Henry decided that he’s really into superheroes this week.
Bless his little heart. He actually calls them “superheroes.” Not Superman … just a superhero.
And there’s something very comforting about the stories of superheroes – it’s a world of black and white. There are good guys and there are bad guys.
And some days, I want to strap on a cape and embrace my inner Wonder Woman because – good Lord – I’ve lived with my family and two pugs in 320 square feet and haven’t killed anyone.
I. AM. AWESOME.
But sometimes, I realize that there really isn’t much in the world that’s black and white. There is a lot of grey. And that’s exactly what I’ve found as I approach 6 months of small space living. It’s not always fun or perfect or easy.
And it ain’t always pretty.
There are lots of great things about tiny spaces to love. I still stand by these points – living small can be really liberating.
But, there are moments where living small can also be a little stifling. So in the interest of full-disclosure, here are a few things about living in 320-square-feet that I could do without.
There’s nowhere to hide.
This is the hardest part of living small for me. I can’t get away from my family. I love them so very much, but sometimes I desperately need a moment. Just a single moment (or a few single moments) to relax or work or sleep.
Some scenarios:
- When Henry goes to sleep, we pretty much all go to sleep. Because everything is so close to his bedroom, it’s not really possible for Henry to calm down unless we turn off the lights and get into bed, too. It’s just too distracting. He usually falls asleep fairly quickly, which means we can get back up and turn on the television or get a snack. But not always. (And he freaks out if we try to close the door, so that’s not something we’re willing to do.)
- I was sick a few months ago, and there was nowhere to hide from my family. There was nowhere to lay down and relax because the bed is also our living room. I couldn’t hide out in Henry’s room because there’s only a tiny toddler mattress.
- When I need to work on the computer, there are very few options. I either try to use my computer at the island – and know that I’ll never get anything done because there are distractions in the form of a sticky-faced 2-year-old. Or I leave the house and drive 20 miles to a coffee shop for a latte and wi-fi.
- If I need to take a phone call, well, I just take it. And apologize to the person on the other line because there’s no such thing as privacy.
- I’m also certain that Ryan would love some privacy, too. He usually goes to sleep earlier than me, when I get on the computer and watch television. It’s not super ideal for him either.
There isn’t always a place to put everything.
Sometimes, I just want a closet or a drawer to stick junk that I want to keep but doesn’t really have a home. Is there anything wrong with that?
This just not possible in the barn.
I tried desperately hard to work storage into every nook and cranny. We tried to purge and get rid of excess. We added built-ins and drawers and a wardrobe and shelves and cubbies. And it really does a pretty good job for 99 percent of what we need.
But sometimes, I have a few gifts for Easter that I just don’t have a place to store. Or some paperwork that I’ll need to reference. Or a little crafting I’m working on. These things either clutter up the counter, get piled in the garage, or stay in my car. None of these are really great long-term solutions.
There’s no dedicated living space.
The daybed is okay. It serves it’s purpose and it’s not uncomfortable. But it’s also not our sectional. I loved that sectional and our living room in the last house. I miss that space a lot.
I miss having a dedicated area that is always our living space. I think people feel awkward when they stop over and sit on our bed.
There’s no dedicated bedroom for Ryan and I.
That leads me to something that really would be a must if we were to live in a small space forever.
A bedroom – it’s sort of a necessity. Ryan and I make the living-slash-sleeping arrangement work and don’t really complain about it. But it would be nice to have a space – even a small one – for our bed and a dresser.
In the big picture, Henry having a bedroom was simply more important to us. And it still is. He loves his little room and it’s important that he feels at home.
But while setting up our bed every night and putting it away each morning doesn’t take long, it can get a little annoying. We’re tired. We don’t want to deal with it. But we do it.
Because we are grown ups and chose to live in a tiny space.
Entertaining is sort of impossible.
If you bring more than 5 people into the barn apartment, it’s tight. With just the three of us, it’s really quite comfortable. Cozy – but comfortable. We can move around and play and eat and sleep.
But with just two additional people. it can get a little uncomfortable. There really isn’t enough seating. There’s nowhere to eat. You can’t really walk around.
I love to have people over and it’s something we just really can’t do at this point. I’m hopeful that once it gets nice, we can have people over again and just entertain outside. But for now, it’s a bit of a bummer.
Winter.
Finally … the weather.
I’m always ready for spring, but this year we’re especially needing some nice weather. Winter is a little harder in a small space than ever before because when it’s nice, our space increases exponentially. We can eat and play and walk and work outside.
I simply cannot forget all the good.
I hope this post doesn’t depress you. I’m just trying to be honest and real – living small isn’t always unicorns and sunshine. The honeymoon has probably worn off a bit.
But there are some things that have 100 percent been a non-issue:
- The small kitchen: I cannot believe it, but I love our tiny kitchen. It’s pretty and practical. I love that it’s open and has plenty of storage for everything I need. I also have no trouble finding things because there isn’t that much junk around. It’s pretty much awesome for us.
- Henry’s room: I’m learning that kids don’t need big spaces. Henry loves his cozy little room, and I love it, too.
- The view: I will never tire of living in the country. The view is worth it all.
- Cleaning: When we build, I’m going to hate cleaning. I’m calling it. If our apartment is so disgustingly dirty I cannot stand it, it takes around 15 minutes to whip it back into shape. I love that so much.
- The perspective: There are few things I miss that are in storage. Which is pretty crazy since about 85 percent of our material things are in storage right now. I feel like that perspective I’ve gotten from temporarily downsizing is worth its weight in gold.
Ryan and I have talked a lot about what we think of this tiny space. Mostly positive, but a few negatives. He thinks he could live in a tiny space forever if it were just him and I. I don’t think I could. But it’s a great experience for us.
I think this year of small living is a great story to tell. And I believe it helps us appreciate the home we’re building. Who needs Wonder Woman anyway?
What would be the hardest part of living in a small space for you?
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Eric says
Thank you for tell us how living in tiny house. I don’t know how well I’ll be if I move to tiny house forever but I would travel ,but not thow ,like escape rv design. I like thow plans and i have seen them, but I rather live in small house. I’m really support Tiny/small house movement. I’m living in single wide trailer about 1200 sq ft. It may a little big for one person but It was cheap to buy plus on land also garage which must have with my woodworking machines. It was cost me 56k. I refuse to buy a house over $ 100000. I watched HGTV show a lot but I just don’t know how people handle to buy $500,000 or more mortage and had a kids too!! I’ll be stress and worry!!! Also, They always get $$$ products and appliances. I’m not sure if those shows are for real or not. Too much drama!! Also, It is very annoy if one of people on shows said Bathroom is too small or whatever. I mean, i have a small bathrooms 6 by 8 and it is not bother me at all. Bathroom is place to take a bath and a leak/poop.
Well, anyway, again, Thank you for tell us about your thought with living in tiny house.
Glenna says
My inability to moult properly. I leave little bits of myself everywhere I go, a pair of earrings here, a pile of receipts there, my purse, items from inside my purse, anything and everything. Can’t do that in one room well
Kim Woodward says
Oh my gosh, the word moulting just cracked me up. I can totally relate!
Barbara says
My teen daughter and I and our Labrador Retriever named Rosie lived in a very small house for 15 months. Going from a 2100 sq ft single family home to a 650 sq ft home was shocking to say the least. We each had our own bedroom but only one common TINY bathroom and a small kitchen. The best part was that we each had our own ‘private’ space. When two or three of her friends came over after school, the living room was overflowing and there was inadequate seating for everyone to watch a movie or just ‘hang out. I can’t imagine us in a living space much smaller than that. I know I’m not cut out for tinier living because I need dedicated private time. I dearly love my daughter but everyone knows that the teen years can be challenging and getting away from the drama is imperative at times for everyone’s sanity to remain intact. I admire those who can dispose of the stuff they’ve accumulated and certainly our experience shows we can all live on much less, but I’ know I’m not cut out for the TH movement. I need creative space for my quilting and other crafting adventures. Our forever home is around 1800 sq ft with an attached garage. I love walking into the office to do paperwork, computer work and then leaving my stuff neatly stacked for the next time to work on my quilt in the third bedroom. the ‘sewing room’ and not worrying that soda pop will get spilled on the quilt I’m finishing or the glue will get stuck to the dining room table. I agree that bigger isn’t always better, but neither is too tiny for self expression. Our home is considered small by some of our friends who live in 4000 sq ft two story homes, but I do my best to make it cozy and a warm and loving home for my daughter and myself (and our TWO dogs!).
Kim Woodward says
Thank you so much for sharing your perspective – it really aligns so much with what we’ve experienced. We’re actually going on 18 months in 320-square-feet and we are pretty well over it. It’s the privacy issue that you mentioned – having our own space is definitely a necessity. And I totally agree with you – it’s not about making a point, it’s about making a life that works for you. Our new house should be done in the next few months and we’ll be enjoying every foot of that 1,500 square feet! =)
Tina says
Shall we swap? Kids grown up and two of us rattling around in our huge house! Not that I mind but it also causes housework. No sooner have I finished one level than the next is messy, then I clean that one and the top one is messy again, never seem to get around the bottom level! So come on over and we shall swap, half an hour of housework and all done! And we live in sunny Auckland with harbour and sea on each side and lovely bush and nature! You would love it here! We are so far away from the rest of the world so peaceful!
Haley says
I guess what I don’t understand is if you can’t shut the door to his bedroom without him freaking out and you want a bedroom, why not just move yourself into that room and him to the living area?
Kim Woodward says
Well, the room is only large enough for a toddler bed. And I don’t fit in a toddler bed.
And the issue with closing the door isn’t the door, exactly. It’s being within close distance to us. So switching rooms wouldn’t actually change anything.
Ashley says
For me the hardest part of living in a tiny space would be my giant husband who wants to live in a fancy apartment and the fact he does a lot of work at home and how much I love my walk in closet.
But I was going to suggest, I don’t know why tiny space owners don’t build more spaces that could later have another tiny add on. If they save so much money it could only take a little while to double your space and twice the cost of utilities which I’ve heard can be a little over $1/week would only be a little over $2/week. You live in a barn, maybe you could do a shipping container bedroom add on with storage.
Brian Freeman says
None of this surprises me. I have been a Tiny Home enthusiast since before it was cool. (Google Ken Isaacs.) Most people are going to have a minimum amount of personal space they require in order to feel comfortable. You can’t keep cramming more people into a limited space and expect them to stay comfortable.
One of the things that bothers me about the “tiny homes” movement is it’s “fixed” definitions of how much space a Tiny Home should have. The movement needs to be more flexible. I have found that roughly 300 SF is about what I need to be happy living in indefinitely… Summer or winter. If my wife were in the same home, we’d need more… Unless we were only living there for a short time — like for a season.
Families need more space. Absolutely no question in my mind about that. I grew up in a family of four in the 1950’s in a home that was about 1600 SF. By today’s standards, that WAS tiny! But we did fine.
Lesson: The principles of Tiny Living are sound and wonderful for many reasons…. But don’t accept the definitions of others over your own needs. “Stay Tiny” by your own definitions.
Kim Woodward says
Thanks so much for the comment – I tend to agree with everything you’ve said here. It’s not about a number, but about how much space you actually need.
Victoria Frazier says
My husband and I along with our 3 cats are entering our second winter in a 624 sq. ft. Cabin in the mountains in Colorado. In the summertime it really isn’t an issue with a small place but in the winter time when the loft above the garage and my Craft Cottage are just too cold to be in I do get a bit frustrated with the lack of space. So I pack up my sewing projects or whatever I am currently working on and bring it to the cabin for a few fays to a week and just leave it out and about. Vut other than that, I LOVE living small! Wood stove for heat, hanging laundry to dry when possible to cut down on using the dryer, chopping our own wood for heat, keeping the faucets maintained so as not to burst or freeze pipes, shoveling snow often, seeing the gorgeous uninterrupted view of the Sangre de’ Cristo mountain range from our front windows, having the cats sleep on the foot of the bed to keep our feet war and going to the garage for most my food staples as well as my clothes and a myriad of other items on an almost hourly basis. It all serves up a gratefulness in my heart and mouth that “It really doesn’t take much to live a happy life.” I truly do love HGTV but what those who are house hunting really don’t “need” all those fancy things; they just “want” them. To learn to distinguish between the two is such a gift.
jacqueline says
thank you sooooo much for this post. I just moved from 800 square feet to a 190 square foot THOW. Most of my friends thought/ think I was crazy. So I feel like I have to always talk about how wonderful it is living small. The truth is it’s wonderful AND hard. like everything in life is. i wish i had read more about the hard stuff before i moved in. i was caught off guard by some of the challenges. i don’t regret my move, and i am in love with tiny living – AND it is still hard some times. i hope the whole TH community can continue to be well-balanced and honest about the good as well as the hard.
Debbie says
What great insight. Thanks for sharing your experiences so openly. We are on the other end, getting ready to be empty nesters. We are selling our large home to our oldest son and his bride-to-be and planning on moving into a 400 sq. ft. Park model home. This will be temporary (we think). But we are looking forward to getting out of debt and living a more relaxed lifestyle. Btw, we raised three boys, all of whom are over 6 ft. With shoe sizes ranging from 15-18. Small living was never an option with them! Lol. Best of luck in all your ventures!
Kim Woodward says
Bless you! I can’t imagine feeding three strapping boys! Best of luck with your move!
Lola says
I can’t read every post here — I was directed from Pinterest — you guys have done some lovely renovation work on a couple of darling homes, and just since 2007 (!). My question: why move from EITHER of these two charming, small, modest homes you put so much work into? Either were much bigger than the 300 square foot barn. Sorry, but if you are not blippin’ insane yet from living in such a small space, you will be. It can’t be very nice with a toddler, either.
I can’t imagine packing up and MOVING 3 times in less than 7 years….and you did it during the worst housing/foreclosure crisis in the last 75 years. By this I mean, it was not a time when you could have made a huge profit compared to other eras. (Though I don’t know WHERE you live, it does seem rural or a small town.)
Why not settle down and ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE? Why put yourself and your child through constant packing and moves? Why do all that hard work, so someone else can enjoy your pretty bathroom or new kitchen or wainscotting? WHY? is it just materialism? trying to get ahead? always seeking something bigger and better (even if it means living like a hobbit for several years while you BUILD a new house)?
Part of happiness is….learning to be happy with what you have. You had two absolutely delightful, renovated homes. It wasn’t enough. WHY? when you know the answer, maybe you can find happiness without “house flipping for money”.
Kim Woodward says
Lola, I have written about this topic for 7 years so its kind of hard to narrow it down to a nugget to answer your comment.
But we each choose the lives we want to live. And for us, we have had the opportunity to enjoy this journey and create beauty in several old homes. I feel like it’s a wonderful gift to be able to be part of the story of an old home. But we are only a chapter and are more than happy to work hard for these homes – for ourselves and the future owners.
We never planned to stay forever in the homes, and it doesn’t mean we aren’t happy or that we are somehow greedy or materialistic. The major reason we have done what we have done is to provide a better quality of life for our son. (He has only moved once, btw. And he’s not scarred.) We are able to live out in the country in a wonderful town near family and great friends. He loves it here and it makes the transition quite easy.
I believe there is nothing inherently evil about building a wonderful home for yourself and your family. And there is nothing wrong with selling a home and moving on. Just another chapter …
And we are quite proud of our journey.
Margy says
My husband and I have been living in an off the grid float cabin on Powell Lake in British Columbia pretty much full time since 2008. We travel in winter months a bit, but other than that we enjoy it in all seasons. We are bigger though, 675 square feet since we added a bathroom with compost toilet. Water is by hand pump up from the lake, and heat is by woodstove. We use propane for fridge and stove plus some lights. Solar and wind lets us recharge devices and a few LEDs. I love living out in nature, but I am sure it would be different if I was trying to raise a family. – Margy
Kim Woodward says
It sounds lovely! So happy that it’s working for you! There are many wonderful things about living small and i think it would be lovely to live on the water.
Dawn says
We are about to start living in a 32′ camper with our two sons ages 15 and 13 and our dog and cat. We have 13 1/2 acres but it will be full blown winter soon. Our mad scheme is we bought the land with cash, will sell our house and with the equity build our new house, add septic and well. Voile no debt! Excited but living with the reality that this will be hard. The kids aren’t thrilled about it for now.
Kim Woodward says
This sounds pretty familiar. We sold our last house precisely to use the equity to build our new house. Good luck!
Mary says
This is why if we do ever go tiny, it will be after the kids move out! We will have a loft or small bedroom so the living space is not the official sleeping area. Biggest of all, we will not go tiny in Minnesota unless the house can be moved to somewhere South so we can get outside in the winter!
Kim Woodward says
I feel you – the cold is pretty brutal when you don’t have any extra space.
Jan says
I kind of chuckle at how tiny houses are so popular now because a part number of people have lived in small spaces before tiny houses were invented. We live in densely populated cities where space is at a premium. However, when I retire and move back to my hometown I’ll probably stick with a small house. I recently moved from a 164 sq ft studio to a 450 sq ft 1 bedroom. I agree with you about the bedroom. I had a futon before and I really love having my bedroom separated from my living space. That has now become a non-negotiable for future apartments/houses. Also I found a tiny kitchen to be too limiting. By a lot of standards my kitchen is still small but there’s more cupboards, a regular refrigerator and room for a regular size stove when I get one. I save a lot of money on groceries because I can stock up a little instead of going to the store every few days. The more trips you make, the more money you spend. I do like the fact that in a small space I accumulate way less stuff. I think twice before I buy and I constantly look at what I can throw out.
Kim Woodward says
These are great points – I am much better at purging but I’m still learning not to buy things to begin with. 😉
Naomi says
I have been living in a L-shaped studio for 15 years and have become accustomed to it as a single person. I believe I could live in a tiny home but not with a partner, maybe a dog. I’m going to look into it when I retire in a couple years or so.
jess says
The hardest part about living in a tiny space for me is feeling like I was forced into it. 1) to make a point 2) by assumed limitations of current society 3) in soldiarity with those who don’t have a choice to live another way.
Jan says
12 years ago I designed a 405 sq ft. handicapped accessible tiny home as I am in a wheelchair. It has two lofts partly for the allusion of space and for some storage. I can’t get to the lofts but I love the openness and my friends and family come and get down any needed items. I have a nice carport and a fenced in accessible garden ? so I am outside quite often. I have spent a year downsizing my unnecessary stuff. I love the cottage but you can go from guest ready to trashed in a day. No where to hide items as you are working on them. Every day this week I have had guests. Yesterday a friend brought over some craft items, then my family brought down the Christmas items and I am redoing a book closet into a craft closet. So today it is awkward to maneuver the wheelchair around any extra stuff. ? That is probably the hardest thing for me.
Lynda says
Kim I also live in a tiny house! We bought a 10×20 Graceland building about 10 years ago just so our grandkids could have a place to hang out. Of that 10×20 it has 4 foot porch so the living space is 160 sq ft. We always leased a home and ever time we moved we moved this building. The 2 homes we lived in were 2800 sq ft. Finally after we knew we weren’t going to have to relocate with my husbands job we bought some land and put the building on it and I told him that we could make it home until we could build (anything to get out of the high rent) so I hired a guy to come in and Sheetrock, already had electric and plumbing done, my son does flooring so he laid my floor. Long story short I have everything I need in it kitchen bath etc. my husband built our sofa/bed. All this to say I love it at times but I am so ready for a house. He could live here forever like your husband, but like I tell him he works overseas and is gone for 33 days and home 26 to 28 so he isn’t here 24/7. We also bought a smaller building so I could have a laundry/closet and more storage. Also have 4 climate control storage builds that all my stuff are in in town. And understand we did all this before tiny houses became popular in other words “we were tiny before tiny was cool”. Lol. Like you say there are good things and bad things about living tiny. But we owe no one except storage in town but that won’t be much longer and that is the best thing of all. We just got through building a garage / shop and I plan to move my stuff here from storage to sort thru and keep what I need and sale what I don’t. Sorry for the long story but nice to know someone else feels the same. Good luck!!
Kim Woodward says
Such a great feeling to owe no one! =) We owe our parents big time for all the storage they are providing us. (Thank goodness for their huge barn.
It’s wonderful to hear about your experience – you were totally tiny before it was cool!
PJ Waldrop says
i love looking at the inventive ideas in tiny homes. I am not sure I could live in one full time, however my current home is only 570 square feet. What I really want is to make better use of the area I have. I love the ideas and the technology that is being developed. It used to be a novelty for Murphy beds, with the tiny house movement so much more is possible.
The biggest thing for each of us is learning about what is important enough to hold onto and what is okay to just let go.
Kim Woodward says
I really love the idea of the murphy bed. I wish we really would have gone this route for the barn apartment!
Amy Myers says
I often wondered what it would be like and what I could live with and without. My own personal dedicated space is important to me so when we build our house I will need to consider this even after reading you article. Plus, I know I will need outdoor living porch as well to get out of the house when I feel stifled. Finally I live in a climate of 9 months it is chilly, I still think I will need a dedicated bedroom and not just a living space with a bed. This article confirms that. Appreciate you sharing. PS – How are your utility bills? Did you see a huge decrease in that? PSS – since you live so close and often, do you find you already need to replace things like flooring furniture etc?
Trish says
Thanks for writing this. Learning both the positives and negatives about tiny house living is valuable especially to those of us considering taking the leap. I think the hardest thing for me would be the lack of privacy and never being able to have a quiet moment as voices/phones carry in such a small space without many walls.
Lisa H. says
I am so glad you have this outlet to share your thoughts and ideas. I think what I would like BEST about the small space is the need to minimize possessions. I hate the idea of American consumerism, but it is SO easy to get wrapped up in the idea of MORE space instead of LESS stuff. Like you said, a small space forces you to downsize, and it’s amazing how much you can do without. The thing I would like LEAST is having no space to escape noise. As a high school teacher, sometimes all I want is a think-free, noise-free, stimulation free space.
Rebecca says
We’ve actually been living in a small space for the past several months as we get ready for our big move. Our space is slightly large than yours -about 420 square feet. We have an actual bedroom, albeit one without a door.
The downsides are exactly as you describe -no privacy, no place to put anything, and no way to keep the cat off the bed!
The upsides are the closeness and the time spent together as a family.
daisy says
I think I’d love it if it were just me. I like to spend most of my time outside and don’t need a lot of stuff. Less to clean. With kids it’s a bit dicier. My boy would be lost without Lego storage. And room for his fire alarm collection.
I think you will appreciate the space, once you get it, so much more. What a fantastic opportunity to really understand what’s important to you as a family.
Enjoy your weekend in your darling lil’ pad.
Sara says
You have made excellent points. What I like about you is that you think so thoroughly about your plans and make very educated decisions. I would’ve done everything the same way you did, kids need a room more than the adults. With that said, I would not be able to be so close to my family 24/7! Ha, I send Ashford to daycare three half days a week because I need time to myself. You are basically a saint, my friend!
Kenz @ Interiors By Kenz says
I love the honesty of this so much. Small space living is hard. Our situation was a little different… being in an unfinished basement was obviously VERY temporary, but I certainly did learn some lessons from it. I can’t believe that it’s already been 6 months for you guys in the barn. I don’t think you’re negative at ALL for sharing the challenges with small space living. I think it makes you human to struggle with those things, especially those scenarios you pointed out. It makes you a strong person for getting through those. You are going to look back on this time and realize how much you all grew from this experience. And it will make your new house SOOO worth it!
Arizona Lainey says
I honestly believe it will be so much better when summer arrives. Henry loves being outside and you can be planting your garden and working in your yard. And don’t forget the most important thing……. “G” will only be 8 miles down the road!
Kathy says
We are a family of five in a house under 1000 ft.² I love it. In fact, we’re building in the next year and won’t go bigger. That being said, we do live in the country and have 15 acres to entertain us!
Emily @ imperfect says
I am just so impressed with your attitude, mostly. I would go MAD without a room of my own. But maybe that’s the point – simplify until you can live in a small space. All that to say, I’m impressed with your stick-to-it-iveness – and I know you are going to love your new home all the more -and probably always be able to live more simply – for having lived in such a small space.
Kim Woodward says
It helps a lot that this is temporary. It makes small inconveniences tolerable. I know that summer will be a major improvement as well. The outdoor spaces are awesome and such a great upgrade from our last house. Plus, Henry loves it here. He hasn’t asked about our old house once. That makes the whole adjustment a lot better.
Amber @ Wills Casa says
Love the honesty Kim! I’m sure it’s a challenge, but it seems like all the good things still out weigh the negatives. Of course everything will be a lot easier once Spring and Summer are here! You will get to really use that patio and enjoy the land! All in all think of how sweet it will be to have the house finished! You will be even more grateful for it.
Kim says
Honestly I love hearing this because it seems I’m always seeing things in magazines or online about tiny-house living and I always end up feeling like I’m a horrible ego-centric, materialistic person because I’m not living like that! I know, I know – no one is making me feel that way but “they” make it sound so peaceful and harmonious to live like that. I know there are upsides – the ones you mentioned. However, I know for me I’d go nuts. In fact, my husband and I are feeling the need for more space even though we have a roughly 1800s sq foot house. But it doesn’t work for us anymore in its current layout and that layout can’t be changed. We want to spread out a bit – especially thinking about the kids becoming teenagers.. We want them to have friends over, hang out at OUR house since then we know where they are and what they’re doing 🙂 So we’re looking. But definitely don’t want massive/big/obnoxious – I have to be able to clean it fast at a moments’ notice! 🙂
Thanks for keeping it real! The one thing you didn’t mention was the bathroom situation – for me that would be a big annoyance…lack of privacy, the need to schedule around each other so much….how does that work for you?
Kim Woodward says
I think that layout is probably more important than square footage. The house we’re building is only about 1500 square feet, which is actually more than we planned. But it’s super open and very practical, so I think we’ll be okay.
As for the bathroom, it’s not a huge adjustment. We only had one bathroom in our last house so it’s not much of an issue. Ryan goes to work before Henry or I even get up (he is at work by 6) and Henry doesn’t actually use a bathroom yet. Most of the time, it’s no problem. HOWEVER, having more than one bathroom is definitely something we want long-term. SO we’ll have more when we build. =)
Thanks for the comment!
Natalie @ Being Mrs. Olson says
It IS a great story to tell! I so love reading about your tiny space, especially with your little babe. I would love to have the experience some time in the future. Glad to hear you are keeping a positive attitude and enjoying it while it lasts.
Karen At Home Blog says
So cute but I completely understand! I hope all is well 🙂
K Frer - cozycapecottage says
Great post Kim. Luckily it’s temporary….and what a great dedicated craft room the barn will make after you build the house! 😉
Kim Woodward says
It’s like you’ve read my mind.
K Frer - cozycapecottage says
You’re seriously going to love it. We just did our basement as the dedicated craft space, and it’s fabulous. It’s probably a touch bigger than your barn space but without the kitchen and bathroom. I love having everything in one spot, that I can easily close the door when I’m mid project, that I’m the only one in there moving things around, and oh….the standing height cutting table. Let me count the ways I love that thing!!
cassie says
i think you need to print all the good points and post on a pretty poster in your barn. because on the days you can’t hide and weather stinks… it would be a great reminder!
Gretchen says
I love hearing about this stuff…..in theory a small space sounds great to me (you know, like a travel trailer :)), but I do wonder if the downsides would drive me completely crazy.
Kim Woodward says
It’s not something I could personally do forever, but it’s totally manageable. Most days, I’m pretty thrilled with the arrangement. And I think summer will be great.
Sherry says
I moved from a 3000 sq foot house, bought a 16 foot trailer and hit the road. I wound up in Loreto, Baja California Sur. While living in the trailer with my dog, I felt liberated, cozy, self-reliant. But also frustrated at times when the plumbing leaked or a jack malfunctioned. But every problem, as we know, is a chance to learn something.
I eventually bought a house overlooking the Sea of Cortez and use the trailer for an extra bedroom when I have guests. I pull the trailer when I go home to Oregon during the summer. Couldn’t be happier. Living in a tiny space is a piece of cake when you are solo.
Kim Woodward says
Sounds wonderful! I think we could live small as a couple, too. But it will be nice to have a larger space again. We miss our sofa and big bed a lot – and the toys are all in storage so my son will think it’s Christmas.
jacqueline says
you know 320 sq feet for a family is quite small. you dont have to give up small living if you went to 500 sq feet that extra bit can give you the privacy you need. even 700 sq feet is quite small. I think small living is very cool but 320 for a family and if you expand is going to be very hard.. I would consider. going up to 550-700 sq feet which will still give you the small living and the privacy you need as a couple as well. just my opinion..
Kim Woodward says
Thanks for sharing! I’m not sure if you read the entire post, but this is a temporary move while we are building our home. So we’re on the same page. =)