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What is a micro-apartment?

Alcove Team · 1/6/22

What is a micro-apartment?

Are you looking forward to scaling down and moving to a simple, more minimal life? Or are you looking for your first apartment to rent, but you have a very tight budget?

In both cases your answer might be one of the newest trends in the housing market – micro-apartments. In case you are wondering what are micro-apartments, and what you can expect, keep reading! 


What are micro-apartments? 

We have all heard of studio apartments and know what they look like. Well, micro-apartments take minimizing space to a whole other level. A micro-apartment is a one-room home, consisting of living space, bed area, bathroom and small kitchenette.

As they are smaller than a studio, the average size of one micro-apartment is between 100 – 350 sq ft. 

What can I expect from a micro-apartment? 

So, before you jump straight into renting or buying a micro-apartment you also need to know what you should expect from such a tiny space.

Micro-apartments have recently become extremely popular in larger cosmopolitan cities, such as New York, Hong Kong, London, etc. As this is a fairly new trend, you can also expect them to be new-build with quite a lot of additional communal spaces with facilities such as garden, patio, gym, etc. 

However, with increasing density across most US cities, builders and real estate investors look to pack more ROI into their portfolios. This has caused an influx of micro-apartments in smaller cities as well.

studio apartment vs. micro-apartment

When it comes to the actual living space, you should also expect that everything is made with the idea to be used for multiple purposes. Often you will find Murphy beds, movable kitchen islands, sofas and dining tables with additional storage space, folding desks and drawers etc.

In addition to that, you also have to be prepared that the kitchen appliances are much smaller in scale and they often fit perfectly and are hidden away. Keep reading as we are going further into the pros and cons of micro-apartments! 

Pros of micro-apartments

  • Micro-apartments can give you the chance to live in the center of a large city, which otherwise would be difficult to afford

  • Choosing a micro-apartment will definitely push you into living a lot more intentionally. This is a great way to start a simpler and more minimal life.

As previously mentioned, most micro-apartments come with communal areas with additional facilities, which are a great for hanging out with friends. If you have just relocated to a new city, this is a great way to meet new people!

Cons of micro-apartments

Besides the smaller living quarters:

  • Living in a micro-apartment might be difficult if you have pets, especially dogs. Your furry friends might need a bit more space to play around during the day while you are at work.

     

  • Micro-apartments are more accommodate for single occupancy. If you are planning to move in with your significant other or have them come over often, you might find the space a bit too small for two people.

Last but definitely not least, you really need to think about if a micro-apartment is the right thing for you.

It requires a lot of downsizing and if you own a lot of things you find it difficult to part with, it might not be the best option. Micro-apartments are also more suitable for people who do not work from home, as there is a limited amount of space.

They are more appropriate for people with full-time jobs, who also like to go out a lot and only go home for a few hours of sleep!


Now that you are aware of the concept of micro-apartments are and you know what to expect, as well as the main pros and cons of micro-units, it comes to you to decide if that would be the right choice for you!