What a joy to read! It also makes me feel absolutely extravagant, having almost 400 sq ft all to myself to live in! His daughters are so lucky--when they're adults they will be able to comprehend just how unusual their parents are and appreciate the lifelong benefits they gained growing up like that.
It’s all relative, right? 400 sq ft could be extravagant. And something I have found about living small as a family is that it brings you close to one another in a special way
This felt inspiring! Appreciate the reminder to declutter in anticipation of the season when your discarded stuff will be of use to others. And that your space should honor where you are - not norms.
Thank you for creating a space to read about other like minded individuals not following what society says. As Tyler mentioned, I think I give people pause when I tell them my husband and I purposely downsized into a smaller home. 🏡
Expectations are so hard to shake off. I always think about a woman who said she felt like she needed to have a new, fancy car because it would show people in her community that she was "successful." When I said that if she drove an old Subaru, I'd think she was sensible and smart, I think she was honestly shocked.
I love that you featured Tyler! I heard him a few months ago on a podcast I follow.
When I was buying my first home for my two kids and I after my divorce years ago in a suburb outside of Denver, my first real estate agent almost convinced me that I wouldn’t want an 1800 sq ft home because it would be too small when my kids got bigger. 1800 square feet! I did end up purchasing a home that size with another agent but then convinced myself when we sold it to move close to where I was teaching, that it was too small because my kids needed not only their own larger bedrooms but also a loft as well as two living areas to spread out in. Ridiculous, right?! I’m happy to say I’ve moved to the space lover camp in recent years (though my kids live overseas so it is much easier to downsize).
I also love hearing about New York small space living. My 19-year old daughter has dreams of living in New York (the only place in the US she’ll consider right now) but has convinced herself that it’s impossible. Poor thing has to just make due with living in New Zealand right now and a future in Ireland/anywhere in the EU with her triple citizenship 🙄 (yes, I’m jealous of her and those of you in NYC!!).
I love this series highlighting real small space dwellers!
It's funny what we are told we "need." Everyone told us that we should "stretch" to buy a bigger apartment and that we'd want to move as soon as our son could walk, but it's been nine years and we're still okay.
Tell your daughter that she can still find an affordable-ish place to live in Queens--and we have the best food too ;)
The seasonal giveaway is genius -- I heavily leverage our local buy nothing and moms groups and have definitely made the mistake of gifting at the end as opposed to the start of a season.
Love hearing how my fellow New Yorkers maximize their spaces. My husband and I both work from home. I’d love to see more coverage of small spaces that double as work and live.
Yes, that would be wonderful! We spend a lot of time thinking about how to arange our 850 sq ft apartment where both people work at home (and need private spaces).
I have a question around both you and Tyler having second homes. I also have a small home and we have gone back and forth on getting a vacation type home somewhere in driving distance but I feel like it's a big environmental gut to have two homes, as well as furnishing, taking up a home, etc, all the things. I was just wondering how you, and Tyler, reconcile supporting living small while having two homes. I'm not judging - I see the desire myself - but just curious how that fits as I myself find it to be a bit of a hypocrisy. I love your work and all you do and hope this doesn’t come across as anything other than someone figuring this out for themselves and wondering how others see it.
Tyler and I did not discuss this, so I can’t speak for him. But the short answer is: it’s not the most sustainable choice. That said, whether or not it was a sustainable or socially conscious choice was the furthest thing from our minds when my husband and I bought that house as newlyweds—we were just excited.
If owning a home outside of the city you live in appeals to you/would bring you joy, I’d say try to do it in the most sustainable way possible: Buy a small, older home and restore it, go electric, fill it with secondhand things, be a steward to the land it’s on, support local conservation groups—all things you'd do with any home.
Thank you so much for responding. I love to hear the details of stocking it with used items, etc. Similarly, if I get a second home the combination would still be under the average American house size so it’s been an ongoing debate in my head. Not to beat a dead horse but I do want to be clear I’m not judging or saying it’s wrong to have a second home, I’m just so curious how like-minded people work this through themselves as I debate it for myself.
Our apartment is 750 sq ft, and our cottage is 1100 sq ft. By suburban standards, when combined, that square footage is very small. We manage our cottage as a short term rental during the school and then stay there in the summer. We don’t have personal items stored there and we stocked the cottage with items from buy nothing groups, Salvation Army, and yard sales. When I write and share as Tidy Dad I make it clear that my motivation is for people to “make space for what matters…to them.” For each of us that definition is incredibly personal.
Not NYC, but relatable raising three now teenage boys. Our Craigslist-found, sturdy, steel triple bunkbed was a floorspace gamechanger. We have just now moved into grandma's house and the puzzle begins again!
My dad grew up as 1 of 11 kids (6 girls/5 boys) - the boys shared one room with a triple bunk and double bunk. He has so many stories of the pranks they played using the triple bunk, I was always so jealous as a kid! Love that this is providing function and hoping everyone is getting as much enjoyment my dad (and later me, via stories) did.
Whenever I start to feel that something in our (1,100 sq ft) home is too small, I remind myself of all the people living in NYC with their small kitchens! I can walk to a grocery store, too--and it's important to be reminded of that. Thanks for a great feature.
Totally agree that de-cluttering is not a one-time activity - I'm constantly re-arranging things in my home for quicker/improved accessibility which confuses my spouse and me sometimes, but at least it keeps our memory sharp! :)
What a joy to read! It also makes me feel absolutely extravagant, having almost 400 sq ft all to myself to live in! His daughters are so lucky--when they're adults they will be able to comprehend just how unusual their parents are and appreciate the lifelong benefits they gained growing up like that.
It’s all relative, right? 400 sq ft could be extravagant. And something I have found about living small as a family is that it brings you close to one another in a special way
This felt inspiring! Appreciate the reminder to declutter in anticipation of the season when your discarded stuff will be of use to others. And that your space should honor where you are - not norms.
The decluttering *ahead* of the season really hit home with me too!
Parents giving the biggest bedroom to the kids is THE small space game changer!
Thank you for creating a space to read about other like minded individuals not following what society says. As Tyler mentioned, I think I give people pause when I tell them my husband and I purposely downsized into a smaller home. 🏡
Expectations are so hard to shake off. I always think about a woman who said she felt like she needed to have a new, fancy car because it would show people in her community that she was "successful." When I said that if she drove an old Subaru, I'd think she was sensible and smart, I think she was honestly shocked.
I love that you featured Tyler! I heard him a few months ago on a podcast I follow.
When I was buying my first home for my two kids and I after my divorce years ago in a suburb outside of Denver, my first real estate agent almost convinced me that I wouldn’t want an 1800 sq ft home because it would be too small when my kids got bigger. 1800 square feet! I did end up purchasing a home that size with another agent but then convinced myself when we sold it to move close to where I was teaching, that it was too small because my kids needed not only their own larger bedrooms but also a loft as well as two living areas to spread out in. Ridiculous, right?! I’m happy to say I’ve moved to the space lover camp in recent years (though my kids live overseas so it is much easier to downsize).
I also love hearing about New York small space living. My 19-year old daughter has dreams of living in New York (the only place in the US she’ll consider right now) but has convinced herself that it’s impossible. Poor thing has to just make due with living in New Zealand right now and a future in Ireland/anywhere in the EU with her triple citizenship 🙄 (yes, I’m jealous of her and those of you in NYC!!).
I love this series highlighting real small space dwellers!
It's funny what we are told we "need." Everyone told us that we should "stretch" to buy a bigger apartment and that we'd want to move as soon as our son could walk, but it's been nine years and we're still okay.
Tell your daughter that she can still find an affordable-ish place to live in Queens--and we have the best food too ;)
Love your Small Takes series, Laura! I love Tyler’s positivity and ethos. I also love his family’s embrace of color!
ME TOO! It's fun to see a young family painting the walls with saturated hues--love that pink room.
The seasonal giveaway is genius -- I heavily leverage our local buy nothing and moms groups and have definitely made the mistake of gifting at the end as opposed to the start of a season.
Love hearing how my fellow New Yorkers maximize their spaces. My husband and I both work from home. I’d love to see more coverage of small spaces that double as work and live.
Suzan, that’s a great suggestion! Maybe a post with a bunch of different WFH set-ups in small spaces.
Yes, that would be wonderful! We spend a lot of time thinking about how to arange our 850 sq ft apartment where both people work at home (and need private spaces).
I have a question around both you and Tyler having second homes. I also have a small home and we have gone back and forth on getting a vacation type home somewhere in driving distance but I feel like it's a big environmental gut to have two homes, as well as furnishing, taking up a home, etc, all the things. I was just wondering how you, and Tyler, reconcile supporting living small while having two homes. I'm not judging - I see the desire myself - but just curious how that fits as I myself find it to be a bit of a hypocrisy. I love your work and all you do and hope this doesn’t come across as anything other than someone figuring this out for themselves and wondering how others see it.
Tyler and I did not discuss this, so I can’t speak for him. But the short answer is: it’s not the most sustainable choice. That said, whether or not it was a sustainable or socially conscious choice was the furthest thing from our minds when my husband and I bought that house as newlyweds—we were just excited.
If owning a home outside of the city you live in appeals to you/would bring you joy, I’d say try to do it in the most sustainable way possible: Buy a small, older home and restore it, go electric, fill it with secondhand things, be a steward to the land it’s on, support local conservation groups—all things you'd do with any home.
Thank you so much for responding. I love to hear the details of stocking it with used items, etc. Similarly, if I get a second home the combination would still be under the average American house size so it’s been an ongoing debate in my head. Not to beat a dead horse but I do want to be clear I’m not judging or saying it’s wrong to have a second home, I’m just so curious how like-minded people work this through themselves as I debate it for myself.
We also drive a 2000 Chevy Malibu back and forth between the two 🤣🤣🤣
Our apartment is 750 sq ft, and our cottage is 1100 sq ft. By suburban standards, when combined, that square footage is very small. We manage our cottage as a short term rental during the school and then stay there in the summer. We don’t have personal items stored there and we stocked the cottage with items from buy nothing groups, Salvation Army, and yard sales. When I write and share as Tidy Dad I make it clear that my motivation is for people to “make space for what matters…to them.” For each of us that definition is incredibly personal.
Not NYC, but relatable raising three now teenage boys. Our Craigslist-found, sturdy, steel triple bunkbed was a floorspace gamechanger. We have just now moved into grandma's house and the puzzle begins again!
Yes, a triple bunk is a real gamechanger for floor space! Good luck with the new puzzle.
My dad grew up as 1 of 11 kids (6 girls/5 boys) - the boys shared one room with a triple bunk and double bunk. He has so many stories of the pranks they played using the triple bunk, I was always so jealous as a kid! Love that this is providing function and hoping everyone is getting as much enjoyment my dad (and later me, via stories) did.
Whenever I start to feel that something in our (1,100 sq ft) home is too small, I remind myself of all the people living in NYC with their small kitchens! I can walk to a grocery store, too--and it's important to be reminded of that. Thanks for a great feature.
I actually sort of like galley kitchens--they're easy to cook in!
As always very inspiring!
I needed this today! Inspiring and attainable- my favorite kind of post.
Thank you!
Inspiring and attainable is exactly the balance I hope to strike ❤️
This was a great read. I live in a tiny house and love it. Yes, decluttering is not a one time thing! Thank you!
Not a one-time thing for me either—a constant process.
Things seem to multiply in a way that I'm not quite certain how they accumulate until I cannot ignore them!
Laura, love hearing from your design friends! Great read today.
Thanks, Magus! I love interviewing them.
Totally agree that de-cluttering is not a one-time activity - I'm constantly re-arranging things in my home for quicker/improved accessibility which confuses my spouse and me sometimes, but at least it keeps our memory sharp! :)