Family of six living small—made possible by versatile living spaces
When this large family grew bigger, they moved to an even smaller home. Everyday life in tight quarters runs smoothly thanks to constant decluttering and flexible spaces, and the bed that lifts up sure does help.
Residents: Minna and Henry Huuskonen, with their children Vilho, 4, Hilda, 8, Inka, 11, and Eemil, 13. Instagram @suurperheenminikodissa.
Home: 4 rooms and a kitchen, a rental apartment in the bohemian district Kallio in Helsinki.
Square meters: 76.5 m² (823 sq ft).
Housing costs: Rent €1,300 per month. Water and electricity charged separately.
The six-person family's living room is in the middle of a makeover. While on vacation, Minna decided to rearrange the furniture so that Henry’s gaming hobby can be kept out of sight.
“The gaming corner in the living room stresses me out, so I was thinking about rearranging the room. I turned the bookcases to the middle of the living room so the gaming nook stays out of view. It’ll be interesting to see how the change works out,” Minna says.
In their 76.5 m² (823 sq ft) apartment, rooms shift and things change places often as Minna keeps tweaking their home with four rooms and a kitchen to make it work. Just recently she redid the two children’s rooms.
Right now, the boys, Vilho, 4, and Eemil, 13, share a room, as do the girls, Hilda, 8, and Inka, 11. At times, the youngest have shared and the older kids have had their own room. In their previous home all the children shared one room, and sometimes they’ve tried giving some of them a room of their own.
“The kids sometimes wish for their own rooms because their friends have them, but they do so much together that I don’t see the point. Separate rooms would just create wasted space. If needed, we parents can move our bed into the living room,” Minna reflects.
”Stuff piled up because there was space. The kids had so many clothes that the laundry mountains grew massive.”
Recycling everything unnecessary
According to a survey commissioned by the Finnish Housing Fair in 2022, Finns dream of homes with space and peacefulness. Many long for detached houses and the peace of the countryside.
The family Huuskonen are swimming against the current. As their family has grown, they’ve moved into a smaller apartment and closer to the city center.
When they were expecting their fourth child, the family lived in a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) apartment where everyone had their own room. Stuff piled up because there was space. The kids had so many clothes that the laundry mountains grew massive.
For a long time Minna thought that’s how a family was supposed to live. In her childhood home the model life included a detached house, cars, a camper and lots of material things around. On maternity leave she had time to consider the values she wants to raise her children by.
“I saw a documentary where a couple expecting a baby moved into a self-built mobile home. Around the same time, in 2012, blogs about living small started appearing. I realized not everyone has to aim for a detached house.”
To cut costs and take the environment into account, the family began looking for a smaller home. They found their dream place in a wooden house area in Helsinki. Their wooden home measured just under 50 m² (538 sq ft).
“The apartment was so lovely that we decided to see how small we could live. We made a radical life change and gave up everything unnecessary.”
Most of the clothes, furniture, dishes and some of the children’s toys were recycled. In that small wooden home, the family lived even without a sofa or a dishwasher. For meals, every family member had one mug and one plate.
“Letting go of unnecessary things was incredibly liberating. It eased the mind and freed up room for the things and objects we enjoyed and dreamed about. I’d dreamed of playing the flute since I was a child. I bought a flute, started lessons and learned to play. Inka wanted to start too, and now we both have flutes.”
”The apartment isn’t large, but there's room for everything they need.”
Swapping with the neighbor
In the around 50 m² (538 sq ft) home, the six of them had only slightly more space per person than the average Finn. Still, the family didn’t feel cramped. With less stuff, everyday life worked. In summer the courtyard served as their kitchen and living room: they ate there, played and hosted parties.
In winter they had a change of mind when the home ran out of air—literally.
“We couldn’t close the kids’ room door at night because the air wouldn’t circulate at all. It was cold outside, so we couldn’t keep windows open. We had to dry laundry indoors, which made the home damp and starved of fresh air.”
After two and a half years the family decided to give up their dream home and move to the city center, close to the children's school. The new home was a three-room apartment in a 1960s apartment building.
"We lived there only a few months when our neighbor asked if we'd like to swap apartments, because they wanted something smaller. Last May, a year ago, we decided to move next door."
In the swap, the family gained one more bedroom. The apartment isn’t large, but there’s room for everything they need.
”There’s no microwave, electric kettle, or toaster in the kitchen.”
Multipurpose spaces and items
In a small home, the keywords are functionality and versatility. When everything has its place, Minna says it’s easier to keep the home tidy and items in place.
Only the items and clothes in use are kept within reach. The parents’ everyday clothes fit in a single hanging closet in the bedroom and a dresser where the two have two drawers each. Other clothes are folded into a large reusable bag and stored in the kids’ room upper cabinet.
Purchases are made with care. They buy new only when needed, and preferably items that suit different uses. The bookcases can be arranged in different ways. The kids’ bunk beds can be separated into individual beds. The living room sofa is a futon that opens into a bed. The parents’ bed converts into a sofa.
There’s no microwave, electric kettle, or toaster in the kitchen. The family cooks on the stovetop and in the oven, and water boils in a saucepan. The kids make toast with a waffle iron.
“In our wooden home there was no dishwasher because one wouldn’t fit. The first thing we bought for this home was a dishwasher. That—and ordering food—makes everyday life easier.”
Just like items, Minna believes the home’s spaces can be multipurpose, too. It just takes creativity and imagination.
“One day I wanted to do yoga, but the living room was full of kids and their friends. I made room for my mat in our bedroom by lifting the bed upright.”
Minna has also tried to find ways to keep things from piling up. She declutters and recycles regularly and goes through every room at least once a year. The kids are used to sorting through their toys and selling what they don’t need at the flea market.
“We’ve taught the kids to let go of stuff and hosted no-gift birthday parties, where guests bring a used toy and everyone grabs something to take home when they leave.”
Books are the one thing the family hasn’t wanted to give away, because everyone has favorites that are read often.
“We borrow books from the library and an audiobook service, but it’s nice to own the often-read favorites.”
”They desperately need more space and easy storage solutions for shoes and outerwear.”
The entryway needs a redo
The heart of the home is the kitchen, where the family spends the most time around the round table. The kids draw, do schoolwork, and cook. Their favorite spot is the doorway between the kitchen and living room, where a pull-up bar has been installed.
“I once hung a baby sling on the bar to dry and the kids discovered it’s fun to climb and swing in it. They tie knots in the sling so they can do tricks. The bar functions as a drying rack, too.”
To Minna, the trickiest space at home is the entryway, which is next on the to-do-list. The rattan bench could be a place to sit and get dressed, but the surface keeps collecting clutter. They desperately need more space and easy storage solutions for shoes and outerwear.
“When the kids come in, shoes and outerwear start flying around. Hats and gloves are kept in bins, but they always get emptied all over the floor. We do have a couple of coat racks, but anything that requires drilling tends to sit unfinished around here.”
After moving often, the family plans to stay in their current home for now and make it work, even though they dream of a home with sea views. Minna also longs for the feel of an old house alongside wide windowsills and wood floors.
“Sometimes we play with the idea of how we’ll live once the kids move out. Maybe we’ll move into a van and hit the road.”
“Everyone who’s home and awake joins our shared mealtimes”
Where do you eat?
Henry: In the kitchen. We fight for shared mealtimes, but because of our activities we sometimes eat at different times. On weekends, eating together works best.
Minna: Everyone who’s home and awake joins our shared mealtimes. Sometimes we watch a show or a movie and have treats in the living room. On weekdays at dinner, everyone gets to share the most important news of their day.
Vilho: Sometimes we eat in the living room even though we’re not supposed to.
Which spot in the house never gets cleaned?
Henry: My computer desk gets cleaned only in an extreme emergency usually for an upcoming party.
Minna: I like ‘moving-day cleaning’—emptying the whole room, cleaning, and rearranging. At the same time you notice stuff that should be recycled. In our home there’s probably no room, cabinet, shelf, or corner that has gone more than a year without being rummaged through.
Hilda: The balcony usually doesn’t get cleaned, but the other spaces do.
Vilho: My cars and tiny Legos are scattered everywhere. Where do piles collect at home?
Henry: Floors and chairs. Especially in the entryway or the bathroom.
Minna: Surfaces collect stuff so easily. In the evenings I try to do a round of the house, and the rest of the family would probably say I nag way too much about everyone putting their things away. Sometimes there just isn’t time to fold laundry all the way into the closets, so I make a pile for each individual on top of the piano.
Eemil: Dad’s gaming desk.
What did you last argue about?
Vilho: That I wasn’t allowed to go into the girls’ room.
Eemil: I get annoyed when Hilda sings right in my ear.
Henry: About bedtime. I want to go to sleep early, and Eemil wants to stay up and clatter around in the kitchen.
Who decides on the home’s decor?
Henry: My wife 80 percent of the time. I hold on to my corner of the living room and decide on its decor.
Minna: I usually ask for Henry’s opinion on my plans. The original ideas of a futon bed, living without a sofa, and minimalist decoration came from Henry. Typically he comes up with a wild idea, I let it sink in for around five years, and then tell Henry about it as if I came up with it.
Inka: Mom talks about moving something around the house, and the whole family says okay, and then one day the thing has been moved.
Hilda: Once, when I came home from school, Mom had rearranged the entire living room.
