He Moved Into A Shoebox Apartment In Japan — And Found That Downsizing Boosted His Productivity #adessonews

Before LaJuan, 32, moved into his micro apartment in Nagoya, Japan, he was worried.

The content creator and part-time English teacher wasn’t sure what to expect; he’d never lived in such a tiny home before.

The shoebox apartment was just 194 square feet, with a divider separating the living and sleeping space from the kitchen and toilet. With his arms outstretched, he was even able to touch both walls of his kitchen.

[LaJuan lives in a micro apartment in Japan. LaJuan]

It was going to take some time to get used to, but LaJuan wasn’t about to back down from the challenge since living minimally was his goal.

“When I saw the apartment, I realized it fit in really well with one of what I consider the tenants for living a simpler, more intentional life,” LaJuan, who asked to be identified by only his first name to protect his privacy, told Business Insider.

[The micro apartment measures 194 square feet. LaJuan]

LaJuan pays 32,420 Japanese yen, or about $230, in monthly rent for his micro apartment. It’s about a three-minute walk from the nearest convenience store and a five-minute walk to the nearest subway station.

The area where lives has a huge mix of Japanese and non-Japanese residents, unlike in Fuji, where he lived before moving to Nagoya.

[LaJuan said living minimally has made him more productive. LaJuan]

Unlike the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Kyoto, Nagoya, situated between the two, feels a bit more laid-back, he said.

Tokyo is the most populated city in Japan, with about 9.7 million residents, compared with Nagoya’s 2.33 million and Kyoto’s 1.46 million.

“Things are really tight in those spaces, and it’s overwhelming because of the amount of people that live there. Whereas Nagoya, to me, is a perfect balance of both city life and just having some space for yourself,” he added.

[Even in Trinidad, LaJuan only owned two cups and two plates. LaJuan]

When he first arrived in Japan, LaJuan’s house was already much more minimalistic than his in Trinidad.

Even though he lived in a much bigger place than he does now, he owned just two cups and two plates back then. And whenever he had guests over, they would always ask him why.

“Well, there’s just one of me — I have double what I need. That’s just the way I was thinking about it,” he said.

But he started embracing the lifestyle when a friend in Trinidad introduced him to the Netflix documentary “Minimalism.”

[LaJuan said he doesn’t spend a lot on things that don’t bring him value. LaJuan]

Not only has living minimally brought clarity in terms of what he wants out of life, but it has also helped his productivity since he doesn’t get distracted as easily.

“I’m ridiculously productive here compared to my old space,” he said. “I have five minutes to procrastinate. That’s it. When I get off the bed, the computer is there watching me.”

To see more photos of LaJuan’s micro apartment in Japan, head to Business Insider.