I’ve always been a small space living girl - even when I took on roomates. My best-friend and I once shared a two bedroom, one bath flat with an assortment of people over a 1.5 year period. At most, we had 5 guys, 4 girls and a dog. Yeah, that worked for about 2 months. But when we got rid of everyone, we found that 800 square feet suited us both and all the space we had we used. And that’s when I began to really think not just about square footage, but livable space.

It makes sense; if I’m frugal about what I buy and consume, then I should really be frugal about what I live in.

In the fall of 2006 I purchased my first home; a modest 1000 square feet, two bedrooms, one bath 1941 bungalow. The price I paid was pretty high because I wanted that kind of home in a certain area. When people heard what I’d paid they kept telling me about the 4/2 I could have gotten five miles down the road. And I had looked at those places and each time I thought, I wouldn’t use any of those extra rooms. I don’t have the furniture for anything more. Who’d pay the electricity (this was Austin, Texas where you need to run the air conditioning 24/7 after all). The little home I chose had all the space I needed and didn’t overwhelm me. It also kept me from buying more than I needed because although the rooms were generously sized, there wasn’t a lot of them. I had only what I needed.

However, during this time I was still working in Los Angeles and going back and forth so I took up another home in Santa Monica again last spring in the same building I had lived in before I bought my house. The previous flat was small - unusably small. 700 square feet of pure hell small. Only one closet, no air circulating through because of how the windows were formed and a bedroom that felt like a cave. Don’t get me started on the washroom. So although this one bedroom one bath flat wasn’t all that much smaller than the house, it felt so much more because the space wasn’t designed well. And therefor, it couldn’t be used well.

But I loved the building that the one bedroom was in, I loved the location and I loved my landlords so when I saw the charming 2 bedroom, 1 bath 1300 square foot flat available, I was a smitten kitten. I had been used to living in a home and this flat felt like the closest thing. So many closets, so many windows, a front door, a back door, a hallway! It was the first home I’d actually fallen in love with, that brought out my style, that made me want to stay in on weekends, that instantly put visitors at ease. I was incredibly happy here but in December of last year I decided to move out. Why? I realised that it was too much space for one person and that the cost of rent versus what I was using wasn’t frugal.

The rent was ridiculous, even by Santa Monica standards. With the writers strike going on in LA, I had to really think my finances and ask myself who all this space was for? Was it for me? Although I loved it, the truth was, it just looked great. It looked like a flat I should have. Bigger is better, right? It seemed impressive. But then I asked myself, did I need it? And the answer was no, I didn’t. There was a whole dining area that went unused (and unfurnished) and a living room I almost never sat it. I spent my time either in the office, the bedroom or the kitchen. Actually, I spent most of my time travelling. And yet here I was with this huge flat and a decision to make. So I chose to move out.

Three days before Christmas I took on a Vacation rental which was also a 2/1 but was about 800 square feet. The kitchen was a nightmare to be in because it was so, so, so badly designed (and it was all brand new - they just didn’t think). Though this flat was smaller, it had good storage and I used all of the space I had (including a balcony). This flat taught me that a well designed kitchen is more important than a large one and that closets really are my BFF.

But then it flooded in March and since then I’ve been staying in various hotels around the world (thanks to my work) and in a room at a friends house (where my pets and boxes stay full-time right now). All these rooms average about 300 square feet (except for a couple of amazing suites I must write about here) and despite their small size, they always have what I need - a bed, a desk, a closet and a washroom. Of course, in the hotels I don’t have access to a kitchen which I need but other than that, the small space - if used well - works for me.

So as I begin my flat hunt in earnest, I’ve actually begun to take into consideration studios. I had one I adored in Vancouver, Canada and it was huge (walk in closet and separate kitchen) and I could do that though living in Los Angeles, I get way more company and have to take that into consideration. Guests at this age want privacy - comfort means something very different than it did at 18! But then I saw the layout of <a href=”http://www.hbo.com/city/interiors/carrie.shtml”>Carrie’s Flat from SATC</a> and thought perhaps there could be a work-around.

But in writing out a list of things that are important to me, livable, usable space is definitely at the top. As is lots of natural light, great closet space, hardwood floors, character, usable kitchen counter space and scenery (what do I see when I look out the window). These things weigh more than “Is it a 2 bedroom or 1?” It’s all about what I’ll use and what I love.

I’m frugal so having anything beyond my needs just doesn’t make sense - in clothing, food or square footage.