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Most people would find living in a 45-sqft room unthinkable, but for Dr Amirah Alieya and her husband, it's all they need
The couple lives in a room within her clinic in Banting, Selangor, where they shower in the clinic toilet and cook simple meals in the clinic pantry.
"While it is a very small living space, it is enough for me and my husband. This way of living shapes us to be super intentional about what we bring into our space," said the 36-year-old who shares about her frugal lifestyle choices on TikTok.
Since 2017, Dr Amirah and her husband, Dr Muhammad Aiman Salahuddin, 38, have embraced what they call "frugal minimalism"
She said they have decluttered about 95% of their belongings — everything they own now fits in a single car — and their biggest leap came earlier this year when they moved out of their apartment into the small room in the clinic.
They shop second-hand on platforms like Carousell, eat whatever's nearby, and no longer buy branded handbags or luxury skincare.
Dr Amirah added that her wardrobe now consists of only seven pieces of clothing and one pair of each type of shoe — a far cry from her old life chasing trends.
"We value quality over quantity and take care of our things till the end," she said.
For her, living simply means freedom: "It's freeing. It doesn't weigh on us. There's less to maintain, less to worry about. We can move anywhere, anytime."
Dr Amirah explained that the main reason she shifted to such a minimalist lifestyle was due to her mental and emotional wellbeing
"I made tons of financial mistakes in my 20s — buying things I didn't need with money I didn't have to impress people I didn't like," she said.
"This minimalist life makes me feel calmer, allowing me to treat my patients better without feeling overwhelmed by other worries.
"I can attend to my patients more happily, and even my business runs more smoothly," she told Harian Metro.
She added that adopting this lifestyle has also had a positive financial impact, as she's now able to save for emergencies, maintain savings, and even make small investments.
She added that, instead of shopping, she now runs, hikes, or does yoga.
For now, the couple plans to stay in their small space until they reach financial independence
"When we're ready, maybe we'll move somewhere bigger. But even then, we'll still choose what's enough for us," Dr Amirah shared on TikTok.
She told SAYS that their next goals are to save more money, settle their debts, and eventually buy a piece of land to build a tiny house.
Watch one of Dr Amirah's TikToks here:
@_amirahalieya everything i owned as a frugal minimalist in my mid 30s, trying to save money, settling debts & reaching financial freedom. . so, i live in a small room in my own clinic. yes, that's right. i'm a doctor (GP). i used to rent a studio apartment back then but decided to take a drastic measure to move into my clinic so that i can save up so much more. #fyp #minimalism #minimalist #frugal #frugalliving ♬ equinox – Beetlebug
