Toronto is the fastest-growing city in Canada. Yet despite significant development projects across the city, demand continues to outstrip supply when it comes to housing, and the average price of property now exceeds CN$1 million.

This makes it particularly difficult for millennials seeking to get on the property ladder. Micro condos present a compelling solution, but adopting a minimalist lifestyle is essential.

Canadian millennials are finding that rented storage lockers are an essential part of the mix to make this a reality.

Micro condos a compelling choice for Toronto millennials

High-rise condos are popping up across the city, especially around areas like the waterfront and Yorkville. But while the multi-million dollar penthouses are grabbing the headlines in lifestyle magazines, the vast majority of apartments are more modest.

Micro condos are a case in point. These are living spaces around 300 to 400 square feet in area. To put that in context, it roughly equates to the size of two parking spaces. These properties are tempting for professional millennials who want to live in Toronto and enjoy its lifestyle benefits in a property that costs around CN$500,000.

Living in such a confined space means being organized and taking a strategic approach. Part of that strategy is to rent a storage unit somewhere in the neighborhood.

Choosing a self-storage unit in Toronto

There are several well-known Canadian storage companies that offer climate controlled storage units. These ensure that stored property is protected from the harsh Canadian climate.

These types of storage lockers feature both temperature and humidity control. This means users can rest assured that all sorts of property can be placed in the unit, including the type of items that they might think twice about leaving in a storage unit that is not climatically controlled.

This includes items like clothes, textiles, electronics, musical instruments, artwork, books and antiques, to give just a few examples.

Storage units are available across Toronto and other major Canadian cities, and they come in a range of sizes. The smallest is usually five feet square, which is approximately the same size as a walk-in closet. They then go up to five by 10, 10 feet square and so on, right up to 15 by 20 units and even larger.

If in doubt, store it

Deciding what size of climate-controlled storage lockers is only the first step. Next, it is important to find a facility that is close to home. The idea is not to use this as a place to simply stash items you seldom or never use.

Instead, it needs to be almost an extension of the home, somewhere you can keep belongings that you might use several times each month. So the last thing you need is a storage unit somewhere out of town that takes 30 minutes to reach.

With the right unit in the right place, the next step is to create a plan for its effective use. For true minimalist living in a micro condo, it is essential to be ruthless. This means treating the storage unit as the default location for keeping your property and only having those items in the condo that you genuinely use day in and day out.

Naturally, getting this right takes some time to refine. This is another reason it is so important to choose a unit that is within quick and easy reach.

Be organized with the storage

We have established that millennials living the minimalist lifestyle in a Toronto micro condo are likely to visit their storage lockers regularly, perhaps as often as every few days. Clearly, keeping it organized is going to be key to making life as easy as possible.

This goes beyond simply placing items in boxes and writing their contents on the side. That is certainly a good start, but spending several minutes sorting through boxes every few days soon loses its charm. So as well as boxing items logically and labelling the boxes, follow the following steps:

• Store less commonly used items to the rear of the unit and items you are likely to use more often closer to the front.
• Number the boxes and keep a manifest on your smartphone of what is stored in each box so you can go straight to the box you need every time, without delay or hassle.
• Ideally, store boxes on each side of the unit and leave space to walk up the middle. This makes more boxes instantly accessible and minimizes the need to move things around, even if you need to get hold of something stored at the very back.

Minimalism makes anything possible

Getting onto the property ladder in Toronto has never been more challenging. It is not likely to get easier any time soon, and sales surged by 45 percent over the past year. But polls show that millennials have not given up on the dream.

Micro condos might seem an extreme measure, but by taking a minimalist approach, they can be an effective path to property ownership for young Canadians with their hearts set on the nation’s biggest and most vibrant city.

Toronto Millennials Can Make Micro Condos Work with Storage Lockers

While Toronto’s housing market presents significant challenges for millennials, micro condos offer a practical and affordable solution.

By embracing a minimalist lifestyle and utilizing lockers, young professionals can effectively maximize their limited space and make their dream of owning property in the city a reality.

With careful organization and strategic use of nearby storage units, living comfortably in a micro condo becomes not only possible but enjoyable.