I currently live in a two room granny flat nestled in among the bush on the south end of Central Coast NSW. The kitchen and ‘living’ room co-exist together, there’s a small bathroom while the other room serves as my bedroom. A covered deck on one side makes my humble granny flat seem almost double in size. It’s comfortable, affordable and has taught me a thing or two about different ways one can live.
I’ve lived in share houses before and I’ve lived by myself in the granny flat for 1.5 years. Here’s a few things that I find great (and perhaps sometimes not so great) about living in a granny flat.
First of all, I live near plenty of bushland and near the beach. I don’t think I could afford to live by myself in a location like that if I wasn’t in a granny flat. Maybe if I was willing to live in a tiny dump with 3 annoying people that I don’t like. The Central Coast has some of the most stunning beaches and wildlife anywhere in the world and I get to be amongst it whenever I please. Being able to walk out of my granny flat and through the bush, listening to the bell birds sing, down to the beach to dive into the salty ocean and walk back via the lake saying hello to the now familiar wildlife is a rare privilege. I do my best not to take it for granted, and I thank my granny… flat every time.
I’ve moved a few times over the last couple of years which sucks because, well, moving sucks. However one of the things it has forced me to do is to cull some of the stuff that manages to multiply over a years worth of living. It shocks me just how much stuff gets accumulated. Moving into a granny flat does a similar thing. It’s a bit of a ‘Marie Kondo Moment’ for the stuff you have that you don’t really want but have never been forced to get rid of. Living with only what you really want is an art in itself. Living less complicated is something that Of course, once the new accumulation begins, the granny flat can get very overcrowded very quickly. Learning to manage input and output of things is a skill you certainly get pretty good.
This leads to an interesting dynamic which could be a perk or an annoyance depending on how your outlook. If you’re living in a granny flat by yourself… there’s no one to blame for the mess. If you’re living with people, this is different. You know those times when you can’t find your shoes so you immediately blame the someone who lives with you, convinced that they broke into your room and put your shoes in the bin?
Well, very quickly you realise you can’t do this, because you’re the only one in the ‘house’. It can actually become a great remedy for frustration and anger if you’re quick to point fingers. I suppose it’s another mirror to catch yourself in. It can be disheartening, but often it becomes rather amusing, and provides some funny stories for the pub visit
At times living by yourself can become a little lonely. The key feature of living in a granny flat is sharing land space. This means if you’re the kind to spin a yarn with your neighbour, its easy! Equally, if you wish to be alone to recharge or focus you know no-one is going to disturb you. There can be a lot of comfort knowing that your space is yours and yours alone.
Living in a granny flat will likely not be something that I do for the rest of my life. It can be challenging to live by yourself, but it comes with a great amount of freedom and gives you the opportunity to see yourself in a somewhat different light.
It has surprised me how many friends have expressed a certain sentiment of jealousy toward living in a simple manner. Maybe it’s for you, maybe not. Either way I couldn’t recommend living in a granny flat more, especially if you’re on the Central Coast.