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Wow, it looks so nice! You did a great job with decorating.
I love that the closet opens into another closet. That's really neat. It's like a super sectret place.
Tiny House Living -- Could you do it?
- Thread starter Matata
- Start date
Wow, it looks so nice! You did a great job with decorating.
I love that the closet opens into another closet. That's really neat. It's like a super sectret place.
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Wow, it looks so nice! You did a great job with decorating.
I love that the closet opens into another closet. That's really neat. It's like a super sectret place.
Thanks Elle! You should have seen this place when I started. I look at pics now from when I bought it and can't believe the transformation.
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We already live in an 1100 sq foot space, so no, I would not go smaller. It was perfect for a single person but marriage, dog and the deaths of both of our parents (and the "stuff" you acquire when that happens, whether you want it or not) mean that now it's a squeeze. (But it's paid off and we ain't budging at this point) We're in the process of whittling it back to reasonable, but it's work. So a true tiny house, as in under about 400 sq feet? No way.
Don't get me wrong, I find them clever and some of them are really well done. I just can't figure out what you DO in them, other than sleep, defecate, wash, and if the space supports more than a microwave, cook - if you can squeeze in the pots and pans. We cook often and have lots of specialized equipment that sees a lot of use - like the Instant Pot, the KitchenAid stand mixer, and the food processor, to name but 3. Just the 3 of those would pretty much demolish the available kitchen storage in a tiny house. And anything less than a full-sized stove? Yikes. That would be like having a limb removed. You also can't have more than 3 physical books, so no library, have no space for a genuine hobby, and don't have enough space for much artwork. And right now, for instance, we have to have an 8' x 16' shed AND the bulk of our garage just to hold my husband's sailing and sailmaking paraphernalia.
Tiny houses seem to me, to be a reaction to something. The economic environment mostly. They seem more suited to people on the go all the time, or who want to spend most of their time either at work, or outside. Which is to say, they seem to be a mode of living that would only work for a certain parts of a person's life - they aren't flexible and don't reasonably allow for life changes like the arrival of children or the infirmity of age. And then there are the well-known issues with finding somewhere to legally put them. Oh, and for where I live? In a tornado or serious straight-line wind, they'd be even less safe than a trailer in a trailer park.
Nope. Just wouldn't work.
Don't get me wrong, I find them clever and some of them are really well done. I just can't figure out what you DO in them, other than sleep, defecate, wash, and if the space supports more than a microwave, cook - if you can squeeze in the pots and pans. We cook often and have lots of specialized equipment that sees a lot of use - like the Instant Pot, the KitchenAid stand mixer, and the food processor, to name but 3. Just the 3 of those would pretty much demolish the available kitchen storage in a tiny house. And anything less than a full-sized stove? Yikes. That would be like having a limb removed. You also can't have more than 3 physical books, so no library, have no space for a genuine hobby, and don't have enough space for much artwork. And right now, for instance, we have to have an 8' x 16' shed AND the bulk of our garage just to hold my husband's sailing and sailmaking paraphernalia.
Tiny houses seem to me, to be a reaction to something. The economic environment mostly. They seem more suited to people on the go all the time, or who want to spend most of their time either at work, or outside. Which is to say, they seem to be a mode of living that would only work for a certain parts of a person's life - they aren't flexible and don't reasonably allow for life changes like the arrival of children or the infirmity of age. And then there are the well-known issues with finding somewhere to legally put them. Oh, and for where I live? In a tornado or serious straight-line wind, they'd be even less safe than a trailer in a trailer park.
Nope. Just wouldn't work.
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No, no and no! I have watched a few episodes of the show and even than makes me squirm for air! We had a 40 ft. motor home that was fine for a trip or weekend but would not suit me for everyday living. I surely don't need as much space as I have now but I do need some space to spread out. I am not a hoarder but do enjoy the things that I have around me and would sorely miss them. My husband and I have separate places to watch television unless it is something that we both want to watch. His hearing isn't what it used to be and I can't stand to listen to his volume level. Plus, he is a channel flipper and that drives me crazy too! I chalk some of it up to being an only child where I did not have to share my things or space and can usually entertain myself quite well - ha!
I cannot imagine having to climb into a loft at night or remake everything in order to make a kitchen functional It just seems like a lot of work to me but hats off to those that like that sort of thing. It certainly cuts down on the money to be spent to live and I assume they derive most of their pleasure outside of the home where they opt to spend the bulk of their money.
DeeJay, love your boat house! It is beautiful and I could definitely spend weekends or whatever there but would also be very happy to put my feet back on solid ground for the most of my time. You have obviously transformed it into something very enjoyable!
I cannot imagine having to climb into a loft at night or remake everything in order to make a kitchen functional It just seems like a lot of work to me but hats off to those that like that sort of thing. It certainly cuts down on the money to be spent to live and I assume they derive most of their pleasure outside of the home where they opt to spend the bulk of their money.
DeeJay, love your boat house! It is beautiful and I could definitely spend weekends or whatever there but would also be very happy to put my feet back on solid ground for the most of my time. You have obviously transformed it into something very enjoyable!
t-c
Brilliant_Rock
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Before I moved to NYC, I lived in a 450 sq.ft apartment in a great location. It was well laid out, organized, and well equipped. It had a washer, dryer, dishwasher, plenty of storage space, good-sized bathroom, bedroom, living room, and dining area. It never felt cramped or inhibited -- I cooked and hosted a full thanksgiving dinner -- all because of well-laid spaces.
It drives me batty how poorly laid-out apartments are in NYC. Building architects do not optimize storage space nor utility -- they design to maximize the number of units in a building, and they design the units like in the rest of the country, with inefficient use of space, as if there's not a premium on space. We're paying $2000 to $3000 per sq.ft and we still have to make changes.
I would look at floor/architectural plans of new apartments and I inevitably have to ask why did they do that?! These are $5M apartments! I told DH that if we buy another new construction here, I want to take over an empty shell with structural studs up and nothing else. Then I'll bring in my own team -- it'll save money on demo and even better, the psychological pain inflicted by having to compromise with the space. (He said he doesn't plan to move ever again.) Maybe I've been spoiled by growing up in houses custom-designed for our family and our needs, but I feel spaces should serve the users, not the other way around. And I feel this is achievable no matter the size of the homes.
Okay, apologies for the crazy rant. Back to the topic on hand: My fantasy is when we retire, we outfit a van, live in it, and drive all over the place. Maybe do locum tenens every once in a while to feel useful. Either that or a small cottage on the west coast, with a vegetable garden and space to raise chickens...DH rolls his eyes, but I have plans
It drives me batty how poorly laid-out apartments are in NYC. Building architects do not optimize storage space nor utility -- they design to maximize the number of units in a building, and they design the units like in the rest of the country, with inefficient use of space, as if there's not a premium on space. We're paying $2000 to $3000 per sq.ft and we still have to make changes.
I would look at floor/architectural plans of new apartments and I inevitably have to ask why did they do that?! These are $5M apartments! I told DH that if we buy another new construction here, I want to take over an empty shell with structural studs up and nothing else. Then I'll bring in my own team -- it'll save money on demo and even better, the psychological pain inflicted by having to compromise with the space. (He said he doesn't plan to move ever again.) Maybe I've been spoiled by growing up in houses custom-designed for our family and our needs, but I feel spaces should serve the users, not the other way around. And I feel this is achievable no matter the size of the homes.
Okay, apologies for the crazy rant. Back to the topic on hand: My fantasy is when we retire, we outfit a van, live in it, and drive all over the place. Maybe do locum tenens every once in a while to feel useful. Either that or a small cottage on the west coast, with a vegetable garden and space to raise chickens...DH rolls his eyes, but I have plans
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I grew up in 600sq ft 2 bedroom apartment for family of 4. It was tight so we were always on top of each other. I wouldn't want to live like that again but if I had to for financial reasons, I could. It seems that money is the primary driver behind this tiny house show and I can certainly understand that. Housing prices are increasing but the wages are not keeping pace so it seems impossible to save for even a small house in a decent area close to work.
The point about parking these tiny houses is interesting as I haven't heard about municipalities prohibiting this.
The point about parking these tiny houses is interesting as I haven't heard about municipalities prohibiting this.
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This article delves into the issues surrounding tiny homes. At this point in time, the rules are very non-standard and patchwork.
https://www.curbed.com/2016/9/22/13002832/tiny-house-zoning-laws-regulations
katharath
Ideal_Rock
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Oh DeeJay, thanks for taking the time to show pics - I LOVE it all!!! So gorgeous...you've done a beautiful job! The kitchen table and your scarf/art are just two of the details that I particularly liked.
(Sorry to Matata for any derail bc it was me who asked for pics, but I really wanted to see them, so please forgive me, lol)
(Sorry to Matata for any derail bc it was me who asked for pics, but I really wanted to see them, so please forgive me, lol)
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No, I couldn't do one of those mobile tiny houses like on tv. I could do a one level apt, or a cabin in the woods easily. Our first house looked like a double wide trailer from the outside, although it wasn't one. It was 1250 sq ft. That would be huge but extremely comfortable as a one level retirement home. I live in a small house now, but it's 2 storeys and a PITA most of the time, with the laundry in the basement. Downsizing to a one level would be great.
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Some of the TV shows feature couples with kids. I don't see how they do it. All of those tiny homes lack storage space for clothes and shoes unless you have just 3 pair of pants/tops and 2 pair of shoes. At that, only 2 adults could squeeze their stuff in. Even if the house is situated in an area with all-season warm weather, it would drive me insane. In an area with a cold season, the idea of being confined in a small space with rambunctious kids gives me nightmares.
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I could live in the IKEA 500 square foot apartment that they have mocked up in my store. But only because of the insane amount of storage space built in. And you could never have company over (and my husband might need to live somewhere else as the couch is pretty small...).
I find the tiny houses (the ones featured on tv) terribly designed. No storage, the loft is useless and claustrophobic and there's too much dead space. I think trying to build it on a trailer frame is a fatal flaw. I'd rather have an RV if I had to go that route.
I don't have a lot of stuff except I love to cook. So I do have a mass of cookbooks and lots of cooking stuff (appliances, dishes, bakeware, cookware). Downsizing that would be hard. I don't think I could live with two burners, a microwave, a fry pan, one pot, and a kettle like the tiny house people seem to do. I take more camping (and we tent).
I find the tiny houses (the ones featured on tv) terribly designed. No storage, the loft is useless and claustrophobic and there's too much dead space. I think trying to build it on a trailer frame is a fatal flaw. I'd rather have an RV if I had to go that route.
I don't have a lot of stuff except I love to cook. So I do have a mass of cookbooks and lots of cooking stuff (appliances, dishes, bakeware, cookware). Downsizing that would be hard. I don't think I could live with two burners, a microwave, a fry pan, one pot, and a kettle like the tiny house people seem to do. I take more camping (and we tent).
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We just bought a "park model" with vaulted ceilings (no loft) up north for a seasonal vacation place. It is like 11x36 (400 sq ft). Full-size kitchen appliances, ceramic toilet, full size bathtub with shoes, two double sleeper sofas, and queen master bedroom. We are psyched about getting to stay up there (haven't closed yet - another week), but we probably couldn't live there as our primary home. Our house - a ranch-style/rambler with 1750 on the main floor and full (but unfinished) basement. So, yah we like space. But this will be our cozy place away to recharge 
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Dee Jay, your place if fabulous! I love the IKEA kitchen and closets. I love IKEA for organization, they are the best.
I can't imagine having to climb down and then up a ladder in the middle of the night if you have to pee.
A lot of the homes they feature on the show have zero privacy from the kids. Unless you want your small children to get a really quick education, that could be a problem. I am so surprised when these couples decide to buy those models. And I am sorry, but every parent needs a little more space away from their kids for at least an hour or so per day. There is no way to get away from the little darlings in those things.
I can't imagine having to climb down and then up a ladder in the middle of the night if you have to pee.
A lot of the homes they feature on the show have zero privacy from the kids. Unless you want your small children to get a really quick education, that could be a problem. I am so surprised when these couples decide to buy those models. And I am sorry, but every parent needs a little more space away from their kids for at least an hour or so per day. There is no way to get away from the little darlings in those things.
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Am I still married to my current husband? Then no! Just kidding....sort of.
So in all seriousness, I really admire people that can live happily in a tiny house but at this point in time it would work for us. Currently we live in 1200 square feet and we use every single room in our house every single day, so no room is wasted. Would it be great to have more storage? Sure, but considering I get to stay home with the kids, I can compromise on house size to live within our means.
Someone mentioned privacy from the kids...that's hugely important. I don't know, maybe these parents have adult time in the tent out back or something.
So in all seriousness, I really admire people that can live happily in a tiny house but at this point in time it would work for us. Currently we live in 1200 square feet and we use every single room in our house every single day, so no room is wasted. Would it be great to have more storage? Sure, but considering I get to stay home with the kids, I can compromise on house size to live within our means.
Someone mentioned privacy from the kids...that's hugely important. I don't know, maybe these parents have adult time in the tent out back or something.
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Could I or would I - no, hell no! 3 kids plus a big dog plus a 6'8" husband who is somewhat messy. A tiny house would be torture for me. Every space in our 4000 sq ft house is used and I would love to upgrade to 5000 sq ft. But I really don't want to move so I try to cull unused stuff regularly. We are spoiled with space in texas.
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Yeah no kidding!!! You'd hate my house then...lol (1600sqft)
FWIW, I lived small before. In college I had 400sqft apt. I didn't have a kitchen, I had the basic college sized fridge and a hot plate and a barely had a bathroom. But that was college and i was hardly there since I was taking a full load of classes and working 2 jobs.
When we lived in Massachusetts, the house was 888sqft. Yep thats all. Well laid out but at the time, my office was in the basement so I could still get away from him
we put on 1,000 sqft as soon as we could afford to.
P
PierreBear
Guest
I love the concept of a Tiny Home where you minimize the items you have/need to focus on other areas of life. Whether I could actually do it or want to do it, is really a very different question. I have dreams where we just keep our current modest home but get a tiny home to plant it in a different state (Colorado or somewhere in California?!) as a secondary home. I think I could life off a small space if it was for temporary living up to 6 months?! But the cost of a tiny home does surprise me and it is a reminder that one could purchase many many hotel rooms for that price and not even worry about home maintenance.
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I'm going to give that a hard pass. I need my space!
My house isn't big (about 1400sq ft) and I feel trapped in there sometimes. We're actually working to move into a bigger house in the next couple years. I really don't think I could make it work in a 400sq ft place. Where would I put all my bathroom stuff (literally the most cluttered room I have).
Not to make it gross but bathroom usage alone would make me avoid that tiny space.
I have banished my hubby to the guest bath as it is. 
My house isn't big (about 1400sq ft) and I feel trapped in there sometimes. We're actually working to move into a bigger house in the next couple years. I really don't think I could make it work in a 400sq ft place. Where would I put all my bathroom stuff (literally the most cluttered room I have
). Not to make it gross but bathroom usage alone would make me avoid that tiny space.
I have banished my hubby to the guest bath as it is. 
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@Dee*Jay , your house boat is beautiful!
Gorgeous view, uncluttered space, well-laid out and lovely furnishings!
I'd love to spend some time there!
Great job!
Gorgeous view, uncluttered space, well-laid out and lovely furnishings!
I'd love to spend some time there!
Great job!
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I am positive I could downsize if it were just me. And I really didn't mean to sound so spoiled but we are spoiled with size here. I would bet that your 1600 sq ft house cost more than mine! I have always wanted to live in NE; Boston is my absolute favorite city! And I would love to be out of the heat here. Cooling a big house is costly and the hot flashes kill me these days, lol. Pros and cons everywhere...Yeah no kidding!!! You'd hate my house then...lol (1600sqft)
FWIW, I lived small before. In college I had 400sqft apt. I didn't have a kitchen, I had the basic college sized fridge and a hot plate and a barely had a bathroom. But that was college and i was hardly there since I was taking a full load of classes and working 2 jobs.
When we lived in Massachusetts, the house was 888sqft. Yep thats all. Well laid out but at the time, my office was in the basement so I could still get away from him
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Our 2 bedroom ranch is just over 1000 sq ft. so the 3 of us already live pretty closely together. Without the basement with its laundry/storage/workshop space, I'm not sure where we'd put off-season clothes, bulk paper goods, dorm stuff over summer vacations etc.
I don't think I'd want to go smaller, but I do enjoy seeing the ingenious use of space in the Tiny Homes.
I don't think I'd want to go smaller, but I do enjoy seeing the ingenious use of space in the Tiny Homes.
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I'm happy in a small space but only for a short period of time.
Not indefinitely. Not as my principal residence.
And the tiny homes I've seen on TV?
Not for me. Too small. Way too small!
I'd feel claustrophobic even by myself.
My home is much larger than what I need, but I love it.
I love space.
Sharing? Not so much, so please don't even think about using my ensuite bathroom.
Not indefinitely. Not as my principal residence.
And the tiny homes I've seen on TV?
Not for me. Too small. Way too small!
I'd feel claustrophobic even by myself.
My home is much larger than what I need, but I love it.
I love space.
Sharing? Not so much, so please don't even think about using my ensuite bathroom.
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- Sep 17, 2008
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Oh no, houses in TX tend to be VERY BIG, which if you can, you should...lol I don't see anything wrong with a big house. But I have to admit, I wouldn't know what to do with all of it (and somebody has to clean it...it would NOT be me...lol)
Housing is very expensive in the NE, then the damn taxes, and the regulations if you add on. LAWD....
Love the area but man...too damn cold for me now.
I'm now in South Florida on the Atlantic side. You can also get sizable houses here too, but as close to the Atlantic as I am, in this area, it will really cost you. I have to admit though I wouldn't even know what to so with something over 2000sqft and in my neighborhood, its not the norm. There's a few houses here that are sub 1000sqft, most fall about 1000-1300sqft. My house is on the larger end for this neighborhood. I'm about 15 minutes to the beach on a bad day. (I'd have to move a little further from the water for a more affordable home). Plus. its really just 2 of us and a dog. The space works very well though thankfully I have an office I can get away from them both
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I don't know what anyone does with 3/4/5000 square feet!! Surely it costs a fortune just to buy furniture to stop the rooms from looking like they're abandoned? lol
Over here in the UK, homes are generally much smaller. Anything 3000sqft is starting to get into "footballers' wives" territory in most places, and that much room will cost you a LOT, depending on where you are. London is always a special case (half a million or more for a 350sqft studio in the financial districts, anyone?) but in the surrounding counties, a 3000sqft place is likely to easily cost £1m or more in the current market.
Our current place has an 19'x15' lounge/kitchen/diner (all one room), an 11'x11' bedroom, a 5'x8' bathroom, and a 3'x3' cupboard, all off a 4'x6' hallway. So that's, what, 480sqft? I guess we do also have the loft space above, which is effectively the same again, but it's not all boarded out so we can only really use about half of it. We're also currently renting a garage in a block to keep my car parts in (which only aren't in the loft because I can't get them through the hatch... lol)
Without the loft space or renting some space elsewhere, there is literally nowhere to keep anything bulky in apartments, even 'just in case', like proprietary packaging or boxes for expensive things (which you want to keep in case you ever move house and need to re-pack items securely). There's also not really room for kit for hobbies - musical instruments, for example.
To be fair, I do hoard quite a lot of stuff... so there is a lot in the place, but because the rooms aren't stupidly laid out (as many are nowadays, as mentioned earlier!) and are basically just decent size boxes without any internal corridors taking up room, the layout allows a lot of storage options - enormous wardrobes on one side of the bedroom (despite a king-size bed and some drawers in there too), a selection of tall Ikea cupboards on one wall of the lounge area, a waist-height 'divider' unit that creates storage between the lounge and the dining area, and a cupboard that is deep enough to contain a condenser tumble drier and all the dried towels / bed linen / ironing board / hoover / odds and ends/ etc.
If the space is well designed, there's no 'wasted space' and the maximum use is made of what you have - an idea that IKEA sells so well, over here in Europe with our tiny apartments/houses and strict planning laws that stop us building large, relatively cheap houses outside of main urban areas!
Us? We are somewhat busting out lol, but we're putting pretty much everything but clothes and essentials into storage and moving into one room of another house, so we can clear debt and save a deposit for our own future house - so for potentially 2 years, the only space that will be 'ours' will be a 14'x12' bedroom...
I'm not sure how well it's going to go LOL, so ask me in a year's time...
lolOver here in the UK, homes are generally much smaller. Anything 3000sqft is starting to get into "footballers' wives" territory in most places, and that much room will cost you a LOT, depending on where you are. London is always a special case (half a million or more for a 350sqft studio in the financial districts, anyone?) but in the surrounding counties, a 3000sqft place is likely to easily cost £1m or more in the current market.
Our current place has an 19'x15' lounge/kitchen/diner (all one room), an 11'x11' bedroom, a 5'x8' bathroom, and a 3'x3' cupboard, all off a 4'x6' hallway. So that's, what, 480sqft? I guess we do also have the loft space above, which is effectively the same again, but it's not all boarded out so we can only really use about half of it. We're also currently renting a garage in a block to keep my car parts in (which only aren't in the loft because I can't get them through the hatch...
lol)Without the loft space or renting some space elsewhere, there is literally nowhere to keep anything bulky in apartments, even 'just in case', like proprietary packaging or boxes for expensive things (which you want to keep in case you ever move house and need to re-pack items securely). There's also not really room for kit for hobbies - musical instruments, for example.
To be fair, I do hoard quite a lot of stuff... so there is a lot in the place, but because the rooms aren't stupidly laid out (as many are nowadays, as mentioned earlier!) and are basically just decent size boxes without any internal corridors taking up room, the layout allows a lot of storage options - enormous wardrobes on one side of the bedroom (despite a king-size bed and some drawers in there too), a selection of tall Ikea cupboards on one wall of the lounge area, a waist-height 'divider' unit that creates storage between the lounge and the dining area, and a cupboard that is deep enough to contain a condenser tumble drier and all the dried towels / bed linen / ironing board / hoover / odds and ends/ etc.
If the space is well designed, there's no 'wasted space' and the maximum use is made of what you have - an idea that IKEA sells so well, over here in Europe with our tiny apartments/houses and strict planning laws that stop us building large, relatively cheap houses outside of main urban areas!
Us? We are somewhat busting out lol, but we're putting pretty much everything but clothes and essentials into storage and moving into one room of another house, so we can clear debt and save a deposit for our own future house - so for potentially 2 years, the only space that will be 'ours' will be a 14'x12' bedroom...
I'm not sure how well it's going to go LOL, so ask me in a year's time...
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