If you're concerned with how your local housing market could affect you, you're definitely not alone. With housing prices reaching record highs across the United States (and other countries, for that matter), the idea of owning a home seems a little impossible for many young people.
With housing affordability being precarious at best, many young, aspiring home owners are being forced to turn to alternatives.
Jacinia and Dimitri Reyes have spent the past couple of years living in an incredibly tiny apartment. So small, it only measures 88 square feet. Amazingly, this couple (along with their cat) are making this tiny space work for them.
The small space comes with a pretty good trade-off: they only spend around $300 per month on their lodgings, which includes internet, utilities, access to a backyard for composting, a parking space, and shared bathrooms.
With such little space, Dimitri and Jacinia have paired back to the essentials, something they began doing out of necessity, but have since embraced as a way of life.
The couple give a house tour on the Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel, showing how they manage their space, as well as how they've made sure their cat has room and comfort. It's decorated using items they've received for free (or very cheap).
Dimitri admits that the extreme minimalist lifestyle isn't all positives. Their limited space, both in their own apartment and in the shared bathrooms, makes it pretty easy to bump into one another.
The couple, though they may be in each other's way from time to time, also see their lives in close proximity as something that has made their relationship that much stronger.
Jacinia, who has agoraphobia, was able to leave her job in order manage her mental health. Because their cost of living is so low, they're also able to save a lot of money.
Though Jacinia and Dimitri make it work now, their ultimate goal is to own a home of their own, where they can have more space to grow vegetables and foster kittens.
After all, they've gotten accustomed to their living arrangements, and feel completely at ease with their home, despite its limited space.
The couple each have their own channels dedicated to their crafts; Dimitri's centers around his poetry, while Jacinia runs a vegan lifestyle and cooking channel. They do a lot of their filming in their apartment space!
What do you think? Could you live in an 88-square-foot apartment? Let us know in the comments!
