Simple Living in 200 sq ft – Pros and Cons

There are several pros and cons to living in 200 sq ft and this lifestyle is not for everyone. But, it can be worth it for the opportunities! Small space living can work and provide you many benefits. Would you be willing to give it a try?

Could you live in 200 sq ft?!

What would it be like to live in a small space? Living in 200 sq ft was not something that I thought I could ever do! This teeny tiny studio apartment in Korea was in a very tall high rise building. It was in the middle of Seoul and we loved it!

I will share with you some of the pros and cons I learned while living in such a small space. That way you have a more realistic idea of what to expect while living this type of lifestyle.

If you have also lived in small spaces or currently live tiny, let me know in the comments. I’d love to connect with you small space dwellers! 

Simple living journey

We were obsessed with tiny houses and couldn’t get enough of those tour videos on YouTube. Then we found out about airstreams and van life and were hooked!

Are you in the same boat? Do you live in a van, tiny house, airstream, small studio or some other unique small space dwelling? I’d love to hear about it. Drop us a comment and tell us about it. 

In Korea, especially Seoul, the population is super dense. It’s very common to see high rise apartments everywhere filled with tiny studio apartments. There is obviously more space to build up than out. That is how we ended up living in 200 sq ft! And actually, the school I taught English at, provided this apartment for us.

Pros and cons to living in small spaces

There are many pros and cons to living in 200 sq ft or any small space. I’ll break it down for you.

You can also watch a video about this here. 

Let’s start with the Pros.

Pro #1: a more tidy house

The first pro is that having a smaller space encourages you to keep the place more tidy. You will become more strategic about keeping essentials that fit in such a small space. Not everything you want will actually fit or make sense in a small space. 

pro #2: having less junk

Another pro is that you will find yourself buying less stuff or junk to fill up the studio. That’s more money in your pocket and it makes you rethink what you actually really need on a daily basis versus what you think would be nice, but only use every once in a while.

pro #3: space to explore outside

The third pro is that living in a small space causes you to live outdoors more often and enjoy fresh air, walking, exercising, exploring, and meeting up with people. Think of all the things you would normally do in a larger space besides eating, sleeping, and getting ready in the bathroom. For instance, working out at home or having a get together with several guests. You would just do those things outdoors or meet up with people at cafes or restaurants. There is so much to explore in Seoul and perhaps any city, that a small space gets you out of the house to explore those things. 

There are also a few cons to living in small and tiny spaces. Here we go with them.

Con #1: No distinct living areas

One con is not having distinct living areas such as a living room, dining room, and bedroom. You will have to adjust and use one room as a multi-functional space. For us, our bedroom, living room, dining room, office, kitchen, and laundry room were basically all in one room! Our bathroom thankfully was a separate space with a door. But, it was a wet bath, so don’t even get me started on that. Not a fan! But, it was doable. 

con #2: forgo certain comforts and items

Another con is having to sacrifice and forgo certain comforts and things due to the lack of space. If you were dreaming of that perfect sofa set or king sized bed, it may not be realistic in such a small space. We certainly had to experience that as we both slept in separate beds even as a married couple! One of them was a futon and folded up as a couch, so at least we had some normalcy with a little sofa area.

Oh and forget the dining table. At least in Korea, it’s normal to sit on the floor to eat with a small table. It’s really easy to get used to. Plus the ondol floor heating makes the experience much more cozy. 

Con #3: compromised organizational strategy

A third con is having to come up with an organizational strategy that fits your needs, schedule, and sanity. Now if you like organizing, then this may be more fun for you and not so much of a con. But, especially for those married folks who have to be in sync with one another, the dynamics of sharing a small space come with perhaps more communication and shared expectations. The strategy of organizing can come with a bit of compromise on both sides. That is what makes this con uncomfortable, yet rewarding if you can strive to make it work! 

any other pros and cons?

I’m sure there are many more pros and cons that we could discuss here, so if you think of anything else, drop them in the comments and let’s have a conversation about it!

simple living in creative ways

To be honest, I never really felt any lack or frustration living in this small space as it had everything we really needed. We actually enjoyed our small oasis and made the most of it. Learning how to shop for one small dorm sized fridge and only having a one burner stove to cook on. You just get creative with what you have. 

We even spent many evenings or weekends indoors watching movies on the TV or our laptop. We would buy some movie snacks, prop up the laptop with a small speaker, and enjoy a show or movie right from the comforts of our bed/living room. 

The simple memories we made in that studio apartment are still very memorable to me this day. We learned to be creative and work together to make the space work instead of wandering off in a larger place to our own space away from each other. We had to grow and face each other every day and it really only strengthened our relationship. 

simple living in 200 sq ft is not for everyone

I’ve met others who say they have to get space away from their spouse and wouldn’t be able to live the way we do, so I completely understand this is not a lifestyle for everyone. It works for us and is worth the freedom and opportunities. 

How about you? Is living in a small space for you or not? I’m curious to know.

simple living journey continues

I hope this was helpful in giving you a sneak peak of living in a small space no matter where you are in the world by breaking down some of the pros and cons we experienced. 

If you want to see the video we made about our tiny apartment in Seoul and a video tour of a larger (yet small) apartment in Korea, check them out below.

200 sq ft Korea studio apartment

Small one bedroom apartment in Korea