Going Tiny With Kids

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I’ll always remember my daughter’s face when we revealed her loft to her. We were downsizing from our 1600 square foot house where she had had a spacious bedroom fully stocked with WAY too many toys. To be honest I was nervous. All along the way I had heard comments from other adults like, “What will you do with Evie?” or “Will she even be able to keep her toys?” Many of these questions were asked out of genuine curiosity while others held a hint of disapproval; either way, on move in day, I was nervous about her reaction and acceptance of our new tiny home. 

She would now have a small loft (around 60 square feet) and I had spent hours on it trying to make it a magical space for her.  The day we went tiny full time, she climbed her stairs, her little mouth forming an O shape and exclaimed “my room is fantastic!”.  Since that day, she has proudly shown every person that has ever visited us “her room” and creates fairytale worlds nestled amongst the trees right outside her window. And, as the days passed, my insecurities for going tiny with a kid melted away. 

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There is often a misconception that tiny living is only for singles or couples with a cat. I can tell you, from experience, tiny living is for families. Not only is it suitable for families but it has the power to positively transform your family dynamic. It has brought us closer together as a unit (both figuratively and literally). We do more outside together, we eat as a family (not in front of tv anymore) and there are more snuggles and authentic connection. If offered a choice, I would not change it.

When we decided to go tiny, I immediately started thinking how we were going to provide needed privacy in 425 square feet without it feeling closed off and suffocating. I am an introvert and as my little one grows I’ve noticed that she, too, needs some alone time to recharge. I worked with my builder to design a tiny house that fostered the sense of togetherness but also provided spaces for separation. I also wanted my daughter to feel like she could have a space to call her own and find respite. With our current layout, I believe we have achieved that comfortably.
 (To get a video walkthrough of our house click on the link https://kjetinyfree.weebly.com/blog/blue-haven-video-tour )​

As a mama, who has successfully gone tiny with her family, here are my tips:
Downsize and minimize their stuff too

• You are not depriving them! They are not going to lose quality of life by getting rid of some of their unused toys/books. Plus, you can include them in the process and teach them about donating items and giving to others. Don’t leave them out of the decluttering process- some of their stuff needs to go in order for their space to not feel overcrowded. And guess what-- they probably won’t even notice it’s gone!

Create a space of their own

• If you’re designing/building your own house make sure you factor your kiddo into the equation. If you’re purchasing an already built tiny house, make sure space is there to carve out as their own. By doing this, they too can feel ownership in going on this tiny adventure with you.

Don’t skimp on storage

• Plan, plan, plan on what you’re going to do in their space. Know what storage will hold books, how you will keep clothes and shoes organized and where all the toys will live. Before moving into our tiny house, I had my daughter’s loft planned out to the inch! By doing this, her room functions well and keeps her things out of all the other places in the house. (I'll post some links at the bottom of some of my favorite things in her loft) 

Create some privacy

• ​My husband and I like each other (most days) and the thought of cutting out sex for the next 15 years wasn’t really appealing. We also wanted to avoid our daughter needing therapy due to living tiny. To ensure this didn’t happen and everyone remain happy, it was imperative to design in privacy. Both of our  lofts have entrances but are walled off beyond that which allows for the needed privacy. The entrances are also at an angle which means you can’t see into the other loft unless you’re perched at the top of the stairs and looking directly across.  As mentioned before, I am an introvert and need alone time to recharge so we created some additional privacy in our downstairs living room that has a pocket door that can be closed when needed.

Embrace the change
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• We love being a tiny house family. Through this transition, we are actively teaching our daughter the importance of quality experiences rather than things. She is given more opportunity to connect with nature and appreciate time with family. Parents, I promise you, your kids want YOU more than they want a giant bedroom full of toys. This lifestyle has provided me with balance so I can be more present and engaged with my daughter and for that, I am forever grateful we took the plunge and went tiny.  

 
If you have any questions about going tiny with kids, I’m always available to chat! Reach out and I can help discuss logistics and strategies for achieving a great tiny family experience! 

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