Pros and Cons of Living in a Studio Flat

A little over a year ago I made one of the best decisions of my life, which was to move into a studio flat. It's a flat that's made up by one single room, instead of separate ones. This means that your bedroom, living room and kitchen are all in one space. I know they're not for everyone, but I absolutely love mine. If you're interested in studio flats or considering moving into one, here are the main pros and cons that I've experienced.

Pro - You get to live by yourself for cheaper rent

This is by far the biggest pro for me. I'm quite particular about how I want my living space, and I'm sure we've all had flatmates with different understandings of desired cleanliness, noise levels and privacy. It's also the freedom of having your own place to do what you want, and no one stealing your food or leaving a mess. For me, I had wanted to live by myself for a long time, but paying for a one-bedroom flat isn't very tempting, especially as I live in London, where rent prices are extortionate. The perfect solution for me was a studio flat. It's just enough space for me, and it's not breaking the bank.

Con - You are sleeping in your kitchen

The downside of the smaller space is of course that... it's small. As everything is contained in one room, it means that you cook in your bedroom, and you sleep in your kitchen. If you make smelly food, you need to be consistent with opening windows or using an extractor fan. If not, you'l go to bed still smelling your dinner. Another thing about only having one room is that everyone sees everything. You have no private space that is kept away from people. If you live in a house, you don't often invite your guests into your bedroom, that's a space you get to keep to yourself. In a studio flat, your guests see absolutely everything. When they come inside, they literally step into your bedroom. So as a person who already gets annoyed when people don't take their shoes off (no one wears shoes indoors in Norway), I'm very quick to nag people about it now.

Pro - All the perks of having a smaller space

A smaller space means you spend less time cleaning. Fewer things in your flat means fewer things to clean, and less stuff to manage. Say goodbye to six hour cleaning sessions every Sunday! You also know that you are utilising the space you're renting to the fullest. Unlike a lot of houses or flats, in this one you know that you're not wasting coin on extra square feet. You're not paying for unused rooms or extra space that you don't need. You also don't have to spend a lot of money on furnishing the place. A smaller space requires less furniture, which is great both for saving cash and having less stuff. It probably goes without saying that owning furniture makes moving, especially in a big city, a lot more difficult.

Con - Sleepovers are an issue

When you don't have a separate bedroom, and in my case, no couch, there is nowhere for a guest to sleep, unless they're comfortable sharing a bed with me. Of course this doesn't apply to everyone, so it becomes harder to have people over. It's more obvious as well as I live in a big city and my friends love to take trips here, and I can no longer host for people if they want to stay with me, unless they're close friends.

Pro - It gives perspective on belongings

Being in a smaller flat makes you realise how much you own. Everything takes precious space, which raises the question of whether you really need something or not, and you need to prioritise. Moving to a studio flat is a great way of downsizing and decluttering your life, as you don’t have space for stuff you don’t need. I’m a minimalist, and I love the way the smaller space keeps me on my toes. When you’re always in the same room as all your belongings, it makes you more aware of how many things you actually have. Decluttering and simplifying your life can really decrease stress, and make you focus less on materialistic stuff.

Con - Any mess congests your flat

Continuing from my last pro, less stuff means less mess. But if you do leave something out of place, it’ll most likely be in the way. If I don’t make my bed in the morning, my cushions and bedspread will clog up my walking space. If you don’t tidy up your kitchen counters, or if you leave dough to set or any kind of food that takes a while, you’ll have to work around that. You probably don’t have the luxury of six kitchen counters and lots of free floor space, and it's just something you'll have to deal with.

Those were my most important pros and cons of living in a studio flat, and the ones that affect me the most. Of course it’s a different experience for everyone, but for me, the pros outweigh the cons by far. I love my studio flat, and if you're considering moving to one, I would highly recommend that you try it.

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