How to survive studio living without losing your sanity

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | December 18, 2014 - 3:59PM

In Case You Missed It: Every so often, BrickUnderground digs through the archives to find the best advice our experts have shared through the years.

While we might not recommend a family of four live in one room, the studio life is perfectly doable for a single person or even a couple, as long as you employ some hacks. Back in 2012, we spoke with one New Yorker who'd been making 338 square feet work for almost a decade. Below, his tips for surviving (and thriving) in tiny digs:

Storage = happiness
Closet storage is the best kind, since it's out of view. But to make the most of limited space, stow items in shoe boxes and stack them up. Tote bags are great for keeping magazines and books, while travel items are best stored in a suitcase, and the oven is a classic New York stash spot. (Just be sure to empty it before preheating, natch.)

Don't shy away from design
Small need not be boring. Play with color and accessories: Vintage handbags, shoes, ties, and scarves are usable art. Plus, you can use art to differentiate spaces (and take up less square footage than room dividers).

Get. Out.
No matter how well you use your studio, one room will feel cramped if you're there long enough. Cash in those frequent flyer miles and get a change of scenery when you can.

For more advice, read "10 tips from a renter who's lived in one 338-square-foot room for almost a decade."

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