If we could all overcome our aversion to small, closed-in spaces, perhaps we’d be a bit more financially secure.
With the economy tanking and countless individuals struggling to pay rent, this grad student is getting creative with her modest living arrangement of making a home out of a closet-sized space.
Grad Student Pays $328 Per Month to Live In Closet-Sized ‘Goshiwon’
Lydia Rouka, 27, is a graduate student from Frankfurt, Germany, studying in Seoul, South Korea, where she recently moved into an 8 ft. x 9 ft. goshiwon. For reference, a goshiwon is basically just a very small room typically siloed for students. Rouka’s micro-apartment includes a single bed, desk and chair, shelves, and bathroom space. There is also a communal kitchen and laundry room.
While this might sound like a nightmare to some people, Rouka said she actually enjoys her living arrangement.
“It made me realize how much we consume without thinking and how little we actually need,” she told SWNS. “I donated and gave away a lot, and it felt incredibly freeing.”
She’s not the only one who shares this sentiment, either.
“My current housing (goshiwon) is really popular among students and newcomers to Seoul,” Rouka said. “They fill up fast, especially at the start of each semester.”
However, hers tends to be a bit tinier than some of the others offered to students.
“I moved mid-semester, so it was a bit tricky to find a room, hence why I ended up with one of the smallest rooms,” she explained.
For her micro-apartment, Rouka only pays $328 per month in rent—something of a dream for many of us here in the U.S.
And though residing in such a small space might seem impossible, adopting a minimalist lifestyle could certainly help anyone adjust.
“I’ve never considered myself a minimalist, but this lifestyle kind of made me one by default,” Rouka confessed. “And surprisingly, I’ve been loving it!”
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