Could You Live in a Micro Apartment in Paris?

Did you know that there are micro apartments in Paris? I live in one myself, and my place is only 235 square feet/ 21 square meters. Do I live an easy life here? Not necessarily. If it were up to me, I'd get a bigger place since I have a lot of stuff. With that said, if I wasn't such a raging shopaholic, I'm sure I would love living in my tiny home better. I'm already pretty comfortable here and I don't mind that most of my apartment is within an arm's reach. So if you want to know if you could live in a micro apartment in Paris, you should be fit, you're not claustrophobic, and you shouldn't need a lot of stuff.

What is a Micro Apartment?

Firstly, let me define what a micro apartment is. It's easy to think that all studio apartments fall under this category but in truth, it's more complicated than that. A micro apartment is a small, self-contained living space that's usually sized at less than 375 square feet/ 35 square meters. Typically, they're studio apartments, but a one-bedroom can still count as a micro apartment as long as it's smaller than 35 square meters. Since Paris is a very crowded and dense city, it has many micro apartments. I'd even say that it has some of the smallest in the world!

Are You Caustrophobic?

Now, let's see if you could actually live in a micro apartment in Paris. Firstly, if you're claustrophobic, you can forget about living in such a place. Micro apartments are teeny tiny. Some are even so absurdly small that I still can't believe that anyone could ever be comfortable in them. Granted, my place isn't all that big, but it has enough space for me to separate my sleeping area from the small living room and the kitchenette. But others? I have a friend who's renting an apartment in the 3rd arrondissement that's only 120 square feet/ 11 square meters big. Could you survive in a place that small?

What are Your Living Essentials?

Now, let's talk about what's inside the micro apartment. If you could and won't have any trouble living in a place that only has the essentials, then you're all good. What are these essentials? A bathroom, a kitchen (usually a kitchenette), a sleeping space, and ample storage. You're lucky if you can get a rental that's just big enough to have a separate living room and sleeping area! Though they are pretty common in Paris, it's still possible to get a place that's too small for that.

Are You Fit?

I'm not saying you have to be fit to live in Paris, but I do admit that it will be easier for you if you're living in a micro apartment. For one thing, many micro apartments are lofts and have their beds floating above the rest of the space. It's more than usual that the micro apartment you'll rent will have a bed you can only reach via a ladder. Having a more fit body will make it easier for you to navigate the small and limited space too. You'll have no trouble taking down your Murphy bed, flipping your ottoman to turn it into a coffee table, and more.

Do You Like Multipurpose Furniture?

Multipurpose Furniture is the future of home decor and even real estate. Whether you're living in a micro apartment in Paris or not, it's still better to have it than simple, boring, single-use furniture. But let's focus on micro apartments for now. Did you know some of the Paris apartments on the market today are as small as 97 square feet/ 9 square meters? If you'll be staying in such a place, you'll barely have space for a full closet, right? Hence, a great solution is to get a bed with storage underneath. What's not to love?

Are You Handy?

I'm gonna tell you this now: it's better to be handy at home if you plan to live in a micro apartment in Paris. I can't tell you how many times I've had to spruce up my place when I bought new stuff or when the old parts broke down. A good rule of thumb about decorating a micro apartment is to go vertical instead of horizontal. This meant putting up floating shelves and built-in racks every chance I got. And since I didn't want to pay more for installments, I decided to do them myself. So far so good!

Do You Like Your Reflection?

I don't mean to say you have to be vain or anything, but in my experience, many micro apartments are filled with mirrors. Architects and interior designers use them to maximize the space and make it look and feel bigger. Not to mention reflect the light from the window too. Hence, if you will be living in such a place, you need to get used to seeing yourself again and again. I admittedly found it creepy at first since I often thought there was someone else in my apartment when I happened upon my reflection.

Do You Clean Up After Yourself?

If not, then what are you doing? Even if you're not living in a micro apartment, you ought to clean up after yourself. If you could afford a maid or a cleaner, then good for you! If not, then you need to learn fast because if not, you'll have a stressful life in Paris! I've always picked up after myself even before I moved to my current place but I found that I needed to do it again and again. Why? Because of one thing: space! Since it's already a small apartment, why would I lessen my legroom by leaving my stuff on the floor?



Do you think you could handle living in a micro apartment in Paris? Though they're small and extremely compact, I've always found these sorts of luxury rentals in Paris very cozy. They're also affordable and convenient in many ways.