There are many great reasons to choose a small house over a larger one. For instance, smaller houses are typically more affordable to buy, more cost efficient to own, require much less time cleaning, and encourage family togetherness. But living in a small house with teens can definitely be challenging too.

Why We Chose a Small House With Teens

When we moved to California in March 2020, the house we thought we were going to buy fell through and we ended up living in an Airbnb for a year while we house hunted. The Airbnb was 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and 1366 sq feet. This meant that all three of our kids (then ages 10, 12, and 14) shared one bedroom during that time. While we were staying in that little coastal Airbnb, we fell in love with living near the beach and wanted to stay in the area. However, a bigger house so close to the beach was not in our budget.

The little Airbnb taught us that living in a small home was definitely possible for our family of five and we decided that location and lifestyle were more important to us than having a bigger house. We bought and renovated a 1260 sq ft fixer upper with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms just one mile from the coast and we love it!

We’ve lived (and homeschooled) in this home for two years now and our kids are 13, 15, and 17. And while living in a small home with teens can present some challenges, we’ve figured out ways to make things run more smoothly for our family.

TIPS FOR LIVING IN A SMALL HOUSE WITH TEENS

ENCOURAGE MINIMALISM

Even though not everyone in the home will be a minimalist, it’s important that everyone understands that space is limited and their things will have to fit within the available space. Usually this requires intentionally choosing to keep the things that are most important and letting less important things go.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. -Joshua Becker

For instance, we have a very small garage that is used for a variety of things including parking the golf cart, working out, and storing bikes, beach gear, and sporting equipment. The kids know that if they want a new bike or boogie board etc.., then an old one has to go. Since space in the garage is limited, there isn’t room for accumulating extra things. Sometimes it even requires saying no to a larger item because we just don’t have a place for it. Having a small house means everyone has to work within the limited space (whether this is a bedroom, closet, garage, or dresser) by being intentional with their purchases and belongings.

DE-CLUTTER REGULARLY

The reality is that as our kids get older, we tend to have less control over the state of their bedrooms and their stuff, which can be challenging. But on the flip side, we aren’t dealing with toys anymore. When my kids were young, I regularly helped them declutter their toys, so they’re used to the drill, but even now I still have to help them stay on top of decluttering their things or they would continue to accumulate too much stuff.

I’ve found that it’s best to break the process of decluttering into smaller parts so no one gets overwhelmed with the task. I try to pick a time when they’re bored or not busy and ask them to spend a few minutes going through something specific. For example, I will have them go through their books one day, another day go through clothes, and another day attack that drawer full of junk. I also offer to sell their more valuable items such as books, video games, sporting equipment etc… and give them the money. This always encourages them to part with the things they don’t love or use anymore.

(Here are 10 practical tips for managing the kid clutter.)

PICK UP DAILY

At some point in the day (for us, this is usually before or after dinner), have everyone do a quick sweep of the house and put their things away. In a small house, it’s easy for rooms to get messy and feel cluttered, but it also doesn’t take long to pick up if everyone chips in, grabs their own belongings, and takes them back to their bedroom. Before going to bed, we also try to make sure the living room is picked up, the dining table is mostly cleared off, and the kitchen is clean and ready for the next day. Simple daily habits keep things from getting out of control.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY SPACE

Sometimes the hardest thing about living in a small home with teens (especially as homeschoolers) is giving everyone their personal space. Since the boys share a bedroom, they can’t always go to their bedroom for peace and quiet. And because all of us are home together most of the time, we needed to create spaces for everyone to spread out.

My oldest son often takes advantage of the outside storage room below our sunroom to do his school work and projects. I added a chair in a corner of our master bedroom so Tim or I can get away from the noise for a bit when the chaos is getting to us. We also put a small couch in the boys’ room that can be used both as an extra place to sleep when we have guests or a comfortable place to do research on a laptop. And the sunroom has a cozy spot to curl up and read a book or listen to a podcast. During the warmer months, the kids wander outside to sit in the sun on the back porch or in the swinging chair under the orange tree.

Sometimes you might have to get creative or think outside of the box, but these quiet spaces help everyone spread out when the main living area starts feeling too noisy or crowded.

BE CONSIDERATE

No matter what size your house is, it’s important to be considerate to the other people living there, but in a small house, there may be extra challenges that come up because everything (and everyone) is closer together in proximity. In our home, light and sounds travel easily from one room to another. When one person goes to bed (or sleeps in), everyone else has to try to be a little quieter. Even things like making a late night snack can make enough noise to disrupt anyone that’s trying to sleep, so usually the kitchen is off limits after a certain time. We also try to dim the kitchen and living room lights at night after someone has gone to bed so they don’t shine straight into the bedrooms. Just a little extra consideration goes a long way in making our home run smoother.

Overall we love living in our smaller house and have found that the benefits outweigh any challenges we face when it comes to sharing a small space while raising and homeschooling teenagers.

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