Yes, It's Possible To Get An Amazing Apartment In Manhattan For Just $990 A Month

Sam Ro

2013-01-29T15:55:00Z

Most young professionals who land their first job in New York City quickly learn that their salary is around $40k short of affording them to live on their own in Manhattan.

Unless they're sitting on a pile of money, newly minted New Yorkers usually find themselves living in the outer boroughs (i.e. Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx) or in the fringe of Manhattan on the Upper East or Upper West Side, where you are almost closer to Connecticut than you are to the East Village.

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However, some open-minded New Yorkers who appreciate the value of a good trade-off can find their dream home in the heart of Manhattan.

Ashley Baldwin, a design professional, recently found a listing on Craigslist for an apartment in Chelsea for $990 a month.

Estimated floor space: around 120 square feet.

"Well, I know the width is about 6.25 feet," Ashley told Business Insider.

Sure, that sounds pretty tight. But given the space, Baldwin has created a remarkably livable home thanks to some small life-adjustments and an incredible eye for design.

And after considering the trade-offs, you might find yourself convinced that 120 square feet isn't too bad.

Ashley gave us a tour of her home and explained why it's worth living in a tight space if it means living in Manhattan.

The unit has one window. But the sunlight-to-square-footage ratio is amazing!

A large mirror creates the illusion of much-needed, additional space.

Turn around and you'll see a typical entranceway. The space is large enough for a loveseat-style sofa.

A shelf with some decorative glasses is not wasted space. Rather, it accents a cozy living space.

Here's a kitchenette with all of the essentials for one person. Notice the ladder...

That takes you to the lofted bed with the extremely low clearance. "After only 4 blows to the head during early morning wake ups and the occasional nightmare, thankfully, my subconscious now knows that the ceiling is only 6 inches away from the tip of my nose."

But there are tradeoffs...

But, Ashley regularly hits up the gym where she always cleans up after a good workout.

She's also within walking distance of Penn Station where she can access multiple subway lines.

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Living in Manhattan, she's able to get to her office in SoHo in just minutes.

NYC cabs are notorious for giving dirty looks to passengers who ask to be taken to an outer borough late at night. Living in Manhattan, Ashley rarely deals with that.

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In Manhattan, she has access to hundreds of restaurants that are open late.

Ashley lives within walking distance of NYC's trendy Co. pizzeria.

Btw, it's the city that never sleeps. Ashley spends most of her time out. And heads home... to sleep.

Considering the tradeoffs, Ashley's place is looking pretty good.

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