off and away from anything that’s gets hot. Thanks for sharing. GOD BLESS.
Aw, that so nice, thank you so much! We think it's cozy too. Tiny living concepts have seeped into pretty much every other aspect of our life, it has helped us find our purpose.
@@bellwetherfields6476 I don't think it's tiny living.... I think it's just the kind of good life that makes us keepers of the planet.... You are welcome good friend.
Hi Jennifer! Yes, it is completely insane out here. That's an incredible value in Az, it is wonderful to know that there are those types of homes available all over the country. We love hearing about how much it costs to live other places we appreciate you sharing!
I'm feeling your vibe. It looks like someone actually lives there. So many other tiny places looks staged. I dig it and the price is fantastic! People don't understand the cost of living where you're at. Great job🥳🥳🥳🥳 I live in downtown Indianapolis in a 2 bedroom and it is a steal at $1500. It's 725 sq. ft.
Aw, thank you!! You’re right, a lot of them do look staged, or look like a second home the owners visit every now and then. Wow, that’s a great price you got there! Our favorite tiny space was 500 sf, but we’re living in our log cabin now which is 800 sf and loving it too.
Thank you, that is very kind! We do our best, but we have gotten some great ideas from the community here on RU-vid ever since we posted, so we might be able to make even more improvements in future. We love finding new ways to save more space and live in a small footprint!
I decided to move closer to Bmore bordering Anne Arundel County....commuting into DC everyday for work...500 sq ft apartment at an unheard of rent of $755 per mth! After paying high rent for a few years I was so over it and am content for now going 2 yrs strong.
I really like your studio layout: cute, tidy, functional, has everything you need. And it looks larger than 186 sq ft, which is maybe because of the full sized kitchen appliances and the fact that there's no clutter in the middle area and you gave everything a separate space: entryway, living/eating area, kitchen and sleeping area.
Thank you so much! Yes, the no clutter rule has been a big part of keeping the space open and keeping our sanity. Thanks for noticing, that will make Cristina happy. This is something she has really stressed from the beginning, and I (the less naturally neat one) have really bought into, to the point where lack of a certain level of tidiness actually bothers me.
@@bellwetherfields6476 Haha, I relate to you! I live in a small apartment, 500 sq ft, with my partner and he's the more organized one and he made me realize the same thing, how the lack of clutter makes the space seem so much bigger and liveable. Good luck to both of you with everything! 🥰
Really like the layout for 186 sq. ft. well-planned space w/ kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, great space! My insulatedbaby barn is 30 sq. ft. bigger but great ideas for this great small space, as I have 30 sq. ft. more but will re-plan for efficiency~ Thanks again great layout works for any person or couple!
Wow! That looks like the first tiny apartment I was shown in DC. You can live in a larger studio in Skyline Towers in Falls Church for $200 more or in a West Hyattsville studio for $975.
Those Skyline Towers apartments are really great aren't they?! Their layout is really nice and the size of the rooms is really generous, some of them even have those enormous balconies. We really didn't want to live in an apartment high-rise and we also wanted to save that extra $2,400 in rent for our log cabin project. West Hyattsville would maker commute 5-6 times longer. Very good suggestions though! Thank you!
I guess it really depends on what you value and where youre wiling to live. I lived in a one bedroom that was a five minute walk to the H st corridor and was paying 1050, utilities included. I gave up using the metro for Uber pools since it pretty much cost the same commute wise.
@@ariesmry Exactly! We've costed out different types of transport around the city as well and it doesn't surprise me at all that Uber pools were about the same price as metro. That's great price for that apartment! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, you get it! The coffee is crucial. The price IS high, but it’s all relative. You could find something cheaper in another part of town but this one came with quality of life with its location relative to everything around us. But even golf or the location you wouldn’t find ANYTHING cheaper than this at the time. Maybe now, the rental market is weaker.
Hi Tina, you are right, there's only a few places in the US where rent is this crazy! Appreciate the comment, we love hearing about other states and how much things cost there!
You made a very small place work for you, nicely done. I would suggest putting a large picture of a landscape with a horizon on the wall opposite to the couch ; let's say a beach, a garden, a mountain scene. It would provide an escape from the white wall. You could even make it reversible, in winter; a winter scene, in summer; a garden.
That sounds wonderful, it must be great up there in the snow. We can't get enough of small spaces. Glad you enjoyed the tour. Merry Christmas to you too!
I love the space!! I also love the challenge of small space living. We lived in 600 SF, then 500 SF with 2 kids!! then we bounced up to 900 SF with a full basement and now we have "downsized" to 800 SF with a full basement, but I find it too big and would love to live in under 500 SF again with basement storage. haha Thanks for sharing your home with us. You've done some great space-saving stuff!!
Thank you! I totally understand what you mean, we are in 186 sq ft, but our cabin is 800 sq ft and I am not kidding it feels like a mansion. 800 sq ft is a massive amount of space for two people. I loved living in 500 sq feet, you are absolutely right, if you have a separate storage area, 500 square feet is a dream for two people. I'm so glad you enjoyed our video and thank you for sharing your tiny living story!
It is a wonderful investment, especially if it is inside the beltway. Rent prices continue to go up here, now with Amazon moving in, the expectation is that they home and rent prices will continue to increase, along with the construction to built homes to house all of the people who want to come to this area for work. Thank you for your comment!
Yep, those are two excellent suggestions. We’re planning a tiny studio to put on our property next to the log home, we’ll definitely be doing both of those things. Thanks for the comment!
I suppose really you COULD have a fold down bed couldnt you to give you more square footage when not in use .the unit from Ikea in the kitchen , i would probably have a longer one so it could close off the kitchen and give you more counter space . I like the use of all that shelving in the wardrobe and although the bathroom is tiny , its enough for use.I feel you could add in a little colour perhaps in your small entrance , just a splash .
These are all good suggestions! We have since left our tiny space to live in our log cabin in the mountains. We feel extremely luck y to have been able to have this option through the craziness of 2020. If we stilled loved there we would definitely consider these suggestions. More counter would have been key!
Sure, you can do that. If you want to live in a building and make compromises. We were shown a place on the north end of Del Ray that was a full apt for about that price. When we read reviews people consistently complained about....roaches, thin walls, and groups of young people hangin out in the evenings in front of building entrances. The parking permits were hard to get, and aggressive towing started at 8:30 every evening in the parking lot. The one we have now is one of four units in a large house. Other than some occasional footsteps, for all intents and purposes we are totally alone. We have a parking spot, and street parking is ample. We have all the space we need, it's easy to clean, and our landlord is great. And....it's less than 1200 including the utilities. Can't be beat IMO.
Bellwether Fields, I had a really nice apt. Foxchase, no roaches, nice parking, free gym, pool, tennis courts, and my apt was right behind the outdoor shopping center, so I could walk over to all the restaurants, Chipotle, Chinese, Pizza, and Harris Teeter grocery store. Also, I had a washer and dryer in my unit. I’m sure there were kids somewhere, but I never saw any in the apt I lived in, it was very quiet.
imcharmed4evr nice, that sounds lovely. We used to have a garden plot in the city gardens at Holmes Run. Commuting time was a big factor for us, and I can walk to work from our current spot.
Wow! That's so affordable! We've lived in this area all our lives and it is surprising how much the prices have gone up in a relatively short time. It is the same with the traffic, there's so many more people here than there were when we were growing up. Thank you for sharing!
I love your space and you have made it work for you. I moved into London Park Towers on Duke Street in Alexandria City in October 2000 in what is known for that complex as the largest one bedroom unit. I moved in it was $625 a month with everything included. I lived in the sa m.h e apartment until October 2019 and it was than $1467 a month and now we were all paying water and they estimated in an unfair way. I left before the rent went up $80 a month which was the steepest increase this far. The year we started paying water they did not increase our rent. I walked to work most years until my company moved to Rt. 1 near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. I also worked a part time job for many years once the rent hit 1200 and I had a car payment. Now with my 2006 vehicle I rent a house in North Arlington that is 1280 sq ft and all I have to pay is utilities and fo seasonal yardwork. So now I am mowing a lawn with a very bad disabled leg. But I have a lovely back porch I was on the entire day today even for meals as I am OJ n a staycation this week. Being that this was a year ago, I am sure your log cabin has been completed. I hope you are well.
Holy moly, that’s such a steep price increase! Sounds like it was for the best, glad you have a place in which you can enjoy a staycation. We’re also a big fan of buying/keeping used cars. Both of ours are 2011s and going strong. Having a paid off car is a big win these days. Yep, we moved to the log home last March because of the pandemic. Can you imagine being stuck with your partner in 186 sf 24/7?? 😬 We got most of it done before baby arrived in March, and we should finish up the rest of it soon, just waiting on a few doors. It was nice to hear from you, hope all is well with you too.
Very nice! There may be well more than 186 sq. ft. - there is no standard way to count: some do not count closet space, some do not count bathroom space, some only count the floor space that can be walked on.
Thank you! We have had a lot of experience living in tiny spaces for 6 years, but this one is the smallest so it was a bit of a challenge. We really tried to make it seem as open as possible.
Great tiny space...only change I’d make is to put in a Murphy bed...and try for more vertical or loft type storage. Oh, and get one of those one inch deep folding step stools.
These are all very good suggestions. We live at our log home in the mountains now, but we’re building a tiny studio on the property and will definitely do all three of these things. Thanks for the input!
So glad that I live in the very affordable Midwest where I have a 2100 sq ft house with 4 bedrooms on 2/3 of an acre out in the country. I pay approx. $1340 a month for mortgage, insurance, and taxes.
You are so blessed! It sounds absolutely wonderful. It is so interesting to see all of the difference prices and value for money across the country. We really appreciate you sharing!
That's true, in a tiny space clutter and mess in pretty much in your face until you clean it up, I don't have any where I can really hide it! Which means we do clean and tidy often, but with a smaller space it is a lot easier and takes less time. So glad you enjoyed the tour!
The space is used so well!!! I have seen the same sq ft aot and its only a bed and dresser. To be honest i live in 1200 sq ft and I love ur space its a dollhouse and I dream of one day living that way
Aw, thank you!! Yes, we think we maxed that space out. There wasn’t a whole lot of room to walk around in there. Living tiny can be very rewarding! After several sized tiny spaces, we think 500 square feet was our favorite.
It looks amazing. I live in Texas, in a 2 bedroom between 1000 to 1200 sq ft. and I pay a little over half of what you're paying. I can't imagine. My brother has a condo that he's remodeling in the DC area. I'm very impressed with your home. Thank you for sharing.
Good call. Our setup doesn't allow for that as there is nowhere to put the pots and pans when we do need the oven, which is frequent. It's a good suggestion, though.
Regarding the air conditioner, it would help a lot if you place fans on the floor in various spots to help the air conditioner to reach the rest of the room; to make the cool air flow towards you and the heated air return to the a.c.
Hi! Yes, we have only one tiny fan now, but we are thinking about getting another fan this summer to do that very thing! Do you think that we would need more than one? I was hoping that a stronger fan in the entryway would push the AC into the main room. Great suggestion, thank you!
I love this one, especially that kitchen. That's great for such a small space, but that cost wow. I would put cabinets up on the wall for more storage space. I live with one other person in a 900sqft house and I think it's too big, but I do have 750sqft garage too.
Thanks friend! Man, that garage...I’d love to have that kind of storage. Yes, the cost was crazy but it’s what the DC market will bear. For DC, that’s cheap! Which is crazy. Since the pandemic hit we’ve moved to our log cabin in the mountains. It was hard to say goodbye but now we live in 800 sq ft and it’s like a palace!
Really cute, cosy space. My only niggle is the white shelving as you come in, it looks out of place style-wise and is kinda shoved in the corner there and adds clutter. If it were me, I'd remove it and find a better hidden storage solution for the things on it.
Thank you! Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t ideal. We hadn’t intended on staying as long as we did or we might have come up with something more creative. Thanks for the input!
So cool! Love small spaces but, doesn’t it bother you to wake up and see your kitchen? I would totes move the bed to where the sofa is and viceversa. Add drapes oposite of the closet to separate the bed from the entrance but it’s still cool!
Exactly! Yes, looking at the kitchen is one of the things we talked about in our Top 5 Things We Hate about Living Tiny. You can find it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UFIhWaRkJxQ.html One of the main drawbacks of this study is you basically live in a kitchen...with everything that comes along with that. These are some excellent suggestions and we are going to make some reorganizing changes soon so we will take them into account. Can't wait to move some things around and see what works. Thank you!
Since we are tossing out suggestions here is mine. Flip the bed , so that the headboard is in the kitchen area and the footboard is against the wall. Put a opaque mirror on the wall above the footboard, so when you are in bed it will reflect light but not actual reflection, and when you are in the kitchen it will do the same. I think I this will definitely define the 2 areas and make your " bedroom " feel more private. You can center the kitchen island behind the headboard or move it more to the right as a reminder to the sleeper on that side of the small bed side table.
@@hpalmer268 Very interesting suggestion! I have never seen an opaque mirror, we will have to check that out! We are going to make some adjustments to this room soon and it would be very easy to try out your suggestion of flipping the bed. We appreciate your thoughts, thanks so much for sharing!
@@bellwetherfields6476 have you thought of using stools at your island as a place to eat at..you probably already thought about that . If you are into DIY you can make a " antique " mirror with krylon mirror spray paint and vinegar solution. I made a couple of them a few years ago and they look really cool. 😁
@@hpalmer268 I didn't know that about the mirror, we will have to RU-vid it! Thank you for sharing that. We did think of stools, but there are shelves below the island. There would be nowhere to push the stools in so they could be out of the way. It is very hard to show how much room there is to walk around, but there isn't much!
Great suggestion Brenda! It would be nice to eat off a table rather than our laps. But we don't have tv trays either, so that's also an idea we haven't considered. Thanks so much for the comment!
I would flip the couch.. so its not facing the bed. Another alternative is a murphy bed. It would just give you more room and an eating and work area. Art work on that back wall would elevate the look.
Great suggestions! We have actually experimented with flipping the couch recently and have liked it for certain things, especially during the day. Since we don't have two seating areas, we sometimes use the bed and the couch, one person on each, this way we can face each other and have conversations. It also works when someone is cooking in the kitchen, one person can be on the sofa and talking with the other in the kitchen cooking. I agree about the art work and this is something else we are thinking about, the bed is really close to the wall, so our main concern here is finding something we won't rub against or knock off the wall every time we go to bed. Thanks so much for your thoughts, really appreciate you comment!
Love your apartment! The price - not so much. I'm working toward a minimalist lifestyle. I owned a 1500 sq ft cottage home in a historic part of town near downtown Orlando for many years. It was built in the 30's and our bathroom was about the size of yours, except it did have a bathtub. We did renovate the bathroom, added cabinets underneath the sink and put in a larger tub. Since I sold that house I have lived in a variety of apartments - currently in a 1 bedroom, 625 sq ft. apt. that has a really unique feature - a very large utility area that accommodates a full size washer & dryer plus provides mega-storage. It is $669/mo situated in a beautiful area with woods on both sides of the complex plus a courtyard in the middle of the six units where I live. It is within walking distance of the grocery and many shops. Quite a few elderly/disabled people live here who do not have cars. Still working on decreasing my belongings as I really would prefer living in a smaller unit.
Yes, the price is steep. But the housing market here is so crazy inflated that this is as cheap as it gets! It's nuts. 610 sf sounds lovely. We think 500 is our sweet spot. We really embraced a variety of minimalist concepts when we started, including Marie Kondo in 2015 which really helped. From there we adapted our stuff to smaller spaces and adapted. Sounds like you have a good thing going, are you actively looking for another smaller place?
That is big. We lived in Miami in a converted old Motel. Our studio apt had space for a full bed, tiny closet. The bathroom was bigger than the kitchen. The refridgerator was full size and could not fit a stove so we had to use alt. methods. Price was 700.
$75 dollars a month!! Where was that? It doesn't take much to be comfortable in a space, especially if you are one person living alone. I think that people living on their own can definitely live is something even smaller than 186 sq ft.
@@bellwetherfields6476 It was in Kansas in the 70s. My boyfriend thought it was a dump but I loved it. He grew up with much more than I and our meager teacher salaries back then were pretty slim. $8,000 salary before taxes. When we got married I moved into his $125 apartment. We made it. Life is an adventure. It's about love, not stuff.
I would get 1 or 2 wardrobe units. And put one between the entrance and bathroom facing in towards the bed, and another type that would seperate the kitchen from the bed, facing whichever way you need more storage, which for me would be the kitchen to be used as a pantry. Great space.
So the wardrobe would act basically as a hallway? It’d be like a little sleeping nook. I like it! We’re at our log cabin now full time, but we have a plans for another tiny space in the near future.
You don’t pay much for where you live like you said you are next to million dollar homes. My only comment is you can have stools under the island for additional seating. Great job on the decor.
Thank you Judith, that is a great idea about the stools, we appreciate your comment! It is true, for this area, where home prices are extremely high, this is low rent. The area is great because we are close to work and don't have to worry about the commute, so we are pretty happy here!
Great tour! I lived in a studio in Park City Utah for three years in half an old mining cabin. It was maybe 400 sqft. Best thing was it had a regular sized bathroom. Not huge but not small. Only thing that bothered me was staring at the kitchen wall when not using it, so I installed a hospital style curtain on the ceiling and got “A Starry Night” curtain and it made all the difference in the space. ( regular sized fridge was actually outside of the apartment in a enclosed small porch area that wasn’t heated or cooled lol ). But I could walk to main street for work and walk up one street a couple blocks with my skis and get to a lift. $500 a month. That was a great deal even back then.
WOW! A mining cabin sounds amazing! Yes, staring at the kitchen wall is not our favorite. But it sounds like we could have totally lived in that space and for $500 that is a true bargain. There is nothing like walking to work, I'm completely jealous of anyone (ahem, Gabe) who has that situation. I would love that. Thank you for sharing!
Also (Gabe here)...You were living my dream!! I always wanted to live somewhere close to the lifts out west. Our log cabin is 15 min from Wintergreen, but skiing in the east is poop. That must have been awesome!
Bellwether Fields Yes, walking to work was great even in winter ( I love winter )! What was still ok but not as great ( ahem winter ) was walking home. Up hill. Steep street. To work downhill lots of energy, after work, tired, sore feet all uphill. Lol. Some kind fellow in a truck saw me trudging home one night and offered me a ride, I gratefully accepted and let him drive me past the last 3 houses or 1/2 a block lmao. He looked a bit shocked but icy steep roads and blizzard cold winds in my face blew my pride away lol. ( more on short commutes in my reply to Gabe )🤗 ❄️
Bellwether Fields Hey Gabe! It gets better if snow bumming was your dream. I lived and worked in a mid mountain restaurant in Alta utah for 4 seasons, people had to take a lift past us then ski to where about 17 of us lived and worked in one of the two restaurants we had. Then 5 years living and working in the town year round at one of hotels at base of first lift. Both offered room and board plus season pass and a modest salary. And the commute was better than Park city, just walk downstairs in fuzzy slippers. lol. It was an amazing experience for a guy who never skied before from Texas. And at the mid mountain place after the lifts closed at 4:30 we had the mountain and restaurant to ourselves. If we wanted to go down to the town or down to SLC we either skied or walked down. But we had to also walk back up the mountain to get home. No snow mobile service. It was about a mile up the ski runs to that restaurant. Dorm style living is tiny living too I think. Great way to spend my 20’s-early 30’s.
Your rent there would get you a pretty luxurious apartment in St. Louis. I live right outside of the city and pay $750. I like the layout of this place. Worth it to live in a smaller place to live in an otherwise high cost of living area! I have outdoor space like you seem to have outside of your front door with a storm door as well and love it!
I’ve heard that from relatives that lived in St. Louis for a few years, was always jealous of the cost of living. After living in a few of these tiny spaces, we think 500 sf is pretty ideal. We’re living in our 800 sf log home now, it’s like a palace!
I’d have to move to another area. 186 sq ft would have to be a lot cheaper for me to consider it. Much respect for being two people in such a small space.
Thank you! Yes, it is pretty tiny but we had lived in small spaces before and thought we could do it. Been here for over 2 years so we are still going strong. Appreciate the comment!
My niece lives in downtown DC. She and her husband rent an apartment in the Foggy Bottom area. It’s a one bedroom with den. They pay $4000 + utilities. She walks to work at the World Bank and he commutes to Rockville, Maryland by car.
I thought his commute might be bad but.... His commute is 35 mins by car each way and her commute is about 15 mins walk each way. For her, there is a bus that takes 20 mins that costs $1 each way. And she also does Uber at times. She is expecting in March 2020, so more Uber than not. However, they budgeted for this and use discounted gift cards to reduce the cost of Uber. Like you, planning makes things possible, they are great planners.
@@kenyonbissett3512 It sounds like they are doing an good job! It is amazing how great of an option Uber can be for commuting in the city if you need it. It sounds like your niece has a great reason to take advantage of that resource. Planning for us is really key, we never would have accomplished so much this year if we didn't have a general idea what we were trying to do. Not all of our plans work out, but it definitely helps us to have one!
Once they were married she sold her car and they are a one car family. To some that would be a “so what big deal” her family lives 40 mins south of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (rt 4). Coming from a rural area its hard giving up a car. They are looking to buy a tear down house just outside the Arlington county line. I think they should stay were they are while kids are toddlers. But they must live there life as they see fit.
@@kenyonbissett3512 I think going to one car is a great option, especially when you live close enough to walk to work. It is hard to say what makes sense in this area, I know that at one point I never considered owing anything outside of the beltway, but now we do. I think sometimes people have to try things for themselves and see what works for them. It is much longer process but it can be rewarding even if there are a few mistakes along the way. :)
I was looking at the comments and expecting you to reveal that your rent was like $3k or something. $1100 for anything inside dc not covered in roaches and rats is a steal. Folks complaining or whining in the comments apparently have never lived in a city like DC where a pack of cigarettes is $13, your winter heating bill can run over $200 for a 1-bd apartment, and it’s often cheaper to take an Uber than use the Metro. Housing in DC is generally 1/2 - 2/3 of most people’s monthly wages. For folks who don’t spend a lot of time at home, don’t cook a lot, and just need a place to sleep, shower, and store their work clothes, a tiny space like this makes sense.
Yes! You completely know the area and it shows. It is incredibly expensive here and we looked at a lot of those places with the rats and roaches before we found this one. Yes to that Uber vs. Metro too - I did a cost comparison of taking public transportation to work vs. driving and it was MORE EXPENSIVE and took longer to take the public transport, which did not take me all the way to my job. I've lived in other cities and DC has a lot of little quirks like that.
@@bellwetherfields6476 Were the places covered with rats and roaches at the viewing? You usually don't find out until you've just struggled up a flight of stairs with your last back-breaking piece of furniture, and think to yourself "I'll battle the rats and roaches, before moving again."🙁
Thank you! Yep, the rent is a killer. I know someone who moved from the Texas suburbs to DC who got a 40% cost of living raise. 40%! It’s ridiculously expensive.
Wow, what a great space! Thank you for sharing. We live in a 960 sq ft mobile home double wide,(south - central Florida) but we have six people (adult sized), in three bedrooms. Right now our daughter is in the living room, but I'm working on moving the furniture in the twins' room so she can use the bedroom also. Ours is paid off, but our mortgage was $483, I think. Plus electric and taxes. Good for you for making everything fit, it's not always easy! Kids' stuff takes space too🤷 Also I agree with on commenter about switching the bed and sofa, good luck in your future endeavors!
Thanks so much Lisa! We are so impressed that you are living debt free in your home. Congratulations! That is such an accomplishment and one of our personal goals. It sounds like you are also making everything fit and work for you in your space, with a lot more people! Balancing the space needs of six adult sized people in a smaller space is an impressive challenge. Glad you enjoyed our tour and thank you for sharing your story!
Simple living is the perfect lifestyle for us, we really enjoy it because it allows us the freedom and the time to really focus on the projects we enjoy. Thank you!
This is like living in a small RV except way more expensive and with zero opportunity to change location and scenery. I believe I would be looking to rent a bedroom with a private bathroom in a nice house owned by a retired couple and within walking distance of a Metro station -- just so long as I could use the washer and dryer. A dorm refrigerator with a small microwave sitting on top of it is all you really need for preparing simple meals if you are renting a room.
I soooo could live in that space. When l was living single in another state, l leased a 275 sqft unit. Upon seeing it for the first time, l had no idea how to make the space liveable. After a year of living there, l was content and comfortable in my cozy surroundings. 💃🏽💞💃🏽
That's awesome! We had a similar experience. This was the first place we were shown, but we weren't sure we could make it work. After seeing what else was out there...and the rent $$$...we reconsidered and I'm glad we did! Good for you for pushing your boundaries and creating solutions. What do you live in now? How does that compare?
@@bellwetherfields6476 Fast forward to the present...l am now remarried, living in Arizona in an independent living retirement community. The sqft is about 625. It's totally liveable and the landscaping lends visual aesthetics to city living. 🌵🏜️🚥🛣️
Cute! The hall would feel bigger with hooks where the mirror is,then a large mirror where the picture is. Under the shelves & desk by the sofa I'd put some white cube storage baskets as it looks a bit cluttered. That stripe between the shelves? It makes it look odd, is it a unit?
These are great suggestions! We had to jump to our mountain log cabin when COVID hit, and we now live out here full time. Hopefully someone else is enjoying our tiny apartment.
Bellwether Fields I’m wrapping up nursing school and will be relocating in 2020. I was just in DC to finish out school and could not afford rent for a regular size apartment. So we settled for a lower level apt. I can’t wait to move to a bigger space though
@@dream_psychnurse3360 That's wonderful, good luck finishing your nursing program! We also won't be living in this space forever, we've been here two years and will probably do a couple more, but I don't think this could be a permanent solution for 2 people. Maybe one person but a bit of a challenge for 2!
Don’t think I could go that small but it’s a well laid out place. One thing I didn’t see is a exhaust fan over the gas stove! They are a requirement in most building codes. My guess is that the dividing of the house was not done with proper permits. Gas stoves always require proper ventilation.
Thank you! That's an interesting point, I don't know when this house was divided, but it was probably in the 80s or earlier. Who knows what building codes they were working with back then? This place definitely has it's own quirks.
Hard to believe that this is only 186 square ft! How can that be? I hate to even suggest this but are you really sure? Anyway, what a fantastic use of space!
Thank you! Idk, we measured three separate times wall to wall. We even included space taken up by cabinets, closet, and entry way. It’s basically a 12x12 with foyer and a bathroom. You’re definitely not the only one who questions this, but I think we were accurate. 🤷🏻♂️
Hi Patricia! That's a very good idea, we appreciate your suggestion! We actually made some changes to the apartment based on the feedback we have been getting here and our cabin project. We just shared them last night! You can see it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gSxxleA7kuY.html Please let us know what you think!
Wow! Only $1150.00 a month for a studio in DC??? I lived in DC for three years in a studio in the Cleveland Park area and I paid $1600 a month back in the early 2000’s. These people got lucky!
The word of the day is like. You can see like stuff is like turned sideways. We got this like little island, has like 4 drawers. LOL! just kidding around though.
