Gone are the days when living in a small space is seen as a big inconvenience and disadvantage for families and individuals. Nowadays, such a setup is considered to be an amazingly affordable opportunity to be intentional, simple, and contented. Small spaces are easier to clean and maintain, cost less living expenses, and can bring your family closer to each other.
If you’re a parent, you might be concern about how you can live a happier and comfortable life in a small space with your kids. Well, there are many ways how you can do just that. Here are six of them.
Maximize vertical space
If you have limited floor space, you’ll need to maximize your vertical space creatively. This is also a good trick to keep your house more open. You can get wall beds, shelving, or tall cabinets to store your things like toys, books, and other household items. You can also opt to hang your things, which can be double as decorations. If you have two or more kids, you’d want to consider getting bunk beds with built-in cabinets to save a lot of space. After all, most kids would love sleeping on bunk beds.
Give your kids the bigger room
As much as possible, you’d want your kids to share a bedroom, which is why you should definitely give them the biggest one in the house, especially, if they aren’t teenagers yet. A big room will also give them more space to study and play peacefully and without making a mess on other parts of the house. You’re living in a small space so you’d want to keep it as neat as possible. From their school supplies, clothes, to toys, everything’s in one place, which means it’s faster and easier to clean.
Use your outdoors
Since you have limited indoor space, you’d also want to take advantage of the outdoor space that you have. Most homeowners living in tiny homes build wooden decks, which are easy and affordable to install. Plus, you get to have an additional living space in your home where you and your kids can spend quality time. Just be sure to hire professional deck installers such as Green Oasis Landscaping to avoid wasting money on a poor-quality deck.
Squeeze in storage
Not being smart with storage when living in a small home can be a disaster. Maximize your closet space in every area, from your craft room, bedroom, to the panty, and ensure there’s no wasted space. Use the space under your tables, couches, or beds to store items that you rarely use. There are tons of storage bags out there that you can buy to store your seasonal clothes or blankets. Got a vacant entry closet? You can convert it into a shoe and bag rack or a pantry.
Another smart option is using multi-functional furniture to store your things. For instance, your toy box can be used as a bench, or get a shelf floor lamp for a unique storage solution. There are also convertible chairs, beds, and storage stools that you can buy.
Make time for activities
You and your kids still need to spend time together even if you live in a tiny home. Talk to your partner about what things you can do inside the house and make a list. It can be anything from cooking and preparing meals together, building an epic fort, or playing an active game. It’s also best to show your kids what hobbies or activities you like to encourage them into doing theirs. Once you’re bored in doing activities inside, just take a breather outside. Have a picnic or talk walks in the park.
Purge more frequently
Last but not least, make sure to declutter and reorganize more often, especially if everyone in your family loves bringing stuff inside the house. Check each room for excess or unnecessary items and get rid of them, from your utensils, plates, clothes, gadgets, and decorative items. You can create an inventory to better decide what items should stay and which ones must go. If you have old huge appliances, maybe it’s time to get a new, smaller one for your tiny space.
Living in a small space with your lovely kids can seem a bit challenging at first. It often requires a great amount of tolerance for mess and tons of creativity and organization too. On a positive note, it’s a fantastic opportunity to teach your kids to clean and be mindful of their habits. You can spend more quality time as well.
