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After Husband Dies, Mom Moves Family Into 260-Square-Feet
The young mom was suddenly faced with raising two small kids on her own - so she decided to make a drastic change.
Ashley Fike
04.30.18

When Alysha St. Germain’s husband died of cancer in 2013 after working on U.S. Air Force weaponry, her life was turned completely upside down.

She was suddenly faced with the task of raising two children on her own, all while worrying about owning too much stuff and having too much debt. She knew she had to come up with a way to make it all work.

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Alysha decided to do something that she had only previously thought about in theory – moving into a tiny home. After a bit of contemplation, she decided that ‘living tiny’ was what she and her family were going to do.

After the death of her husband, Alysha did some research and purchased a 260-square-foot tiny home on wheels in Red Bluff, California.

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“I had to decide what was most important to us. And so that’s when I came to a point where I realized that the most important thing was obviously being together because our life changed in a matter of minutes … we decided that by moving into a tiny house it was going to be the impetus for us to begin living life intentionally,” Alysha said.

Alysha, her son, and her daughter all sleep in the queen-size sleeping loft.

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Accessed by a wooden ladder, the sleeping loft fits a queen-size bed, small cabinets for storage, and a shelf for books and toys. Two windows on either side let in natural light for a relaxing naptime reading session.

The kitchen is small, but has everything they need – and nothing they don’t.

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The kitchen features a two-burner stove, fridge, wooden countertops, and a sink underneath a push-out window. It’s the perfect amount of space for Alysha to cook meals for her growing kids.

Looking the opposite direction, you’ll see the family’s living and dining area near the entrance.

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Since Alysha’s son and daughter are still young, they can get away with the smaller amount of square footage without any issue. Right now, the 260-square-feet provides them with enough room for a comfy sectional sofa and a small dining table.

When living in such a small space, creative storage ideas are a necessity.

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A small green dresser adds a pop of color to the room but also is the perfect storage place for the kids’ toys or throw blankets. In the hallway, there is also lots of storage for Alysha’s clothing and shoes.

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Just past the kitchen, you’ll find the tiny home’s cozy bathroom.

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A large bathroom wasn’t a priority for Alysha and her kids. It’s small but has all of the basic amenities – a shower with small tub, sink, and a toilet. What more do you really need?

Outside, Alysha’s two children have plenty of room to run around and play.

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When the weather is nice, Alysha and her kids can spend their time outside in the sunshine. On their plot, they have a small fire pit with Adirondack chairs, a hammock and even a swingset for the kids to play on.

Not only has it been wonderful to see her kids grow closer to one another, but it’s also been refreshing to get rid of things she doesn’t need.

“You just have to make a concerted effort to really downsize and figure out what you need and what you cannot live without. And to be honest there’s a lot that we do not need,” she says.

Take a full tour of the home with Alysha in the inspiring video below.

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Source: Smaller Living

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