What is a studio apartment?

Did you know that about 36.6% of households in the United States are renting their home?

That’s the highest percentage of renters in the last 50 years.

There are lots of benefits to renting an apartment. Whether you’re a college graduate moving to a new city or a small family looking for an inexpensive place to live, you’re probably thinking about renting an apartment.

When you’re renting a new apartment, you want to make sure you’re asking the right questions. But before you can ask the right questions, you need to know what your options are.

What is a studio apartment? How is it different from a single-bedroom apartment? What are the benefits of renting a studio apartment?

We’ve got you covered. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about renting a studio apartment.

What Is a Studio Apartment?

If you’re thinking about renting an apartment by yourself or with one other person, you’ll want to know the difference between a studio apartment vs. 1 bedroom apartment.

In a single-bedroom apartment, you have several separate rooms. At the very least, these rooms usually include a bedroom, a bathroom, and a separate living room area.

A single person or couple can live here with lots of extra space. That's because an apartment with one bedroom is usually an average of 700 square feet. That makes it fairly spacious, especially for one person.

On the other hand, a studio apartment is much smaller. The typical studio apartment is usually somewhere between 500 and 600 square feet.

Studio apartments also consist of just one room. The typical layout will include one room, a closet, and an attached bathroom. It’s set up a lot like a college dorm room.

If you’re having trouble picturing the size of a studio apartment, imagine a space a little bigger than the typical hotel room. That should give you a pretty good idea of how big a studio apartment is.

Many studio apartments have tall ceilings. That gives the tenants more space to store things vertically.

Additionally, studio apartments often have large windows. This lets in more light, which makes the space feel bigger.

Occasionally, studio apartments have a little alcove attached to the main room. While usually there is no door between the main room and the alcove, you can set up a curtain to create a private space attached to the apartment.

A studio apartment doesn’t have a kitchen, but it does often have kitchen appliances set up against one of the walls. If there is an attached alcove, there may also be kitchen appliances in there.

Benefits of a Studio Apartment

There are many unique benefits to renting a studio apartment.

The first is price. On average, the rent for a studio apartment is much less than the rent for a single-bedroom apartment. That’s because there is much less space.

If you’re not sure how much rent you can afford, use a tool like an online rent calculator.

If the calculator reveals that you don’t have much to spend on rent, you might want to consider cheaper options like a studio apartment.

There are other reasons why you’ll spend less money with a studio apartment. Because there is less space in a studio apartment, you may find yourself inadvertently saving money on furniture and other amenities.

Studio apartments are especially appealing to anyone who loves living a minimalist lifestyle. In a studio apartment, you can cut down on unnecessary items and focus on keeping the things you really love.

It’s also much easier to clean a studio apartment. There’s less floor space to mop. There’s less furniture to scrub. There are probably even fewer dishes to wash. In a studio apartment, you’ll spend less time cleaning.

You’ll also end up saving money on A/C and heating bills. That’s because it takes less energy to heat and cool just one room than a full apartment with several rooms.

Plus, you’ll be saving energy. By using less energy and less water, you’ll help to protect the environment. That’s a huge benefit.

Additionally, you can usually find studio apartments in the coolest parts of the city. You’ll be living near the best spots to hang out and see the sights.

For more benefits of living in a studio apartment, check out this couple who blogged about their experiences living in a small space.

Best Studio Apartment Layout

What are the best layouts for your studio apartment? Here are some of the best options.

Set Up a Loft Bed

If the studio apartment has a loft or even just high ceilings, you can save space by setting up a loft bed.

When your bed is hidden above the apartment, you’ll free up lots of extra space for visitors or even just a personal living area.

If you’re not sure what this looks like, take a look at these pictures of a beautiful Swedish studio apartment.

Double Your Bed as a Couch

If you push your bed up against one wall, you can lay a long cushion between the bed and the wall. Then the bed can serve double duty as a couch.

This frees up space and makes it easier to have friends over in your apartment.

Set Up Curtains or Dividers

You can also create separate spaces with curtains or other dividers like bookshelves.

This can be especially helpful if you want to have a separate sleeping space from the kitchen or living area. Even a small partition can transform your studio apartment into a beautiful, cozy space.

If you’re looking for other clever layout ideas, try these ideas. Just keep in mind that the perfect layout will depend on the floor plan of the studio apartment you choose to rent.

How to Make the Most of Studio Apartment Space

Saving space in a studio apartment can be difficult.

Usually, studio apartments will have some closet space, but it isn’t always enough. Look for a bed that has lots of space underneath, and invest in some big storage bins that will fit underneath the bed.

You should also make sure to stay organized. Unless every item has a designated place, your space will feel cluttered and you won’t be able to find anything.

Remember that bookshelves aren’t just for books. Bookshelves are a space-efficient way to store clothes and household items. They can even form a makeshift pantry if you’re running out of cabinet space.

Your furniture can also serve double duty. You can find tables that have extra storage space underneath, or set a TV up on a dresser.

But maybe the most important rule when it comes to saving space in your studio apartment is to get rid of anything you don’t need.

When you rent a studio apartment, you’re making a choice to live in a small space. You should downsize your belongings to fit the space you have.

Only invest in furniture and household items that you either really need or really love. Get rid of everything else. When you’re finally living in a beautiful and uncluttered space, you’ll thank yourself.

If all else fails, you can always invest in a small storage unit for seasonal items. Maybe you don’t have space for all your winter clothes in the summer, or your surfboard during the winter.

If that sounds like you, you might want to consider using the money you save on rent to get an inexpensive storage unit.

Starting Your Apartment Search

Hopefully, at this point, you're no longer asking "What is a studio apartment?"

But you're probably still wondering what apartment is right for you. That's okay! It's helpful to do research, but you can't choose an apartment based on online articles.

That's because the perfect apartment for you depends on your personal needs, the city you live in, and even your time frame. You should tour studio apartments and single-bedroom apartments to find the right place for you.

We're here to help. Rent Lingo sends anonymous experts to tour apartments and write unbiased reviews, so you can rent the best local apartments. Plus, we can help you find the best apartments in your area.

Are you a first-time renter? Head over to our First-Time Renters Guide. You'll be on your way to renting your first apartment in no time!

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