Happy Holidays from SharedEasy — Celebrating with our Community | SharedEasy

Happy Holidays from SharedEasy — Celebrating with our Community

Happy Holidays from SharedEasy — Celebrating with our Community

Spending the Holidays with SharedEasy

It can be a challenge to be away from friends and family for the holidays. Some of our members are oceans away from their families for the holidays, some are close but work schedules or time constraints keep them tied to New York. Some just want to experience a holiday away from the norm. We rang in 2020, decked the halls and feasted on dishes for our first annual holiday celebrations.

In true coliving tradition, we planned a holiday celebration to head off any feeling of loneliness this holiday season. We had a great time at our newest home in Long Island City, where we make it easy to rent a room in the new hip neighborhood in Queens.

The Italia Cruz Home was our location for celebrating the holidays this year as we shared fun times with members and played games, danced into the wee hours of the morning and exchanged gifts in a White Elephant Gift Exchange that brought many laughs, to say the least.

We kicked off the Holiday Season in mid-December with a “progressive Tree Decoration and Holiday Decor Extravaganza” as we traveled house-to-house through Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan delivering the gift of holiday cheer to each of our coliving spaces with trees and ornaments and hot chocolate. A good time was had by all.

At the Bernard London House in Brooklyn, we asked members to bring an ornament representing their culture, country or just something they found at one of the unique Christmas Markets in the City. It was an 8-foot tree in our largest home and there were a lot of lights and ornaments required. We had everything from ballet slippers (we have ballerinas living in Brooklyn) to the London Bridge (we had our London girls here on a theatre project)  to Texas Longhorns from our extended stay in NYC members from down south — the House Leader, the CNN intern, the musician, the model. Much to the delight of their roommates, we saw our members take the initiative and decorate their individual apartments. It was truly a time to remember.

At the Dekalb Friends House, we rocked around the Christmas tree playing music and creating hot cocoa concoctions that were creative if not tasty.  At South American Country House it was a bit more low key and a great time to get to know each other better, our Manhattan House is always a lot of fun — of course, it plays off of the energy of the Central Park location near Columbia University as is the Boston House near Williamsburg. Besides the big party at Italia Cruz, we also had a tree decorating/pizza party. Things were rocking for the holidays in Long Island City/Queens. One of the great things about SharedEasy is how each home takes on its own personality. Our homes go way beyond the average “rent a room” experience. Each of our homes is different, each has its own vibe and each is special in its own way. We blasted the music and decked the halls with cheer.

Besides making it easy to rent a room in the big city, we also bring fun and community! One of our greatest pleasures is seeing our members get together and share traditions, taking what could be an otherwise lonely holiday and turning it into a great party. We had this at Thanksgiving as well as we hosted our First Annual Thanksgiving Feast at the Bernard London House in Bed-Stuy. Members brought dishes from their country and traditional desserts (one of our members was a Food Network prodigy another was a chef) and we supplied the turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Afterward, we ventured out into the neighborhood for a “night on the town.”

It was our first year of holiday fun and we look forward to many more. One thing we learned, our members LOVE to have fun. Dance parties are always a good thing, gift exchanges are always a good thing. Community is always a great thing.

Shares real stories from our community members and insider recommendations for exploring New York City.
Sofia Alvarez
Sofia
Alvarez
Coliving in NYC
Coliving in Brooklyn Coliving in Manhattan Coliving for Students Coliving for Interns Corporate Housing Short-Term Rentals Month-to-Month Rentals
Coliving in Brooklyn
Coliving in Manhattan
Coliving for Students
Coliving for Interns
Corporate Housing
Short-Term Rentals
Month-to-Month Rentals
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FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the FAQs by people considering transitioning to coliving.

  • What is Coliving?

    Coliving is a residential model in which individuals get a private bedroom in a furnished home with shared common areas. It is a bunch of biologically unrelated people living together in the same place. Usually, residents in a coliving space share interests, values, or intentions.

    Coliving is a type of housing where people live together in a shared space, often with shared amenities. It is a re-imagination of the age-old concept of community, based on the tenets of openness, collaboration, the sharing economy, and social networking.

    Coliving spaces can be found in cities all over the world, but they are particularly popular in New York City. There are many different types of coliving spaces, from small apartments with a few roommates to large co-living communities with hundreds of residents.

    Coliving spaces often have common areas for residents to socialize, work, and relax, as well as shared kitchen and laundry facilities.

  • What are the benefits of co-living?

    Coliving can be a great way to meet new people and make friends, as well as save money on rent and other expenses. Co-living is affordable, convenient, and flexible.

    Many co-living spaces are located in convenient locations near public transportation, restaurants, and other amenities, which makes your commute time shorter, and affords you the advantage of greater productivity.

  • What amenities are typically included in a co-living space in NYC?

    Amenities typically available in coliving spaces include laundry, kitchen, swimming pools, workspaces, access to gyms and other health clubs, leisure areas, and spas. All the utilities and WiFi are included in the rental amount. Some spaces offer access to house cleaning services, and occasionally catered parties depending on the community. Coliving spaces catering to new parents may offer a playground for the children or access to vetted child care services.

    Co-living sounds like an answer to everything you’ve ever asked about homes, neighborhoods, or life as digital nomads. Some coliving spaces offer private bedrooms and bathrooms, while others have shared sleeping and living areas. Coliving spaces often have common areas for residents to socialize, work, and relax, as well as shared kitchen and laundry facilities.

  • Is co-living a good idea?

    Coliving can be a great choice for someone who wants to move to a big city, save big on a luxury apartment, and keep things simple. However, for someone who wants to live outside a major US city and doesn’t like the idea of sharing their space, it’s not a great choice.

    It is also a great fit for those who want to belong to a company of like-minded people and build their social network. It can be very rewarding and enriching to belong to a community of people with the same interests. You get to learn, grow, and develop yourself. You can also build a great working relationship, and potentially snag yourself a mentor or a co-founder.

    All the great companies were built by people in the same network! Coliving offers flexibility and helps foster friendships between strangers. Newcomers are sure to find themselves welcomed into the community with open arms.

    Coliving is a great way to learn about the cultures of other people and appreciate diversity. Another attraction of coliving is the lifestyle. Coliving houses are situated in busy areas, so cafes, bars, and shopping are only a couple of minutes away from your house, which is great if long commutes are a chore for you. It is a plus for you if your coliving community is located in a place with excellent nightlife.

    In terms of cost, coliving is firmly within the average price range for properties, being that you’re paying for both the house and the service rendered.

  • Does SharedEasy Have an App?

    SharedEasy does not have an app at the moment, just an amazing website with ample information and details on each property. Important information includes the number of units, their availability, and the appliances contained in each unit, as well as a map of the place and a tour of the property. There’s something for everyone on the website.

  • Where Can I Find a Coliving Space?

    There are coliving spaces all over the United States. SharedEasy offers coliving options in New York and Los Angeles. If you are interested in coliving spaces in New York City, SharedEasy has many destinations for you. There are spaces in East New York, Cobble Hill, Clinton Hill, Bushwick, Brooklyn Heights, Broadway, East Village, Inwood, Soho, Chelsea, Ridgewood, Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem, Midtown East, and Jersey City.

    All these coliving apartments are furnished according to the standards, and there are pictures up on the website. Beware of websites that have listings without pictures. Most of those are scams, and in these cases, people pay a security deposit, only to lose it.