A 37-year-old decided to move back to her family home to live with her mom and sister — but they all live in different apartments. Mary Tan and her family decided to convert their three-story family home into three separate units, allowing Mary, her sister, and her mom to design their own spaces, which are basically self-contained apartments on different levels of the house.
"It's great having my own space while still having family nearby," Mary explained on TikTok. "We share things like food, cleaning products, and even the car." But because they don't have shared spaces, they still have a lot of privacy.
"Sometimes I forget that we're even in the same house," Mary added.
More from LittleThings: These Wonderful TV Shows Celebrate All The Different Ways A Family Can Look
Living in a multigenerational home comes with many advantages in addition to challenges, she explained on TikTok.
"We split our utility bills equally," she explained. "But mixing money and a family can always be complicated and there were times that our relationship was put to the test."
The biggest advantage is that Mary is able to spend more time with her mom, she explained to Newsweek.
"There are many perks, but the most important one is that I can be close to my mother as she ages," she told the outlet, adding that "it gives us all comfort and peace of mind to know that in the event of an emergency, we're just one flight of stairs away."
More from LittleThings: 12-Year-Old Graduates From High School, Prepares For College: 'Most Exceptional Student'
Many on TikTok loved Mary's home and agreed that it's important to live close to your loved ones.
"I live with my husband and kids right above my parents in a common building with many other neighbors! 100% recommend!" one person commented on Mary's video. "Close by but 100% privacy with no interference or common utilities &expenses!"
Another person wrote: "Wow. This is the ideal scenario for me. ❤️❤️❤️Family nearby but still have own space. It’s a dream."
