Alaina rents a teeny-tiny apartment in midtown New York (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Welcome to What I Rent, our weekly series that takes you inside people’s rented homes.
Last week we were in Reading, where Aziza and her husband pay £925 a month for their two-bedroom flat.
This time around we’re across the pond in the US – in midtown New York, to be specific.
Here, Alaina, who works at a fashion agency, rents a studio apartment that has just 80 sq ft of space.
Alaina, 25, moved to the city last year for work, having previously lived in Los Angeles and hailing from St Louis, Missouri.
She shares her adventures on YouTube and Instagram.
We chatted with her to see what it’s like to live in such a small space.
Hey, Alaina! How much do you pay to live here?
I pay $650 a month for my apartment rent, and bills mainly include my gym membership ($340 a month), dog maintenance (boarding, vet bills, etc), and food/ activities take up the rest.
And what do you get for what you pay?
An 80 sq ft studio apartment. The bathroom is located in the hallway right around the corner of my door, and my neighbor and I each have our own. So we don’t ever share the bathroom, which is a nice perk.
The 25-year-old pays $650 a month in rent (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
Yes, I like finding rare spots that no one would ever think possible and giving people a new perspective on what exactly ‘discomfort’ means.
Talk to us about the area – what do you think?
I love New York City, it’s just so creative and free feeling here. You can be whoever you want to be.
How did you find this property? And what made you decide to give it a go despite its size?
I actually found this apartment on Street Easy, which is a shock for most because it’s one of the more expensive apartment apps.
I wanted to give it a try to have more freedom to travel and explore New York City as a young 20-something year old.
The property has just 80 sq ft of space (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
We can see your kitchen is pretty tiny – do you cook much in it?
I used to when I had just moved in, but recently life has been so much on the go that I don’t really put myself through the hassle anymore.
It’s a chore in itself to clean the kitchen and clean all the dishes since the space is tiny.
We can imagine. What about storage – how do you store all your stuff?
Even though there is not much space, I keep extra clothes in the loft in bins.
I have a mini, what I like to call, clothes hanger, which is really just a pole that goes across the loft by the stairs, and a mini closet below the stairs.
It was definitely a challenge making that situation work.
I organised the space by getting rid of a lot of clutter.
She’s managed to make it feel like home with fun artwork and lighting (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
And you have a dog! How’s he doing?
I do! His name is Pimento and he is spoiled. He goes on morning runs with me, the dog park, and picks out his favorite treats at the pet store near by every single day. He lives the cool life.
How have you made the apartment feel like home?
I made it into a cozy, neon west coast-ish vibe. I love weird art and cool fashion punk rock things.
I just made it into my own epic style without it feeling like it were cluttered, or too much for a smaller space.
How have you made the most of the small space?
I make the most of it by really making it feel like a home, making it personal to me.
The couch downstairs folds out into a bed so anytime I want to cuddle with the puppy or watch a movie I can.
I fit my things into storage bins in various areas around the apartment plus the tiny space of closet storage I have.
There’s a rooftop Alaina can escape to when she needs some more space (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
How has living in such a small space affected your lifestyle? Have you had to adapt in any way?
I make a joke out of this, but I really can’t have any friends or guys over.
In a way, it makes my space all just be catered to me, which is nice. But it’s also nice that I have friends in the city to go hang at their apartments.
It really hasn’t made me adapt in any unusual ways! This is a prime example that micro-living probably shouldn’t be for everyone.
Gotta live life in your own direction, and right now I just want to focus on myself.
Along with the size, are there any other issues with the apartment you have to deal with?
Yes, the ceiling when it rains starts leaking above my bed sometimes. I’ve called my landlord to fix it and they aren’t the best responders.
Other than that, it’s been perfectly fine.
Oh! One more thing – in winter last year, it started snowing in my apartment.
Any problems with the flat? Perhaps the rain leaking through the ceiling… (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
…Snowing? Fun! Do you spend much time in your apartment?
It depends on the week, but usually not a ton. If I am, it’s by choice.
But I prefer to be out andabout. That’s what youth and life is for!
I get that some people spend their lives at home, and a zen, peaceful space is important, but for me I find my peace coming from experiences.
Very fair. Do you have any plans to move soon? What about buying a place?
I probably will move again when the lease is over.
Not because of the space, but I’m someone who lives to change their atmosphere. I don’t understand how people can stay at the same spots year after year, no matter how low the price.
Finally, what advice do you have for people living in similarly small spaces?
Make the space as cozy as possible.
Play around with illusions, big mirrors, etc. It’ll make the place look and feel bigger.
And, get rid of clutter. We all probably have so many things that we don’t really need! Keep the epic stuff, and get rid of the nonsense.
Cheers to small space living! It’s such an adventure.
Shall we take a look around?
Welcome in! (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Here you can see the sofa/living area, the kitchen, and the TV (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
As you can tell, there’s really not much space (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Alaina doesn’t cook in the kitchen much (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Yep, she can almost reach across (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Sotrage piles up high (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Alaina took the chance to minimise clutter (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Here’s her dog, Pimento (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
The sofa can also fold into a bed (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Or you can go up the ladder to find the bed (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Yes, space is a little tight (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
We wouldn’t recommend sitting up (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
There’s some extra space for clothes up here (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
…Cosy? (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
The bathroom is down the hallway, just around the corner from the apartment (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
Alaina feels lucky she doesn’t have to share it with anyone (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
And the rooftop is just up this ladder (Picture: Adam Gray/SWNS)
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‘Any problems apart from the size? The ceiling. When it rains it starts leaking above my bed sometimes.’
