Simple life in Manhattan: A 90-square-foot home

i think it is okay for people to live in apartments that are smaller then we could imagine because if people cant afford big apartments, it is really cool how they can find their own convenant things :)

I can easily make it at that apartment with no problem, but $700? I think it's quite pricey considering it is just a small space.

Felice Cohen must be related to Leonard. She is so Zen....

She comes off as your stereotypical New Yorker, I'm sure she could get a half way decent apartment in Queens or Brooklyn for the money she's paying for that closet, but she's way too hung up on the perceived "status" of having a Manhattan Zip Code to consider the alternatives.

I designed a floor plan for your apt. that would give you a kitchen with 5 feet of counter space, a walk-in closet with 7 feet of hanging rods, a twin bed for guests, a couch, and tons more storage than you currently have. It would only cost about $2,000 in materials and would be very simple to construct.
I'm a retired designer living in MN whose brain won't stop designing and just wanted to take on the challenge of your small space. Contact me. leeashmore2003@yahoo.com

Kudos to her, but I'd go crazy...I LOVE space, and I'm 20 mins from midtown with an awesome view outside my livingroom and bedroom of the Empire State Building and all of midtown which takes my breath away everyday...I wouldn't trade it for anything!

I've heard of some people here in Tennessee living in storage sheds, but I highly doubt they are paying anywhere near $700 a month...and they are likely larger than 90 sq. ft. She's gotta love NY to be happy with that!

I like this idea so much that I am looking for a similar apartment in Chicago. I have never lived on my own and I do not have much stuff. I really liked the idea of having the bed up in the loft. I would look for a place that is a little bigger like 150 sq. ft. I hope I could find one for $400.00 to $500.00. As for Gregg who made a comment about Felice probably not liking it much when there is 2 feet of snow on the ground and can't go outside well she has lived there for 3 years which means she has been through at least 2 winters if she could not handle it I think she would have already left. Felice you are an inspiration to me to live simpler and more with in my means. Thanks

i wouldnt pay 700$ for that hunk of garbage.
700$ is my electric bill in southampton

I'm amazed by some of the comments here. There have been dozens of studies so far in 2011 that indicate that life experiences make people happier than material possessions do. This woman is spending her time and money on her passions, not on the accumulation of more stuff. For you folks calling her stupid and bragging about your huge, cheap houses in flyover country, consider that some of us strongly prefer living near culture and art hubs than living near cow pastures in carbon copy suburbia. Good for this woman. I'm looking forward to her book.

Ha ha ha ha! I could get a 3 bedroom house with a two car garage for the same price where I live!

If it works for her...but I think she can find something bigger for that amount of money perhaps in Brooklyn which is also very close to what she calls her backyard!

have you ever been to NYC this is a deal for the location, seriously. If you live in other parts of the country you have no idea what rent costs. I live in Washington DC and I can tell you that you could get a shack in a bad area, meaning somewhere you'd be dodging bullets for maybe $700.00.

Sounds like a perfect, inexpensive solution for one person. It allows you to live in a beautiful part of the city, so close to the park, museums & libraries. All you need is a place to sleep, bathe and store your clothes and things. I've lived in a travel trailer for a couple years, and this is much better. More headroom and storage.

I can see the allure of only paying $700 a month for NYC, but
this is just crazy. It's not really humane to be so constricted.
Either she has the money to pay for a nice place and is being
cheap, or she needs to get over NYC and move someplace else that
she can afford.

Been there. Done that. What she doesn't reveal is exactly HOW MUCH rent her landlord is getting for this closet. Manhattan ain't cheap, especially the upper Westside.

Personally, i can't see how she does it...but what ever floats her boat.

I have a ground fl. duplex and I rent the lower level br. and full bath for $500. everything included. with micro-w and 2 door fridge. 40's 9and10ave. about 75 sq. ft. is this good deal???

From the photo sounds like she really enjoys iving there

What a waste of money. Enormous homes aren't everything, but in any other state that money could go a long way! $700 in Texas can get you 900 sq ft!