Why I don't want a tiny house
Have you heard of tiny houses? They're extremely teensy homes on wheels. If you want to see what one is like inside, check out this slideshow.
These homes are sort of a reaction to the McMansion communities that populate many suburbs in America...instead of going extreme on the big end of things, people who own tiny houses are going extreme on the small end of things.
These homes use very few materials, require very little in the way of upkeep, and cost almost nothing to heat. They're definitely green!
But they're also definitely not for me.
I'm not a McMansion kind of girl, to be sure. I can only use so much space, and besides, I can only afford so much in the way of a mortgage payment. And I do think that a lot of us Americans buy more home than we really need.
But instead of going extremely big or extremely small, I've gone middle-of-the-road, and I actually think that our house is just about the perfect size for us.
Which is really the point.
I think that if we all lived in homes that met our needs without grossly exceeding them, we'd consume far less in the way of resources and we wouldn't all have to resort to living in homes the size of a walk-in closet.
Honestly, homes like that only work for households of one person, or maybe two.
My family has six people, though, and ⅚ are home almost every single day. I want space for schooling (and for storing school supplies), I want a real kitchen to prepare food for the six of us, I want space to have company, I want space for my children to have sleepovers, I want room for a chest freezer, I want a place for a piano, I want space for a sewing machine, and I really, really like having a bedroom separate from my children. 😉
Because of all that goes on in our home, I really do feel like every bit of our house gets used on a regular basis. We have no empty rooms...no spare bedrooms, no un-used living rooms, and no empty closets. We use our home well for ourselves, and we use it to bless other people as well.
So, I don't feel remotely guilty about the home I own. It fits our needs well without exceeding them, and that, I think, is what is important.
What do you think about the whole house size issue? And what do you think about tiny houses?
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p.s. Thank you all for the lovely birthday messages you left for me yesterday! I do have birthday pictures to share, but I'll do that sometime in the next couple of days.
Today's 365 post: It has to get worse before it gets better.
Joshua's 365 post: Happy Birthday, Mommy!
I want one---for ME!! I'd love one in the backyard so I can escape once in a while.
I agree! That would be great as a reading place in the yard! But I would go crazy living in that!
I think I would feel very claustrophobic in that house.
I need space around me
Like you our home serves our needs. I would love a bit more storage in the kitchen but jamming it in the utility room works too.
I saw the tiny homes site a few years ago and find them cute. It amazes me that someone can live in 28 sq ft. In have daydreamed about having a bigger one on a beautiful piece of property in retirement. It could be the getaway from life and electronics location.
For the last 2 years, we've lived in a tiny-ish house (not as small as the one in the picture, but 675 total square feet, so still pretty small), and we're a family of 4. We were kind of forced into our current living situation; my husband got a new job, and we had to move before we could sell our own home, so we ended up renting this tiny little place. It's been really hard at times, but you know what? I wouldn't trade it. I've learned invaluable lessons about contentment, and how true happiness often exists in spite of external circumstances, and not because of them. That said, we are getting ready to move to a bigger, 4 bedroom house in a few weeks, since we're expecting another baby this summer. And honestly, I'm really excited about the prospect of so much extra space. 1800 square feet sounds just enormous to me now! But our little rental will always be special to me, and I'll always be thankful for what it taught me -- that a happy family can be happy anywhere.
like!
Amen. Mr. FG and I managed to be happy in our teeny little basement apartment. 🙂
I think to each his/her own. I think that type of home would be entirely too small for me and my brood of pets. I like space. That being said I currently reside in a 2bed/2 bath apartment about 1018 sq feet and it works for me.
And Happy Belated Birthday!!
Having lived in four houses in the past nine months I have a pretty good idea of what we need! We are a family of four, while I am happy to share a bedroom with the man in my life, the kids (a boy and a girl) had reached the end of their tolerence of rooming together! I was so thankful when we were able to get a three bedroomed place. Really, that was my only requirement when house hunting - three bedrooms. I think it is so common for people to see bigger as better and to mortgage themselves to the hilt, but a bigger house is just more to clean! The house we have is affordable on one salary and fits us all in it - why would I want more than that?
Not only is bigger more to clean, it's more to heat in winter, cool in summer, and we (at least I)always feel the need to fill those empty spaces. My friends will regularly spend $300/month for electricity in the summer (we live in the deep south) while mine tops at about $125. Not bad for 1900 s.f.
The house that we are renting right now is a bit small for us. I wish we had 1.5 baths (versus the 1) and that we had an extra bedroom. I miss being able to have guests stay overnight. We have a rather small couch, more like an overstuffed love seat), so even that isn't an option.
On the other hand I don't want something huge - I always wonder what people do with all the rooms in huge houses!
If it was just me, then yes, I would love a tiny house. I am a hippie minimalist and DH and I have contemplated piling all three kids into the car and finding a commune or just driving, picking up cash with odd jobs when we need it.
But seriously... with three kids, a husband who works at home, and a psychotic geriatric cat, we need a little more space. We have 1700 sq ft, including the basement we finished for DH's office. 3 bedrooms, for the five of us. When we moved in, we were just a mom, a dad, and a 7 month old baby... and we've definitely expanded!
There have been times when I have wished for a bigger house, just like there are times when I wish for a bigger or second vehicle. But the fact is, having a guest room or a spare room isn't worth the larger mortgage payment. We would save money by getting a hotel room for our rarely visiting family!
I think absolutely not!! I need space, not a large amount, but some space!
It's all about what we WANT vs what we NEED. I have seen people living in 3/5 ft slums and not complain and also seen people living in mansion who whine about how little that have. I see people who think icecream is a necessity and on their weekly grocey list(along with chips and juice), and so is mascara. When I visited the subcontinent last year I saw 6 yr old boys selling balloons on the highway so they can support their family and 7 yr old maids doing the same. Makes you think...
We live in an average sized home I'd say. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a livingroom, kitchen and a garage. Nothing fancy and too be honest the bathrooms are pretty small...actually so is our Master bedroom! haha
We really need to landscape and paint our house. What is more important to me though? Living in an average sized home with crappy landscaping for a few more years to pay off debt and put a good dent, if not pay off completely our mortgage.
Once Im debt free, we will be able to afford-with cash-a slightly bigger house (we want more kids) and lanscaping that looks somewhat decent! Oh to dream!! =)
I absolutely LOVE those tiny houses, though I don't think I could live in one full time. I do think it would make a really practical vacation cottage, though! To be honest, most of us live in much larger spaces than we need. One only need to look at most of the rest of the world and realize that we Americans live large.
Is it just me that sees the flaw in the "greenness" of this lifestyle? She's borrowing water from the folks whose land she's living on and costing her company more money by showering at work. House is cute, concept kinda cool; but she's mooching off of others to make it work. She needs to move her tiny house to a lot that she owns herself that has a creek so she can really have running water. Just my 0.02.
Yeah, I did have some thoughts along those lines. If the house was entirely self-sufficient, that would be one thing, but it's not. She has to do laundry somewhere, has to buy bottled water, and so on. To live in a teeny house, you have to depend on people who have normal-sized houses (or on corporations who have big factories to produce your bottled water).
In all fairness, I think it's not legal to have those houses on their own lots. I remember reading something about that a year or two ago, so I'm a bit fuzzy on the details.
I do think living smaller is a good idea in general. I just think that living THIS small is probably not a feasible idea for most households.
I agree with you, Sarah. I don't think this is a very good example of the true "tiny house" concept. What this person is actually doing is camping full-time (for example, waste water shouldn't be land-applied if you don't know what you're doing, but that is what she's doing with her sink). As an architectural and design concept, tiny houses are more than that.
I require plumbing. I could live with a small space if I had to, but I could not resort to showering at work.
I'm with you Jessi! Guess I've been spoiled with flush toilets and running water for far too long to give it up at this stage in my life! I could give up a little space, but please don't deprive me of my hot showers!
Same here. I can and have lived in small spaces, and I'm very good at using the space very efficiently, but usually I go a bit bigger. Based on experience I know if I'm living alone I like 2 BR and 7-800 square feet. The second BR is for office and guests. It's paid off more than once, including being able to house a friend for over a year, when it turned out the apparently-good roommate was actually psycho (throwing lightbulbs at someone is not considered good roommate behavior) but my friend couldn't afford to break the lease.
And if you added children into the mix....oy. I know people survive without it for a long time, but I really like my running water!
Being in a house that's too small or too large for your needs will contribute to stress. I've lived in both, and am now in the historic family home that is FAR too large for one person (that person being me) to keep clean and organized. We have whole rooms that never get ventured into except for storage, and that means they are pretty much totally neglected. Too much space can be almost as frustrating as not enough.
I want a tiny house. My husband does not. So our compromise is that later, I get a tiny house all to myself. 🙂
Right now we live in a 650 SF apartment, in the city, with a HUGE balcony that we traded for those extra SF. Kinda tight, could use an extra closet, but the kitchen island, the awesome bathtub, and the balcony more than make up for it.
I personally wouldn't mind living in a tiny house...if it were just me. But, since there are 4 of us at the moment, I will have to pass. We recently moved from a 1650 sq ft house to a 3 bed 2 bath apartment that is 1400 sq ft. I was quite surprised that we weren't tripping over one another. We are quite content where we are...and honestly, we could probably live in smaller.
On a side note, there are some houses here in our town that are very much on the extremely large end of the spectrum. There's one in particular that is 9,900+ square feet...that just amazes me. What on earth does one do with all that space? It would take a week to clean it...then you'd have to start all over again! LOL!
Those tiny houses, while impressive, would drive me insane. I need my space!! Plus, we will have kids in the future and they just aren't practical for children. Or, in my opinion, more than 1 person!
I grew up in a very small house, and it was fine for our family of 4. It wasn't tiny, but it was small (2 bedrooms, so I had to share!) and every bit of it was used. Now, my husband and I live in a larger house than that, with 3 bedrooms and a living room that we don't really use (partially because there's only seating for 2!) I love having a guest room and an office, and I think our house is perfect for us and 1 or 2 kids. More than that, and we're planning on looking for a slightly larger one.
Friends of ours, however, have recently bought a HUGE house. A, too much house for 2 people house. They're getting married at the end of the year and planning on staying in the house for a long time and raising a family there, but even so, I feel like it is WAY too much house for me and my minimalist, non-consumer side fights with my happy for them side and I sometimes feel a little frustrated that they felt like they had to buy such a large house! (Which, of course, is silly...it was their decision) Plus, I think that people definitely expand to fill the space they have...which means I'd be way too tempted to fill a large house with stuff that I don't need!
I think there's definitely a happy medium, but I guess you have to do what you feel is right for YOUR family.
After having lived in small one bedroom apartments in DC for five years, I certainly appreciate the extra space we now have in our new home, especially as we prepare for the newest addition to our family. It's also nice to have somewhere my parents/brothers/friends can sleep when they come visit.
However, having lived in tiny apartments (less than 900 sq feet for two people) with no closets, no kitchen drawers, no bathroom shelving -- it does teach you to get buy on the basics and keep you from purchasing extras. With simply no place to store things, grocery trips and shopping trips become much more about what you need and not what you want.
Our 1100 sq ft 2/2 brings the same situation. People often try to give us things, which is generous, but there's simply no place to put it.
I think sometimes people believe they 'need' more space than they actually do. My husband and I live in a 1200 square foot behemoth that drives me nuts - it's way too big for the 2 of us, even with pets. And I know a lot of folks would never downgrade to 1200 square feet.
I would love a smaller house - 700 or 800 square feet sounds awesome to me. You have enough room for everything that you love - no clutter, because you simply don't have space for it. More space = more stuff, and I hate having stuff.
I'm reminded of the Laura Ingalls home in Wisconsin - the one from "Little House in the Big Woods." That house is small, but when I stepped inside of it, I thought. 'yes, yes yes! perfect!'
I think these tiny houses are neat, but they wouldn't work for my situation. My husband, myself and our cat have plenty of space in our apartment. It makes me claustrophobic just looking at it!
My husband and I rent a 510 sq foot apartment in NYC, and in my mind it is more than big enough for the two of us IF IF IF I could just move some walls! The place feels rather massive when it is just the two of us alone, but quickly becomes terrifyingly tight when family (usually 2 adult + any number of kids) come to stay for the weekend. Again, if I could just move some walls, I would be so happy.
The apartment has taught me that I like tiny bathrooms, ours is (really) smaller than most closets- heck our tub is 2/3rds the size of a normal one. But it gives us so much more room in other places, and we can both get ready at the same time. (Though after a bad simultaneousness bout of a stomach virus I would likely cry with joy if we could have 2 bathrooms.)
The small bathrooms are actually something that bothers me. Our bathroom now is a decent size, but has that smaller, apartment tub. Not fun when pregnant and wanting to soak. But our first bathroom was really amazingly small. We had a half-stall shower and your knees were under the sink if you sat on the toilet! My mother-in-law called it the baby doll bathroom. I think large bathrooms are hard to come by here. Glad you enjoy it.
We once had someone hit their head on the "far wall" as they sat down to use the toilet. It was pretty hysterical. I agree, big bathrooms here just dont exist. I think I would almost be befuddled by a "normal" bathroom.
I think I also like it so much because our first apartments bathroom was just terrifying- hadnt had any work done since '65 sort of thing. This bathroom was recently updated & had all one style of tile! Wahooo.
A tiny house is something I dream of retiring to (:
Right now, with 2 kids and a dog, our 1200sqft house is just right for us. When it's just me and my husband we won't need much space at all 🙂
It is funny though how people who visit us comment on how "cozy" our house is. I think BIG is the norm. Being housework averse, small is much easier to care for (:
A tiny house is NOT for me, but we do live smaller than most. I'm constantly baffled by how much space Americans feel that they need. I'm a House Hunters watcher and sometimes it makes me angry when a couple with 2 dogs insists upon having at least 2500sf!!
We live in NYC and I think that most people make due with less room here. We just moved from a 575sf apartment with 3 people to about an 850sf apartment for 3 soon-to-be 4 people. We could have made due with 4 in the other place, but I was getting unhappy, we couldn't have people over, it was difficult for me to cook, there was nowhere to keep supplies, and baby would have had to live in our room permanently which is not my ideal.
We just moved into the new place and it feels MASSIVE to us! We have all this empty space at the moment. It's glorious! But I do have to say that I feel happy using only the space we need.
The husband and I started out in a 400sf place 10 years ago and it took us that long to double that! I'm not against people having larger houses, but sometimes I wonder what people DO with all that space.
I am also of the hippy minimalist mind-set. I would love to just have a sweety tiny little house. But in reality, I would want some space after probably a few weeks of having it so it is a fun thing to think about...but thats about it 🙂
I love the idea of tiny houses, but you are right, they are really only practical for tiny families! We have a small 1400 sf house, which was more than enough for the two of us, but now that we are adding a little person to the mix, I'm starting to wonder how to make enough room!
Bex,
We used to own a 1650, 4 bedroom house, but after job loss, we have downsized to a 1400 sq ft rental - and we have 4 kids! You can totally make it work. Babies do not take up much space. Choose gear wisely - they do not use it for long. We have the master, two boys share, and daughter shares with baby. Husband has set up garage as office / quiet zone. Dining room is also homeschool central and music practice area. I wish I had indoor laundry / pantry, but honestly, 1400 is working just fine for our family of six.
While my home isn't as small as those tiny houses, my family lives in an 8 by 32 travel trailer. It's me, my husband, our almost 3 year old and one in the oven. It's a temporary thing though, and by the time we plan on moving we will have lived here about 2 years (9 months of that will be with a 3 year old and our baby). I have a post about it here: http://purposelyfrugal.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/small-space-living-tour-my-little-home/
Katy, I love your little trailer 🙂
I like the concept, and with just 2 of us, it might work. But, (big one), I'm disabled and think they're not very accessible. "loft bed?" "bathroom"? At least there are different plans for the tinys. A few years ago, there was some mention of 'granny flats' in the NYT.
One day we woke up and realized the two of us were all alone in a 10-room house. The children were all grown and gone. We felt like we were rattling around in that house, so we decided to move....and to build a house to suit our needs...obviously, smaller was our first criteria.
About that time we were introduced to a book called, "The Little Big House." It was written by an architect. The author had observed the huge McMansions many people wanted, and the terrible waste of space in their homes. So, she began to create the little big house.
Her first suggestion for her readers was to observe habits and traffic patterns. What do you use; how do you use it. For us, in our 10-room house, we realized we used the kitchen, family room, bedroom, and bath.
After deciding what we actually use, her next suggestion was to determine how many of our activities could be doubled into the same space. Can the computer go into a nook in the kitchen; can the music room be added to the family room, etc.
Then her suggestion was to design a house that would meet the needs of activities, storage, comfort. It was interesting to read of the unique ways in which storage could be "added" without taking away from living space. Many of her designs were interesting, attractive, functional.
We took many suggestions from that book as we designed our little big house. I guess the important thing is determining what you really need and then considering ways to actually meet your needs, even in a small space.
So, how big is your little house?
Sherry, our little big house turned out to be almost 1400 sq. ft. However, approximately one-third of it is for overnight guests (two beds and a bath). We live near the beach and frequently have guests. Our main living area houses our kitchen, dining area, living room. It is a completely open space which is nice for entertaining. I'm not cut off from guests when working in the kitchen area. When the two of us (plus Luke, our Lab) are alone, the one-third of the house is rarely used. We do have a garage which houses our car and above-garage storage. That is not included in the 1400 square feet of "heated" space.
I like having elbow room! But that doesn't necessarily mean I want a McMansion. I currently live in a 3 bedroom 2 bath house only because I couldn't find a smaller home in the area I wanted to live. Honestly! I looked at a lot of homes, and completely dismissed the derelict, the handyman specials, and the converted chicken coops (I live in rural Arkansas, so I'm not kidding here). My house has too many rooms and too much yard, but it's working right now because I have 2 large dogs. When they're gone, I'm going to sell the house and find some small apartment or condo to live out the rest of my life.
If I can't sell the house, my sister is going to move in with me. Oy! A McMansion wouldn't be big enough for the 2 of us.
We have these at our old campground that people rent for a week or two tops! I would love to get one on our property down by the water for a guest house or for a place for us to go hang out while we hire a sitter at the house. I love tiny spaces and if I was single would totally dig purchasing one and living on a piece of land with it!
11 yrs ago I bought a 3 br townhome with a little over 2000 sq feet. It's not stuffed. I've thought several times the simplicty of renting a smaller apartment with no care in the world other than renters insurance and the electricity. I've grown to fill the space with unnecessary stuff - if I hadn't had the space I wouldn't have kept adding the stuff/hobbies. Instead of cabinets to hold fabric I'd be working on 1-2 things at a time most likely..instead of tons of books all over the place I'd have bought less and/or used the library.
and it figures i never married and had the couple of kids I thought I'd have to fill the other 2 bedrooms...I didn't care about the galley/narrow kitchen since I didn't cook but once in a blue moon but now I am trying to cook at home more and am crowded..I do like the 2 1/2 baths though I wish the downstairs had a full bath. I loved the no care backyard(deck) but that's torn out now due to rotting and I find my 2 big dogs would've liked a backyard(got them after the fact) and I'd like a bit of a garden though I'm trying to grow a few things this spring/summer in the small space I do have.
no way I'd want a tiny space though - I tend to spend a lot of times inside and to myself and would be claustrophobic I think. I do NOT like being crowded but as I've found out I'm now as crowded in 2200 sq ft as I was in less than 900 sq ft apt...
We are a family of 7 living in a 1800 sq ft house, and many times I think it is too big! Yes, my kids share bedrooms, but even if they had their own, I think they'd end up sleeping & playing with each other anyway. We have a living room/dining room that is almost never used. I can't imagine having 4,000 sq ft. That just seems like such a waste of space. A lot of unused space just makes the family more separated in my opinion. Having a smaller space keeps everyone closer in more ways than one. To each his own, but for us we just don't need more space. As my Mom would say, more room equals more to clean.
My husband and I lived in 600 sf or less for the first 15 years we were together. Now we've added on to the tiny house and have about 1500 sf. 1200 sf would have been about perfect, but when you add on sometimes you have to expand a bit to make the existing stuff work! We are in a stage of life where family comes to visit for a couple of weeks at a time, plus we both have elderly parents. I'm happy to have a guest bedroom (that we use as a TV room) available that we could convert to a room for one of our moms if they should have health problems and need a place to stay. I have had to work hard NOT to acquire a lot of stuff to fill it up, and the cleaning does take longer, but right now, it works for us. And as I get older, it will be nice to have a bathroom upstairs for those middle of the night trips!
I had my students design their own tiny house a couple of months ago as a descriptive writing/green living project. I was amazed at what they came up with but I still don't think that I could switch my life to this format. We have a modest house but were still able to accomodate my father-in-law when he needed to come and live with us after his wife passed away. We wouldn't have had this as an option otherwise.
I lived in a 350 sq. ft. studio apartment when I was on my own, and I loved it. I lived very minimalist then, I had an outdoor deck that I could have a few friends over in the summer, and a comfortable coffee shop on my block for when the weather wasn't so good. I lived very minimalist and prided myself on the small amount of possessions I owned. I didn't cook much so the dinky kitchen wasn't a big deal. Moving to a big house (1900 sq. ft.) was kind of culture shock for me, and the first thing I did was to fill it---with kids and things, lol. In the last year I'm trying to get back to my minimalist principles, esp. while the kids are young enough not to become packrats. The one thing I will say is I still think we have too much space for four people...every night all four of us end up on the couch watching our one tv together 🙂
I want to add that we have a nice big yard and garden and hang out in, and if I were to do it all over I'd find a smaller house with more land. But we now have a good community, school in the neighborhood and other ties so we're here for the long haul.
I would love to live in a tiny space! Less to clean. *smile* I keep trying to talk hubby into letting me use his back -up service van to make a "camper van" out of, telling him we could take off and drive and stop wherever and spend the night. I've been interested in van dwelling for the past year or so. I think it would be a fun challenge!
We lived in a 700 square foot apartment when we got married, then bought a 1200sf house, and with 2 kids now (and a big dog and a cat) we live in a 1750sf house...I believe it really depends on each person's situation and needs. It also depends on the layout - my sister has a 2700sf house and there's so much wasted and awkward space, they live in just a few rooms. With 1750sf, we use every room in out house - a lot! I'm a stay at home mom (for the most part) and babysit too, so this size and layout works well for us.
the fridge is a cooler that constantly needs ice, she takes water from her neighbors, uses company shower facilities, and has a bucket in the corner for a "bathroom". eww, no thanks. that being said, i have seen some pretty interesting tiny houses that are actually fully functioning (cruiseship cabin-type bathrooms, loft bedroom, multi-funtion spaces/appliances). not for me tho, i'll take my studio apt any day.
I think if you would love to live in such a tiny space,more power to you. If it is for the 'save the earth' farce,then you can have it. As a follower of Christ,this environmentalist idea is not my religion.I choose to put Christ first,along with my family. I love recycling,love saving money,but I want to keep my light bulbs without the mercury and I want the right to live life according to God's plan,not because politicians told me to(those that endorce 'go green' want us all to live in these tiny homes,while they hypocritically live in mansions and cart themselves on private planes). As a follower of Christ,there is a desire to take care of others in need and take care of the world around us.Common sense as to what and how I and my family consume, does not go out the window just because I don't buy into this. I would use a tiny little home like this for an overnight guest,as long as they wouldn't think I was inconsiderate for throwing them out,LOL.
My goodness I'd really would like to live in one of those. the home I'm in, I just stay in my room and that's all the space I need and the tiny house is bigger than my room. I love how simplifyed that home is, It got me excited taking a look at those picutres of the home. and you'd have so much money left over because you wouldn't be buying gross amounts of things, just what you'd only need. Thanks for posting this 🙂
I think the concept of these tiny homes is great, but they do have to have the right setting. Something along the lines of a trailer park or campground would probably be ideal, as long as there was some way of providing utilities that each would be responsible for. I don't think that using your employer's overhead is appropriate. We lived as a family of four in a 575 sq ft postwar bungalow for several years, and I would not want to do it again with four people. We are now in an 1800 sq ft home, and it was a real novelty when I sat at one end of the living room and my husband was in the dining room the first night we moved in. I told him that he looked "so far away" because we could not have been that distance apart in the old house and both still have been inside. On the other hand, in my community, we have an astonishing number of minor celebrities who have "summer cottages" encompassing several thousand square feet, and are used only occasionally. And they are being built on what used to be orchards and farmland. They tend to be landscaped in gravel and boulders which means their air conditioners must be on from late May to early October as we can have 90 plus degree heat during that period. It is something of a double edged sword when your income is derived from the construction of these "mutant homes", and you see what they are doing to a formerly beautiful landscape. I agree that we have to stop looking at our houses as a status symbol, and focus on having a comfortable home for our families to enjoy, not maintain.
Square footage alone doesn't adequately describe how much space you have. I once lived alone in 800 square feet. Sounds enormous, yes? 1 BR, 1 bath, separate walk-in closet, kitchen, dining room, living room.
But at least 150 was a hallway, the living room was disproportionately large at 350, the bathroom had a separate shower and bath, and the kitchen about 50 - including the countertops. I "partitioned" the living room by putting a couch across the middle and never used the other half, and wished passionately I could expand the kitchen into the mostly-useless dining room.
We had some friends who moved into a big, end-of-the-cul-de-sac, developer's flaship, suburban showpiece. They thought it was their dream. But, what they soon realized was that if they had stayed in their townhouse just a little longer (same number of beds and full baths but fewer actual rooms and the rooms they had were smaller) the wife could have switched to being a full time parent. Now, they can't afford for her to quit a job she hates AND they both commute longer each day AND there 2x more house to clean which makes them miserable AND they can't afford to furnish this enormous house so half the rooms on the main level (formal LR, formal DR, and "library") are closed off with nothing in them.
I think Tiny Houses are cute. If I could I'd use one was a camper. However, I'm more in line with the live in size house that fits your needs camp. My family of 4 did many vacations and such in a small camper. It worked well for a week or so at a time but it got cramped quickly when it rained and we were stuck inside.
Oh, I totally think they're cute! I just can't see myself living in one full time.
My husband, the engineer/mathmatician, loves those things. Every time he looks at the various designs and styles he gets very excited about living tiny. All I can do is laugh. He's the biggest clutter-monster in the world and within a week he wouldn't be able to move in there and would be sleeping on the front porch.
Our house is small but quite suitable for a growing family and has a big enough yard for the kids to run around in. The bonus is that it has a nicely manageable mortgage.
I was actually born in a mansion (3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bath, a study, a library, double garage, even a full basement and loft thing) but I've lived in apartments since we left that house, almost 20 years ago.
I live in an apartment with my SO and its about 650 sq ft for us that's a little too little especially because the layout of the place means the walk-in closet is bigger than the bathroom (not a good feature). Most apartments I've had have been around 800 sq ft but some have been cozy and perfect and others have really not (we had one where the bathroom was 200 sq ft we were using it for storage). It can really depend on the layout in terms of space, there's so much wasted space in layouts I can understand why tiny houses or building a small-er house can work out well for people. Lord knows I don't want to spend 150 sq ft of my living space on a hallway!
Yeah. I have some very wasted space in the lower level of my house...if someone had laid the walls out better, the space could be almost a whole 'nother room.
I've been following the tiny house trend for a long time now, and I've learned a lot:
1. Storage is key. A well-designed small home with clever storage can feel more spacious than a large home with inadequate storage.
2. You can live in less square footage if you work to make the space decluttered and easy to clean.
3. Knowing what's truly important to you is essential in the process of finding the right size home. In Kristin's case, a home with space to entertain, do homeschooling (and store the supplies), and cook comfortably is the "right size" for her. I fall into a similar category. Someone who doesn't entertain at home, doesn't have children, and pursues other hobbies like yoga or jogging has little need for the same amount of space, and could easily be content in a tiny downtown apartment or one of those tiny houses on wheels. The key isn't downsizing everyone - it's trying to help people really think about how much space they truly NEED to do what is important to them.
Just a side note - the tiny house trend isn't just that miny house on wheels. It also encompasses "permanent" homes under about 100sqft. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/ has plans for homes ranging from 64sqft to 840sqft.
that was meant to read 1000sqft, not 100sqft - wireless keyboard strikes again!
hi.
i am a swedish girl that just have finish reading "the complete tightwad gazette"
by amy dacyczyn! i know that i have been a tightwad and frugal all my life..but amy give me some ideas!
hugs!
I'll take the Mc Mansion thanks after living in apartments and tiny houses. Things get damaged from lack of space.
I find it interesting how much people's individual definition of "small" varies. I have had people tell me they live in a "small" house and find out they mean 2000 sq. ft. I lived for years in a neighborhood of 1920s bungalows all the same 750-850 sq. ft. At one time they were virtually all filled with families of five, six, or more people. Mostly now they are filled with singles, couples, or families with 2 kids max.
We are a family of six living in 1500 sq. ft. Many people seem to assume we will be moving to a bigger house, including family members who don't understand why we don't move from the beautiful area with great schools we live in to a big suburban cookie cutter. No thanks.
I think my kids might read The Frugal Girl... this was the requested bedtime story!
http://www.amazon.com/Henry-Builds-Cabin-D-B-Johnson/dp/0618132015
I think those tiny houses are soooo cute, but my family would need four of them. (We would kill each other before the sun went down.) I don't think that anyone with kids actually live in them though.
My friend Tammy and her husband are having one built and I am very excited to go play in it.
I do have a spare bedroom, but we use it daily, as it has our TV in it, as well as a twin bed that we all fight over. (It's so cozy!) We also open our home up to out of town friends, family, exchange students and British soccer coaches.
Kind of love my big house. Maybe after the kids move out we could downsize, but I do need some elbow room.
Katy
My house is not huge (don't know the SF- don't tend to use that in the UK), but I know we could live in a smaller house if we had to/wanted to. 'Stuff', belongings, furniture all expand to fill the available space!
Having said that, apart from her dependency on neighbours and work that others have pointed out, what about hobbies? What does she do when she's not at work? Kristen, you mentioned space for a sewing machine and piano- I'd like those too. And somewhere to store my jam jars (I love making jam/jelly). I'm a Rainbow (like Daisy Girl Scouts) leader- where would you store the paperwork etc for anything like that?
I know extremely tiny houses make better headlines than ones a bit bigger, but it doesn't seem very sustainable in this case. I'd prefer a few more square feet and be able to actually keep some food in the house...
But then I guess she's happy, and nobody is forcing me to move into one! I'm just thankful that I have my house that I love. :o)
Yes, but only for a getaway. Which wouldn't work for me anyway as the little grands would be popping in all the time as they do now since they only live a mile down the road. But I wouldn't have it any other way. If I were young, single and trying to save money, I'd go for it. Although I don't care much for the bathroom or kitchen accommodations.
We saw a TV show on those homes once. I can totally see it being a good option for somebody who lives alone and doesn't need much space. I just don't see it being practical for families with children, though, unless you lived in an area where the climate was such that you could be outside year-round and unless your family didn't have many (any?) indoor hobbies.
We live in a pretty small space right now. We've got two bedrooms and about 800 sq. ft. (plus storage space in the basement, which helps enormously). When we moved in it was DH and I with one child, and it was great for that. Now we've got two kids and a third on the way, and it's definitely getting cramped, especially if our son has friends over and they're playing inside. We're hoping to find a 3-4 bedroom with maybe 1400 sq. ft. or so, which we think would meet our needs without being overly large.
There have definitely been some benefits to being in a smaller space, though. It makes it very, very easy to keep track of my kids; they're rarely out of my sight, and never out of earshot. It keeps me from accumulating too much stuff I don't need, because at a certain point it just won't fit (and it forces me to declutter regularly, so that things remain livable). It encourages us to spend time outside. And, it's really easy and fast to keep the house clean. I have friends with 3000 sq. ft. homes and I cannot imagine trying to keep up with a space that size.
And I thought our house was small! 🙂
I know! I feel like I've got a stinkin' mansion here now. lol
Ok, I'll admit it, I live in a very large house-3,000++ on several acres of land for just 3 people. But, before I get a lecture on how crazy that is, let me tell you why. My DH and I lived in a small home for 20 years in a very crowded area. That area went from being a great place to live-walking distance to everything, public transportation etc..-to being a not safe place to raise a child. When you have helicopters flying over every night looking for "bad guys" as my son puts it and the police coming through your yard with police dogs while you are trying to BBQ, and elementary age children bringing weapons to school, it's time to go. We wanted a better environment for my son and worked VERY hard to get it with no debt except the house. I also have a large family that loves to come for weekends(or longer), we do entertain alot and I needed a place for everyone to be comfortable. So I think everyone needs are different. Could I live in a small house again, esp. that little one? Hum, I don't know.
I know what it's like to live in a small house! My husband built a 1 bedroom 550 sf home that we currently live in with our two boys! It was fine for just my husband (before we were married) and us at the newly married stage, but now it's time for a move! I commend her for her efforts, but I'd like a real potty please 🙂
Sometimes I feel like we have no business living in our house, but that's not because I feel we ought to live in a shed-sized home to do some good. It's because we are blessed beyond my imaginings. Our house isn't huge - just a very old Colonial that has a big backyard. When we moved in one year ago, I was a week away from delivering our first child. Four bedrooms for a family of 3?!! We ended up getting pregnant again very quickly, and are now 10 weeks away from delivering our second son. Obviously, you never know what's in store for your family. God knew! When we were house hunting, we prayed like crazy that God would open the right place up for us, someplace where we could stay long, put down deep roots, grow freely as a family, and use the shade of our "tree" for other people's good. So yeah, we ended up in a house that totally exceeded our expectations. But that's because it's an answer to prayer! We're artists, musicians, and homeschool hopefuls who use every inch in the place and then some, often packing it full of other people. Praise God for the amazing place He gave us. We are thankful for every day we live here.
These tiny houses are too small for a family to live in, but I have several that are used for various things. I have one that we use as a tea/relaxation/reading/writing space, one that I use as my work studio, and we are currently working on one to house our garden tools and gardening books close to our greenhouse. I know several people that use these houses for playhouses for their kids (I had an amazing one with real furniture/dishes for tea when I was growing up), home offices, guest houses, or exercise studios. My mom actually has an old sheepherders wagon on her property and she loves it for her crafts and projects. As a contractor, I think this idea made slightly bigger would work great as beach/lake/vacation getaways.
The concept of tiny houses does not meet the requirements of bigger families. However it is great starter for young couples, especially for those who want to live responsibly. It has its unique charm. I am not a fan of huge houses, I identify with your perspective, people should have adequate space for their living.
Really to me it looks like she doesn't really enjoy life much. I didn't see any books, photos, hobbies of any sort, tv, computer, musical instruments, bikes, skis, clothes, make-up, etc... I'm all for being frugal and using less but really can someone really be happy with just working and trying to live in a tiny house. Definitely, a minimalist to the extreme. I wonder how long you could really live that type of lifestyle. I'm happy to keep my things especially my photo albums. I don't think I could live without them.
I don't doubt that she's happy...she seems to be pouring her time and energy into stuff that doesn't require storage space, and it seems like that's working for her.
I just don't think I'd prefer to live like that if I didn't absolutely HAVE to.
I wish houses were more affordable. I moved from a 3 bedroom home to a four bedroom. I am very happy with it, it has a great guest room and each child has his/her own room. But the mortgage is getting unaffordable because of the economy, who knew? I would love my 3 bedroom back but then again I wish to have this house paid off. (I can't figure out how to place a dizzy face on here!) I would not like one of those dinky homes because we are having our 3rd child and I do love to cook, place our in-laws in a separate home, have a large living room for guests, etc. Maybe when I retire, achem, 50 some years down the road, lol. I also think it is important to make the most of it, what ever you have, get real organized with small spacies and be thankful!
The article talks about 'rightsizing', which I think is a good way to describe it. Not everyone needs a tiny house, but lots of people don't need all the space they do have either.
If anyone's interested in more, an online friend's tiny house was featured on this website recently: http://thistinyhouse.com/ - some interesting and some downright strange stuff on that website. Although I could undoubtedly manage in far less space than I have (58sq mt, about 620 sq feet), I'm also a bit claustrophobic so something that you have to bend over to fit into would not be for me. Even your body will determine to some extent where you feel comfortable living - I'm 5'9", ceilings less than about seven feet make me feel hunched over all the time. Someone who's 5'1" might not care so much.
Ben Law is a guy who bulit a small house in the New Forest and was featured on the program Grand Designs. I was really interested to see how they did a follow program a few years later when he had married and had children and they showed how he then extended it to accomodate the new family size. It's worth googling to watch - I think most of it's on youtube.
One thing I do know is that aside from the question of actual space, I need to have more than one room. So I could live with having less space, but I really don't want to ever just have one room again. Open plan is not for me.