FAQ: How will you get away/Where will you go for privacy?

When we tell people what we're doing, some people get it immediately and are both excited and supportive, others don't get it at all but don't sweat it, and some think that we're making the biggest mistake of our lives.  We're cool with all these reactions (although the first one is the most fun for us) because we understand that we're doing what's best for our family in this moment.

Regardless of what people think about what we're doing, we do get lots of questions.  One of the biggest questions is how to get personal space.  Any parent of a toddler knows that personal space is hard to come by regardless of the size of your house.  We're not worried about our daughter just yet, but we are giving her a bedroom once we reach the garage.  I believe the question is directed more at what Scott and I will do when we need some quiet time that doesn't involve a child.  Luckily, we have a solution for that at our new apartment.

Behold, the lounge.

There is a large lounge on the first floor with several seating areas, multiple tv's, desks and tables to work at, free wifi and a small kitchen with free coffee.  It is open until 10 pm and is a great space to use when we just want to get away for a bit but don't want to go anywhere and spend money.  There's a water cooler there that our daughter loves and the fireplaces operate via remote which she discovers each time.  Scott will take our daughter down here to hang out if I need some time in the apartment to myself, or he's been known to come down here to work quietly on the weekends.  This space could also host play dates if I ever decided to have more children over than could comfortably fit in the apartment.
The lounge is all well and good, but what will we do once we reach the garage?  We are lucky to live in a diverse and thriving neighborhood.  There are already coffee shops and several restaurants that could be used to get away.  More coffee shops are slated to come to the neighborhood soon.  There is a library a few blocks away and a community center in the area.  It won't be hard to get out and get away within a several block radius.  One of the reasons we believe that the move will be so successful is because of all the businesses in the neighborhood.  If all else fails, there's a YMCA a mile away with free childcare ;)
I want to remember to give the yard a mention.  One of the tenants of tiny living is that outdoor space counts as a living space.  We're working with a landscape designer and spending lots of extra time designing our part of the yard to ensure that we'll have an inviting space that will be fully utilized by the entire family.  As our daughter grows she'll be able to play outside independently while we work inside.
Privacy is by far the most commonly asked question, but we get asked others.  What questions do you have that we might be able to answer?  Is there something you've experienced that we should consider?  We'd love to hear your questions and/or input.