4 ms·

I actually can't picture it. I mean, if you have a bunch of books, a bed, a computer, clothes, a kitchen, a washing mashine and a bit of storage...

throwanem 9y ago
You probably don't have a kitchen. Maybe a hot plate. (You probably don't have a bathroom of your own, either. Maybe this author does, and doesn't count it as living space. But I doubt it.) You certainly don't have a washing machine. The building probably does, or else you go to laundromats.
petercooper 9y ago
Try picturing it here: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/jun/07/boxed-life-inside-hong-kong-coffin-cubicles-cage-homes-in-pictures https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/jun/07/boxed... .. lots of examples of similarly sized "homes" :)
- ioulian 9y ago
  Thanks for sharing! It's impressive how much stuff can be placed there, the use of the space is impressive. Also interesting is to see that a lot of people living there have such nice clothes, I see people living in huge houses here that dress less impressive...
twelvechairs 9y ago
Its their bedroom only (presumably in a share house or dorm or similar). Washing/kitchen/etc would be outside this.
ctdonath 9y ago
Books? E-books take no space. Public library has vast storage on your behalf, free. Bed? Futons are small. Air mattress rolls up tiny. Elevate a regular bed and all that space is available again. Computer? Notebooks fold up to nearly nothing. Clothes? 3-4 outfits fold to 1 cubic foot. Kitchen? Hot plate and nesting pots take another cubic foot max. Washing machine? Laundromat, or sink & clothesline. Storage? Under other things, or hang from ceiling. Don't need much. We're talking urban, not rural, so many services are normally available covering anything lacking for space. Even if rural, note that some people go on 2000 mile backpacking trips, taking 6 months, carrying all their stuff totaling just 20-30 pounds.
- flavio81 9y ago
  However, at least here, the idea is that if you are cash-strapped (and thus you have to rent a tiny place), you need to save money in all possible ways. This means that you need to cook your own food. I cook, and I tell you that i couldn't make it if i had only one hot plate. I would need at least a 3-burner kitchen with a stove. And a microwave. And you shouldn't put things on top of the microwave. Plus a reasonably sized fridge, because you save money by buying in bulk. In the same way i definitely must have my own washing machine and -if drying space isn't available- a drying machine, > so many services are normally available covering anything > lacking for space. otherwise spending on a cleaning service gets very expensive here, basically in two or three months the service costs you as much as a washing machine. Of course, not cooking your food can make a big impact on your finances here. And mind you, this (Peru) is a country with cheap meals. But cooking your own is still cheaper. As for clothes, i can't see how 3-4 outfits is enough. I work in business suit and I need at least 3 business suits, then add the regular/casual outfits and the sport outfits and you are counting about 9-12 outfits. Business suits shouldn't be folded.
  - Jemmeh 9y ago
    There's a lot of foods you can eat without having to cook them, or that you can cook with just a single electric burner. You can buy a mini dorm fridge + small microwave if you really need one, but simply buying whatever is on sale like meat that is about to expire or very ripe fruit is a good way to still save money without needing a lot of space. Washer and dryer uses a lot of electricity and water, so while it is more expensive to go to the laundrymat it's not as much as you might think, especially vs the savings of living in a very small space. Wearing your clothes more than once helps a lot, and even in a small space you can usually find somewhere to hang suits. Usually the back of a door is good. There's a lot of people out there that make it work. :)
  - ctdonath 9y ago
    I cook 3x daily for four, typically on just 1 cast iron skillet. My microwave is still in a box after buying it 6 months ago. Washing clothes in a sink is no big deal. Neither is hanging them to dry. Need more clothes? Fine. Learn to hang them compactly. We're talking about living in 80 sq ft. Lifestyle WILL have to change, or move to where cost vs size vs lifestyle works.
Kiro 9y ago
Where do you live? Where I'm from it's very uncommon to have your own washing machine in the apartment.

throwanem 9y ago

You probably don't have a kitchen. Maybe a hot plate. (You probably don't have a bathroom of your own, either. Maybe this author does, and doesn't count it as living space. But I doubt it.) You certainly don't have a washing machine. The building probably does, or else you go to laundromats.

petercooper 9y ago

Try picturing it here: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/jun/07/boxed-life-inside-hong-kong-coffin-cubicles-cage-homes-in-pictures https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/jun/07/boxed... .. lots of examples of similarly sized "homes" :)

ioulian 9y ago
Thanks for sharing! It's impressive how much stuff can be placed there, the use of the space is impressive. Also interesting is to see that a lot of people living there have such nice clothes, I see people living in huge houses here that dress less impressive...

twelvechairs 9y ago

Its their bedroom only (presumably in a share house or dorm or similar). Washing/kitchen/etc would be outside this.

ctdonath 9y ago

Books? E-books take no space. Public library has vast storage on your behalf, free. Bed? Futons are small. Air mattress rolls up tiny. Elevate a regular bed and all that space is available again. Computer? Notebooks fold up to nearly nothing. Clothes? 3-4 outfits fold to 1 cubic foot. Kitchen? Hot plate and nesting pots take another cubic foot max. Washing machine? Laundromat, or sink & clothesline. Storage? Under other things, or hang from ceiling. Don't need much. We're talking urban, not rural, so many services are normally available covering anything lacking for space. Even if rural, note that some people go on 2000 mile backpacking trips, taking 6 months, carrying all their stuff totaling just 20-30 pounds.

flavio81 9y ago
However, at least here, the idea is that if you are cash-strapped (and thus you have to rent a tiny place), you need to save money in all possible ways. This means that you need to cook your own food. I cook, and I tell you that i couldn't make it if i had only one hot plate. I would need at least a 3-burner kitchen with a stove. And a microwave. And you shouldn't put things on top of the microwave. Plus a reasonably sized fridge, because you save money by buying in bulk. In the same way i definitely must have my own washing machine and -if drying space isn't available- a drying machine, > so many services are normally available covering anything > lacking for space. otherwise spending on a cleaning service gets very expensive here, basically in two or three months the service costs you as much as a washing machine. Of course, not cooking your food can make a big impact on your finances here. And mind you, this (Peru) is a country with cheap meals. But cooking your own is still cheaper. As for clothes, i can't see how 3-4 outfits is enough. I work in business suit and I need at least 3 business suits, then add the regular/casual outfits and the sport outfits and you are counting about 9-12 outfits. Business suits shouldn't be folded.
- Jemmeh 9y ago
  There's a lot of foods you can eat without having to cook them, or that you can cook with just a single electric burner. You can buy a mini dorm fridge + small microwave if you really need one, but simply buying whatever is on sale like meat that is about to expire or very ripe fruit is a good way to still save money without needing a lot of space. Washer and dryer uses a lot of electricity and water, so while it is more expensive to go to the laundrymat it's not as much as you might think, especially vs the savings of living in a very small space. Wearing your clothes more than once helps a lot, and even in a small space you can usually find somewhere to hang suits. Usually the back of a door is good. There's a lot of people out there that make it work. :)
- ctdonath 9y ago
  I cook 3x daily for four, typically on just 1 cast iron skillet. My microwave is still in a box after buying it 6 months ago. Washing clothes in a sink is no big deal. Neither is hanging them to dry. Need more clothes? Fine. Learn to hang them compactly. We're talking about living in 80 sq ft. Lifestyle WILL have to change, or move to where cost vs size vs lifestyle works.

Kiro 9y ago

Where do you live? Where I'm from it's very uncommon to have your own washing machine in the apartment.