When we imagine tiny living, our minds automatically conjure images of the traditional tiny house built on a trailer. However, for some, tiny living simply means choosing a smaller housing option, such as a small apartment. In this post, we’ve put together some really cool (and simple!) design ideas for a kid’s room in a tiny apartment – although these unique ideas can easily be applied to any small space, however you define tiny living!
It can be difficult to find apartments that are big enough for all of the stuff your child has and wants. Not only is there a constant stream of new clothes coming in and old clothes that no longer fit going out, children also typically have tons of toys, books and electronics. Of course, it’s even better if your child has a desk to do homework at and a comfy place to read or watch TV. Check out these design ideas for organizing everything your child wants and needs in a tiny apartment.
Find Space-Saving Furniture
You aren’t likely to find apartments with big bedrooms for your child. One of the first things to do when trying to design a child’s bedroom in a tiny apartment is to look at the furniture. There’s just no place for bulky, inefficient furniture. Check out places like Ikea and Target for functional, space-saving items – or check out the rest of this site for more unique ideas! Beds that have drawers built in underneath the mattress or at the foot of the bed can provide a lot of extra storage space without taking up any extra floor space.
Image Credit:Â https://www.wetwillieblog.com/
Go Up
Bunk beds are a great idea if you have more than one child sharing a room, and loft beds are the perfect choice for single children. Under the loft bed you can find designs that have a desk, dresser or even a seating area. You can also maximize floor space by buying taller furniture, rather than wide, low-to-the-ground options. Tall dressers hold quite a bit of stuff, as do shelves and bins for storing toys, books and clothes. See the image above for a beautiful example of how to maximize tiny spaces by building up instead of out!
Use the Walls
While many apartments for rent lack floor space, there’s most likely going to be plenty of wall space. Once you’ve built up and maximized all of the space in the room, start looking at the walls. A hook near the bedroom door is perfect for backpacks and jackets. Hooks in the closet can store hats, belts and scarfs. You can even find storage containers that attach right to the wall! These are perfect for storing toys, art supplies, school stuff and even diapers or baby wipes. The image below is a beautiful example of how to open up space by utilizing effective storage ideas – from the wall-mounted storage shelves to the drawers underneath the bed!
Image Credit:Â https://themaisonette.net
 Customize
When you just can’t fit anything else in the room, it’s time to customize. This is a great idea, especially if your child can’t fit everything in his or her own room – or if they aren’t quite as excited as you are about living in a tiny apartment. Let your child personalize the room and have fun with it! It may be as simple as adding some pictures or painting the furniture. All that matters is your kid feels at home in your tiny apartment, and the best way to do that is by letting them help you decorate – they’ll love the idea of finding a funky chair or putting removable stars on the ceiling. Speaking of removable, you can also find large stickers that adhere to the wall and just peel off when it’s time to move out! This is a great option if your landlord does not allow you to paint the walls, or if you know your kid will want to redecorate again in a few months!
The most important thing to remember when you find a tiny apartment with even smaller rooms is not to throw out your dreams of living in a tiny home because you think your son or daughter won’t enjoy it. Remember, with a little bit of planning and organization, your child can still have a room that he or she will absolutely adore!
There are a number of situations that arise when raising a child in a tiny house that most don’t usually think of when designing. As a tiny house family we have run into several things that have made us scratch our head. I think the easiest solution comes when your child is above 7 years old and can safely and comfortably utilize a loft space of their own. Otherwise the time before they turn 2 is ideal because you can co-sleep and they generally want to spend every waking moment with you anyway. Since the article deals with tiny apartments though the stakes are much different. I agree with almost everything posted. You should think about space saving furniture. The best is to create a bunk with either “work space” underneath or just general creative space where forts can be made, images of stars can be project above, and crafting can happen. I also think the use of vertical space is important. Put the toys that are played with least higher up and the ones that are constant favorites lower to the ground and more accessible. I think I would add though not to use too much furniture in a kids room. Most kids don’t typically care about an armchair for reading or a special toy box or even a large set of dresser drawers. Design the room with two things in mind: sleep and play. The rest will fall into place!
I’m planning to buy bunk beds to save space in my humble abode. Got a lot of ideas especially using and maximizing walls to make everything functional. Thanks for the inspirations Ryan.