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TikToker Axel Webber said he rents a 95-square-foot apartment in New York City for $1,200 a month.
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He said his space doesn’t have an actual stove, a private bathroom, or many building amenities.
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Webber said he lives in East Village, so the action of NYC is just outside of his front door.
Axel Webber, a content creator and actor, has made a few compromises to rent a 95-square-foot apartment in New York City.
In December, Webber posted a TikTok about his East Village apartment that has since racked up over 7.5 million likes. Now, he has over 3 million followers and shares videos about his life.
Webber spoke to Insider about what it’s like living in his tiny space.
He found the apartment on Facebook Marketplace while living in his car
Webber, who is from Georgia, said he was “open to anything” while apartment hunting, as he was living in his car when he found the listing for this space.
“Before this, I was living in my car, getting a little desperate for a place with heat. It gets real nippy in there. You can start seeing your breath in the car,” Webber said. “So I went on Facebook Marketplace, and that’s where I found this place.”
“I saw the listing, saw the pictures, and it looked small online, but it was even smaller in person. But I kind of fell in love with it,” he continued. “I was like, ‘This place is perfect for just me, for one person, and it’s available, so I want it right now.'”
The space has a small kitchen area, but no bathroom
The apartment has a sink next to the door beside a mini fridge with a microwave on top. Above that, there are some shelves that act as a pantry.
Webber sticks with one plate, one bowl, and easy-to-cook food options, like ramen and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
To expand his kitchen, he said, he bought a portable, single burner for $10 on the street. With this and a pot, he can make macaroni and cheese.
There is also no toilet or shower in Webber’s apartment. Instead, he walks down the hall to the communal bathroom he shares with neighbors.
“Everyone cleans up after themselves and the space stays pretty clean,” Webber said. “You do have to bring your own toilet paper. You can’t forget it.”
Webber has found ways to make his space feel like home
Webber said his favorite part of his apartment is the fridge, but a close second is the string lights his mother gave him before he left home.
“When I plug them in it just lights the place up,” Webber said. “Beautiful, warm, soft glow, and it feels homey.”
Webber said he’s yet to host any guests other than his talent manager, but plans for his siblings to visit soon.
Above all, Webber loves his bustling location in NYC
Webber said the best part of his apartment is its location in the East Village, right in the hustle and bustle of NYC.
“That’s the best part about it, though, is you can walk out the front door right on the street,” Webber told Insider. “Like if you walk out fast enough, you’ll just bump into someone.”
Living in a tiny apartment isn’t for everyone, but Webber said it could work if you don’t mind your own company and are “willing to make some sacrifices, like privacy” when it comes to communal bathrooms.
“If you’re comfortable with yourself, and you are alright having a space where it is basically just sleep and eat, then you’ll be perfectly fine in a 95-square-foot apartment, or even less, if they make such things,” he said.
Webber said his lease continues until October and he said he’s unsure if he’ll renew it. He hopes to eventually get an apartment with a private bathroom and a stove.
Read the original article on Insider
