Living in 420 square feet

September 2016 marks my one years anniversary of living in 420 square feet. I had been dipping my toes into minimalism for some time, but it was a year ago that I dived in, moved out of my posh-ish midtown condo, sold my car, and moved into my current studio in Downtown Atlanta.

Patrick explores the new digs from the highest point he can reach

I am happy with the decision I made. Living with less has been an incredible experience. I wish I had chronicled my journey from the start, but here is the timeline in a nutshell.

• November 2014: I place an offer on a studio in a historic downtown building (William-Oliver Building) with the intention of renting it. It is a short sale, so I am aware that the process could take a few months.
• June 2015: Seven months of going back and forth with the bank and the deal is done. I now own a piece of Downtown Atlanta.
• August 2015: I have decided to ramp up my minimalism game and move to the studio. In addition to cutting my living space in half, I decide to list my car for sale on eBay after the move is complete. The big purge begins.
• September 2015: I move from 900 square feet in midtown to 420 in downtown.

the lobby and elevators at the William Oliver Building

• October 2015: I am content with my new place. My car is sold. I begin to read more about the minimalist lifestyle.
• November 2015: I list my midtown condo for sale. I will either sale or rent my midtown space, whichever comes first. I join an Atlanta minimalist group on Facebook.
• December 2015: My name makes it way to the top of the rental list for the midtown condo. I receive notification from management that final approval should be granted in January. I also decide that my wardrobe could use the minimalist treatment. I opt to store all shirts and wear only 10 v-neck t-shirts in different colors. This will become my uniform.
• January 2016: I pull my listing for the sale of the midtown unit. The condo is rented by the first tenant that views it.
• August 2016: As my one year anniversary approaches, I decide to take my philosophy of less stuff, more living to the next level. I start looking at campers and contemplate my journey of traveling across the USA in a tiny RV.
  [Update: In January 2017, I began “My Scotty Adventure” and spent almost four months living in a tiny travel trailer while traveling across the United States.]

the “uniform” I adopted in December 2015

Life is good.