Homeowner Transforms Closet Into Child's Sanctuary With This Hack: 'Literally Perfect'

Private hideaways don't stop being cool once you're out of the age of report cards. Books like the "Secret Garden" and the "Narnia" series made deep impressions on my imaginative elementary school-aged mind, and many decades later, I still get a thrill seeing little nooks set aside for individual pursuits. The same warm, enchanted feeling came over me when I saw a TikTok reveal of a closet-turned-bedroom created by a resourceful parent. When you have under 600 square feet to work with, this type of adorable kid getaway makes sense for small spaces.

Single mom and TikToker madilynn.jean carved out a spot in her one-room apartment dedicated just for her daughter. No, it doesn't have windows, and no, there's not enough space to do a cartwheel. But it does have an abundance of charm and coziness. Just like the caption reads on the video, this is indeed "what love looks like in 583 square feet as a single mom." With an elevated bed just the right size for a preschooler and plenty of pink in the way of decor, storage and, yes, even toys, this space is pure magic. A ladder takes the little one up to a tiny bunk with a guardrail, and beneath this is yet another hidden space equipped with a filmy curtain, carpet, string lights, and more toys. This is the kind of space that would have made me and my stuffed animals squeal with glee at age four. Like me, a majority of the commenters see this as a sweet, personalized space. But as you'd expect, there are naysayers who don't consider this idea "literally perfect."

With nearly 1,300 comments on madilynn.jean's video, it's hard to imagine that all of them would be gushing about this genius secret room idea. True, there could be ventilation and fire hazards that could, God forbid, involve Child Protective Services. Not having a window for firefighters to reach the child in case of a disaster is definitely worth considering, but the small space also would make it easier for mom to whisk the child to safety in an emergency. Mom assured the concerned commenters that the door stays open while the child sleeps, as well.

However, no one will deny that this mom's hard work was a clever way to make the most of a tiny apartment. Besides a window, there isn't much this room doesn't have. High shelves maximize the closet's vertical storage spaces, and one at just the right height lets the little one grab a book or doll easily while she's tucked in. A healthy number of commenters mused that they wished they'd had this kind of space as a kid — or even as an adult. Still, a few of the opinionated had first-hand experience with such rooms, and while many raved that it was special to have a place of their own, others shared that it was not so great as they got older. All in all, the general tone was that such a getaway is marvelous for young ones but definitely not ideal for older youth.