I live in a 410-square-foot studio apartment. The small space has changed the way I spend money.

Because my studio is so small, I've had to shop more intentionally.

Hannah Fowler I moved to a 410-square-foot studio apartment in a dreamy Brooklyn neighborhood .

Because I had so little space, I started buying decor more intentionally — and saving more money.

Two years later, I spend less on unnecessary stuff, and I live in a space that feels like me.

When I was planning my move to Brooklyn and touring a 410-square-foot space, the first thing I noticed was the lack of, well, space.

The place looked small in photos on StreetEasy, but this was something else altogether.

Every section of the studio — from the bed area to the kitchenette to the entryway — was a mere few paces from each other.

Yet, the rent was under $2,000, and about $200 less than what I'd been paying to live with a roommate in Manhattan.

As soon as the light came pouring through the towering window overlooking the tree-lined streets dotted with gardens and brownstones nestled in the romantic neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, I knew this studio was the one.

My application was approved, and after a few months, I was surprised by how little the lack of space bothered me — and by the way it transformed my relationship to spending and owning things.

Small living made me confront my previous spending habits I don't have the space to accumulate a ton of stuff anymore.

Hannah Fowler I brought a few necessities to my new space: bookshelves for my walls, a kitchen cart I found on Facebook Marketplace, the bed from my old apartment, and my sister's TV and coffee table.

My Instagram algorithm seemed to sense that I'd just moved: I saw a constant stream of drool-worthy bed covers, art, and vintage furniture, and it was tough not to tumble down "new apartment essentials" or "new apartment decorating" rabbit holes.

If I were still in any of my previous homes, I would've hit "purchase" on a plethora of trending items, from new, fluffy pillows for the couch to sweaters that popped up on ads without hesitation.