How to Live Well in a Studio Apartment
By Northern Lakes
Is it possible to live well in a studio apartment? This is a question that our senior generation often asks to determine whether a smaller living space is right for them. Let’s talk about how this can be the right decision and can also bring comfort, relief and save you money.
The Benefits
Many seniors no longer want to maintain a home full of things. Often a favorite chair, a seat at the kitchen table or desk and bed are the most used spots in the home of senior so they do not need a large apartment for their new season of life. Some seniors are no longer able to maintain a home full of things and have shared how overwhelming it can feel to have so much “stuff” to take care of. Choosing belongings that bring the most joy and get the most use is part of the studio living lifestyle. There is comfort in having less. Most seniors express relief once the process of choosing is done; old treasures have been given new appreciation and placed where they are easily enjoyed. Another benefit to studio living is that studio apartments are bright and open with no dark and lonely rooms. Lastly, let’s not overlook the financial benefit… larger square footage comes at a cost, choosing a studio can help your money go farther.
Decreasing Space, Increasing Life
Our community’s location and lack of things to “deal with” provide many residents a high quality of life. We’ve had new residents express that they love that they can have delicious meals (that they get served and don’t have to cook), have relaxing outdoor spaces, many activities to choose from, and peace of mind with the option for home care services. It’s a wonderful lifestyle, no matter how much space you have to live in.
What is important to you?
That is one of the first questions that you’ll hear from us. Usually the answers are: safety, quality care, the opportunity to age in place even as health care needs increase, that you’ll love them like family, good food…things like that. Then, after we have the conversation of what’s important and they see the studio apartment, they may have a moment of surprise. Yes it’s small, but often not as small as they feared. Now think back to the conversation of why you, or your loved one needs a senior community (falls, isolation, not eating right, needed care), none of those reasons involved having a large 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. Plus, they have the whole community as their home (that’s likely more than the home they will move from). With less stuff and a smaller home to deal with, more focus can be put toward living a better quality of life.
We understand that making the decision to move yourself or moving a loved one into a senior living community, and also a studio apartment is hard. That’s why we’re here. To help support you, guide you and let you know that it’s going to be okay. It’s okay to be scared and it’s okay to feel uncertain. We understand. That’s why we invite you to try a studio first and if it doesn’t work…then go bigger.
Ways to Live Well in Studio Apartment
The Benefits
Many seniors no longer want to maintain a home full of things. Often a favorite chair, a seat at the kitchen table or desk and bed are the most used spots in the home of senior so they do not need a large apartment for their new season of life. Some seniors are no longer able to maintain a home full of things and have shared how overwhelming it can feel to have so much “stuff” to take care of. Choosing belongings that bring the most joy and get the most use is part of the studio living lifestyle. There is comfort in having less. Most seniors express relief once the process of choosing is done; old treasures have been given new appreciation and placed where they are easily enjoyed. Another benefit to studio living is that studio apartments are bright and open with no dark and lonely rooms. Lastly, let’s not overlook the financial benefit… larger square footage comes at a cost, choosing a studio can help your money go farther.
Decreasing Space, Increasing Life
Our community’s location and lack of things to “deal with” provide many residents a high quality of life. We’ve had new residents express that they love that they can have delicious meals (that they get served and don’t have to cook), have relaxing outdoor spaces, many activities to choose from, and peace of mind with the option for home care services. It’s a wonderful lifestyle, no matter how much space you have to live in.
What is important to you?
That is one of the first questions that you’ll hear from us. Usually the answers are: safety, quality care, the opportunity to age in place even as health care needs increase, that you’ll love them like family, good food…things like that. Then, after we have the conversation of what’s important and they see the studio apartment, they may have a moment of surprise. Yes it’s small, but often not as small as they feared. Now think back to the conversation of why you, or your loved one needs a senior community (falls, isolation, not eating right, needed care), none of those reasons involved having a large 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. Plus, they have the whole community as their home (that’s likely more than the home they will move from). With less stuff and a smaller home to deal with, more focus can be put toward living a better quality of life.
We understand that making the decision to move yourself or moving a loved one into a senior living community, and also a studio apartment is hard. That’s why we’re here. To help support you, guide you and let you know that it’s going to be okay. It’s okay to be scared and it’s okay to feel uncertain. We understand. That’s why we invite you to try a studio first and if it doesn’t work…then go bigger.
Ways to Live Well in Studio Apartment
- Get creative with shelving…go vertical to save space
- Consider using a decorative divider or privacy screen for the sleeping area
- Wall mount the television or use a stand that has storage
- Get a comfy twin or full size bed and cheerful linens
- Use curtains to warm up & soften your space
- Make use of every corner…consider a large floor plant, corner storage cabinets and placing a cozy chair at a diagonal
- Double duty furniture (ex: ottoman that doubles as storage)
- Get the floor plan with dimensions as a planning tool in choosing what to bring with and what you can pass along to someone else
- Remember to utilize under the bed storage bins
