living in 450 sq ft as a couple

[shootingstar]

One of the hip Toronto magazines, features monthly, how people live in tiny condos or apartments.  Like this couple in 450 sq. ft.  https://torontolife.com/real-estate/condos/pair-30-somethings-live-450-square-feet/

Now, I know a lot of forumites live in triple amount of space compared to dearie and I which we live in 770 sq. ft.  Could we use another small rm.?  Sure.  But not the end of the world.  I've lived solo in 775 sq. ft. as well as same space with dearie.  We live on 1 level (which was a good thing when I had difficulty navigating stairs post-concussion.)  Fortunately we have a storage locker in our building.  I've lived in this amount of space for the past 26 yrs.  And I expect this will be until expiration.  

For me, it's less cleaning. I can't imagine cleaning 2 or more bathrooms.  It would seem over time, 1 bathroom will get used daily while other one won't be.  Honest, getting older, it will get harder to get on your knees and clean. Neither he nor I have won the lottery to hire cleaning person.

However for me to live in 450 sq. ft., I would seriously need to be super neat all the time.  I like having a bedroom as a separate rm. with door.  I don't like being in space where living rm. becomes bedroom rm. as permanent living situation for years. Psychologically it helps me to "escape" to sleep in another rm. when in our own home.

[sheep_herder ★]

We lived in less space than that when living in a 8x43' trailer when going to school from 1962-1968. There were two adults, one small child, a dog, and a cat.  We survived nicely.

[Airehead]

450 means you have to have a storage locker even for things you use semi-regularly.  Roasting pan, bunds pan, summer clothes, extra bike rims, etc...  They really should count that space. 

[Dottleshead ★]

My wife and I had 690 sq/ft and it was ample. We tripled that square footage.  Today we figure we'd ideally like to have 1200-1400 feet as it will be our final stop.

[shootingstar]

9 minutes ago, Airehead said:

450 means you have to have a storage locker even for things you use semi-regularly.  Roasting pan, bunds pan, summer clothes, extra bike rims, etc...  They really should count that space. 

Ok, storage locker for is around 80 sq. ft.  Actually need to throw out some stuff...probably 50% of it.   Neither he nor I keep any of our clothing down there. He hangs 2-3 cycling jackets to dry off the sweat/rain water.  Unlike some women, I probably have a more sparse wardrobe, which I'm continuously weeding slowly in both cities where we have spread our stuff.

I'm glad I don't store any clothing in storage locker....it flooded abit a few years ago when river flooded and evacuated 100,000 people.

[shootingstar]

14 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

We lived in less space than that when living in a 8x43' trailer when going to school from 1962-1968. There were two adults, one small child, a dog, and a cat.  We survived nicely.

Could you and missus do that same trailer space now?

[smudge ★]

I'm a Yooper. We are accustomed to elbow room. No way could I do 750 sq ft. Maaayyyyyybe if I lived by myself. 

I think we have about 1500 sq ft, plus the basement (not finished, but no where near gross either; storage, wash machine, workout room..), plus a big garage, plus the storage barn/shed out back, plus 40 acres with a camp and outbuildings an hour and a half away. 

[Airehead]

We are packing for the move. The basement is a great example of why people should not keep stuff. My stuff, his stuff, bike stuff, stuff from his parent's house, etc...  Anyone need marble topped tables?

[groupw]

4 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

We lived in less space than that when living in a 8x43' trailer when going to school from 1962-1968. There were two adults, one small child, a dog, and a cat.  We survived nicely.

I lived in a trailer that size with my parents and 2 brothers until I was 12. Getting new toys or clothes meant old things went away. 

WoW and I currently live in 1700 sq ft with 1300 in the basement. It is too much space for the 2 of us, but we are on the short end of the mortgage. Smaller places around here without a lot of old home issues would cost more than our current home. 

We are looking at the southwest in the future. We know we will need to downsize then and we are ok with that. 1400-1500 sq ft total would be just fine. 

[sheep_herder ★]

Yes if we had to, but it would mean getting rid of a lot of stuff.  We also lead a different lifestyle now compared to then we were only there in the evenings when going to school and working.  Now, being retired we are at home a lot more and have a lot more hobbies. We were happy when we moved into a 12x60' when we move to Arizona in 1970.  Between 1968-1970 we lived in a 3-bedroom home in South Dakota.

[Road Runner]

It's doable.  But I wouldn't suggest you eat beans regularly.  

[Airehead]

I seem to need more space than some of you all.  I like dedicated spaces for things like dog grooming and bike storage. I also like guests to stay over and have a big family.  We are down sizing to around 2,000 square feet. I am worried about kitchen cabinet space.  The dogs need crate space in the house and play space.  We solved the training space with the new barn. 

[maddmaxx ★]

I lived in a Residence Inn for a year.  It can be done but you have to keep your life simple.  There wouldn't be enough closet space for my wife's clothes and shoes if we lived like that.

That was 1 full bath, full kitchen with a 2 person eating bar, 1 king bed, 1 couch and chair and a desk with desk chair.  It's one big room.  It only has 1 closet and a coat closet by the door.

Not counted in that living space however is the laundry room......shared by all

[shootingstar]

27 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I seem to need more space than some of you all.  I like dedicated spaces for things like dog grooming and bike storage. I also like guests to stay over and have a big family.  We are down sizing to around 2,000 square feet. I am worried about kitchen cabinet space.  The dogs need crate space in the house and play space.  We solved the training space with the new barn. 

Your dogs are probably bigger breed than little ones I see in buildings in downtown prairie city and in downtown Vancouver.  The key thing about having a dog in a condo/apartment is to ensure one lives near a park, preferably in walking distance, that's pleasant/walkable. Downtown Vancouver has a lot of condo residents with dog or 2. There are dog leash free park space plus kms. of park paths to walk dogs.  I was intrigued one of the new condo buildings in our prairie city has a common dogwashing rm...

Our bike storage lockers includes some tires, tools, helmet and panniers.

I have a big family but they hardly visit..because I'm so far away..meaning thousands of km. away.   So at most, we could accommodate 1 person if they were willing to sleep on mattress in living rm.  I know it sounds like what we did when we were students/in our 20's.   But hey, in a way, parts of our lifestyle even now, is sometimes like that, kinda of mish-mash in a pleasant way (hopefully).  We don't have a beautiful formal dining rm. furniture set with matching chairs.  Actually in Vancouver, our bed mattress, is on the carpeted floor....and has been for many years.  

 

[maddmaxx ★]

They provided the pots and pans and dishes along with a full sized dishwasher.  When bored I would cook, sometimes a large pot of Jambalaya which the required that I purchase a small set of tupperware and feed the office staff on weekends.  It's no wonder that they elected me mayor.

There would have been enough room to hang a bike on the wall.

[shootingstar]

22 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

They provided the pots and pans and dishes along with a full sized dishwasher.  When bored I would cook, sometimes a large pot of Jambalaya which the required that I purchase a small set of tupperware and feed the office staff on weekends.  It's no wonder that they elected me mayor.

There would have been enough room to hang a bike on the wall.

At this time, I have a folded bike in its bag by the refrigerator, just near suite entry door.  2 bikes in storage locker.  Neither he nor I want to hang any of our bikes inside our living space.  So his 3 bikes in storage locker plus bike trailer. We consider the storage lockers, semi-dirty space since we aren't cleaning our bikes continuously.

I grew up in big family in a small house with 1 bathroom for 8 people.  https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/5-kids-in-a-one-bedroom-apartment-unearthing-space-and-its-impact/

A close friend with 7 kids in her family grew up in a large house (on the prairies) with 5 bathrooms.  It shocked me to hear of it.  I don't know if her mother lassoed several kids to clean those bathrooms...especially after her father died when she was in her teens.

However I could not live solo @315 sq. ft. like this woman does:  https://torontolife.com/real-estate/actor-musician-lives-315-square-feet/   Can see bed in living rm.  And I hate pull-out bed couches....bed/mattress doesn't provide good back support which we tend to sleep on a fair firm, high quality mattress.  Preserving one's back is important.

[goldendesign]

My parents are finally leaving their 5th wheel camper and bought a mobile home in a retirement community nearby. They have 4 dogs, all over 30 lbs, and themselves are not exactly skinny Minnie's.

I've gone over to help them do some remodeling as they practically gutted the place when they bought. It's 490 sq ft. Very small but with a bonus sun room that runs the length of the trailer. It can be air conditioned so I guess that's cheating in the small space category. 

Course they have lived in a 36ft 5th wheel for 7 years, they just might have earned the extra leg room.

[Green Grass]

1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

.And I expect this will be until expiration.   

What is your "best if used by date"?

[Further]

Wife , me & 2 kids, 5 year old & new born, in a 50 x 10 trailer for a few years. We had a decent yard & a storage shed. We were cramped but happy.

[BuffJim]

1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

Ok, storage locker for is around 80 sq. ft.  Actually need to throw out some stuff...probably 50% of it.   Neither he nor I keep any of our clothing down there. He hangs 2-3 cycling jackets to dry off the sweat/rain water.  Unlike some women, I probably have a more sparse wardrobe, which I'm continuously weeding slowly in both cities where we have spread our stuff.

I'm glad I don't store any clothing in storage locker....it flooded abit a few years ago when river flooded and evacuated 100,000 people.

Struggling to understand what 100,000 people were doing in your storage locker. 

[Longjohn ★]

This thread gives me claustrophobia.

[shootingstar]

18 minutes ago, Further said:

Wife , me & 2 kids, 5 year old & new born, in a 50 x 10 trailer for a few years. We had a decent yard & a storage shed. We were cramped but happy.

And you still couldn't be happy with same amount of space now (but reconfigured differently)?

I did see a 500 sq. ft. long ago before buying lst place decades ago.  I found it too expensive for that amount of space.  I believe dearie's mother lived in senior's supported apartment bldg. where she had just under 500 sq. ft. It was fortunately a brand new suite.

Recently a woman bought a condo as an investment in Toronto so that her son could have place to live in Toronto while he did....his PhD.  So it's approx. just over 500 sq.ft. Fortunately her investment has appreciated by $30,000 in past few years.  I'm sure he's happier...than other students.

[Further]

2 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

And you still couldn't be happy with same amount of space now (but reconfigured differently)?

I would be content with a camper to sleep in, if I had a big barn / garage for activities.

[dinneR ★]

My place is 430 sq ft. No storage locker or garage. It works and isn't cramped at all. I have extra cupboard space. My bike stand sits behind the couch and I pull it out and do bike repairs in the living room. I could downsize to a 250-300 sq ft tiny house if I could find a place to park it. I'm not terribly neat or organized. It's nice to have an electric bill under $50/month in the winter. 

All of my bikes(4), skis(3 sets), bikepacking, and backpacking gear fits. My pedal wrench is always handy.

My GF has a 900 sq ft condo with a garage. It's a two bedroom and she has two kids. It's cozy but it works.

Small is the norm here because real estate is crazy expensive. 

 

 

[shootingstar]

9 minutes ago, dennis said:

My place is 430 sq ft. No storage locker or garage. It works and isn't cramped at all. I have extra cupboard space. My bike stand sits behind the couch and I pull it out and do bike repairs in the living room. I could downsize to a 250-300 sq ft tiny house if I could find a place to park it. I'm not terribly neat or organized. It's nice to have an electric bill under $50/month in the winter. 

All of my bikes(4), skis(3 sets), bikepacking, and backpacking gear fits. My pedal wrench is always handy.

My GF has a 900 sq ft condo with a garage. It's a two bedroom and she has two kids. It's cozy but it works.

Small is the norm here because real estate is crazy expensive. 

 

 

You must lovingly clean your bike that you ride, nearly daily.  (Well, real estate can be cheaper in certain parts of a country.)  You're probably very neat.

When my partner was mandated by his company near his retirement, to move to Calgary (and I was working 'n living in Toronto) he rented an apartment probably around 700 sq. ft.  He didn't unpack over 50% of stuff. Which means seeing a living rm. with boxes.  He lived like this for 2 years.

[dinneR ★]

9 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

You must lovingly clean your bike that you ride, nearly daily.  (Well, real estate can be cheaper in certain parts of a country.)  You're probably very neat.

When my partner was mandated by his company near his retirement, to move to Calgary (and I was working 'n living in Toronto) he rented an apartment probably around 700 sq. ft.  He didn't unpack over 50% of stuff. Which means seeing a living rm. with boxes.  He lived like this for 2 years.

I don't own a hose, so my bikes get cleaned once a year at most. I am not neat. If I am having guests, I throw stuff in the closet. 

I sell or donate things that don't get used at least once a year. There is no storing things for later. I read the book, The Long Haul, by Finn Murphy. That taught me that most of what we own is crap and paying to store or move it is a waste of money. I don't stock up on supplies or food. 

I met some guys who bought out storage lockers. I learned from them, that storage locker owners/renters might have good intentions, but it rarely has a good outcome. It is amazing how often people pay more in storage fees than the items are worth. 

[team scooter]

Our son is in the military. After having to move four times in four years, he and his wife came up with a plan to buy a new 30 foot fifth wheel camper and live in that. It took six months before they were fixing to file for divorce. They sold the camper and bought a huge five bedroom house instead. 

[ChrisL]

Could we do it, sure if we had to we could.  Would we want to? Maybe....

Were in 1,500 with an attached garage and indoor laundry.  When the kids were growing up it was a bit tight but with our daughter gone and son mostly gone it's fine.  However we have my wife's parents who both visit and so a  spare room is handy and I like having a garage for my bikes.

We may downsize at some point but when we are true empty nesters our place will be a bit too big.