Millennial Couple in Paris Micro-Apartment Shares Tips for Living Tiny

live small

Ronk bought the micro-apartment five years ago for 90,000 euros (about $98,050) and rented it out during his stay in Japan. The size of the room was 9 square meters, or about 97 square feet.

“I wanted to buy something to invest in, but I didn’t have the money to lend money from the bank.I also wanted to find something in Paris, so I ended up buying a small place like this.” “It happened,” Ronk said. B.I.

The apartment is located in a building built in the 1930s and was originally a “chambre de bonne,” or maid’s quarters.

Located under the roofs of apartment buildings in Paris, these micro-dwellings were originally intended to be private quarters for domestic helpers.

According to a study by the Paris Metropolitan Planning Agency, there are approximately 113,000 chambres de bonnes in Paris. Le Parisien.

The couple’s microhome is located in Paris’ 11th arrondissement, where the average price of an apartment is 9,637 euros per square meter, according to the latest March data from a French real estate website. Serogar.com.

Prices for similarly sized rooms in the area range between $53,000 and $132,000 per active listings on the real estate platform. proper star.

”There are no tourist attractions. “Although this area is not a high-end residential area, it is called the downtown area of ​​Paris and has the highest population density among Paris’ 20 arrondissements, making it a comfortable place to live,” Masago says.

cut the clutter

At 97 square feet, the tiny home has just enough space for a futon, a mini study, a kitchenette, and a standing shower. Ronk said the bathroom is shared with other residents on the same floor.

Thankfully, the couple didn’t have too much trouble cleaning up.

Ronke had already sold most of his belongings in preparation for moving to Japan. Similarly, Masago got rid of a lot of stuff before moving to Paris.

Minimalist living has now become like second nature.

Masago said they are both very selective about what they buy. “He collects CDs, and I collect vintage plates, but I don’t buy CDs anymore just because they’re cheap.”

They stopped not only thinking about what they want and need, but also stopped caring about what other people think.

“I no longer think about things from an outside perspective, thinking, “If I have this, it will look nice,”” Masago says.

Create additional storage space with raised floors

Initially, micro-apartments didn’t have as many storage options. Most of the cabinets were installed after we decided to live together.

inspired by japanese interior design, the couple decided to build a raised floor that covered most of the apartment. This allows the space under the floor to be used as storage space.

The only part where the floor is not raised is the area near the entrance. Masago said that by creating a height difference between the entrance and the rest of the house, it creates a sense of separation between spaces.

“The psychological block of sitting on the floor disappears. It feels like a living room, so I don’t mind sleeping or sitting on a futon on the floor,” she says.

Additionally, she said the floor of the couple’s standing shower stall is much higher than the rest of the house because of the slope of the drain pipe that runs underneath.

If she hadn’t built the raised floor, there would have been a height difference of more than a foot between the shower floor and the rest of the room, she added.

Perks of living small

Living in a micro-apartment also has its benefits.

Masago said, “I like living here because the space is small and the sunlight shines into every corner of the room.” It’s also easier to keep your apartment clean because there aren’t as many things to clean.

Ronk said living in the micro-apartment is a temporary arrangement and the couple hopes to move in this year.

“I think the reason we stayed here longer than we expected was because we felt so comfortable,” he said. “We are already used to this place, so if we get a 20 square meter apartment, it will feel like a palace. What do we do with that big space?”