How to get Privacy in a Tiny House

It’s a bit of a myth that there’s no privacy in a tiny house. True, it’s hard to get any privacy from a toddler in a tiny house (especially if she’s a light sleeper) but getting privacy from another adult is surprisingly easy.

I guess one major caveat has to be made before we continue- that the other adult has to be willing to give you privacy. See other blog called Living in a Tiny House Together – Can We Do It?

So, assuming that you and your future tiny house buddy have agreed that you will be able to live together in the tiny house, let’s go through some strategies for creating privacy.

Earphones.

If you would like to have a private phone conversation with your bestie (the kind that may even include talking about your tiny house buddy while they are there) then your tiny house buddy can wear head phones and listen to music, a podcast or watch a film. Pretty reliably, the soundscape that your buddy is then engulfed in will give you the freedom to natter away with a sense of relative privacy, even though there are no internal walls.

Loft space.

There’s something to be said for at least being out of view from the other person.  In those times when you just want to hide away and not be within someone else’s view, the loft area/s can function the same way as a closed door. Combine it with some earphone use and you’ve got yourself a virtual island.
Use of outdoor space.
Weather permitting, asking your tiny house buddy to vacate for a few hours is a perfectly good strategy for having relationship-sustaining lone time. Best to just go for a walk, go to the library, visit a friend. Certainly options for creating privacy are greatly increased if you can access a big shed or another house nearby. Even the use of verandas can be helpful in using the outdoor space, especially with some comfy outdoor furniture.
Schedule time home alone 
When you know it’s there sometime in the week or day, it’s easier to manage when the privacy you need isn’t available right now. Just knowing it will happen can be enough to tide you over sometimes.
Probably the most important technique for creating privacy is a willingness from all members to grant the other enough space and time to replenish their emotional battery pack. Requests around privacy need to be free flowing and not have major relational consequences attached to them. Approach it just like you would going into a different room in a big house. Really not a big deal.
Everyone is going to have different needs around privacy and contact in their tiny house situation, so figure out something that works for you and your buddy.
Please leave comments with your strategies, concerns or stories to help others with this popular topic. And share it with friends to help them out! Thanks xo

How to get Privacy in a Tiny House by Shannon Schultz is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.