Why the obsession with "tiny houses"?

Tiny and on wheels...just love this....a little bitty log cabin....
http://moleculetinyhomes.blogspot.ca...on-studio.html

that last photo of the home and the studio is what I've been talking about doing, but with less pricey (and probably not as nice) buildings.

Thanks for that link. It's one I'd not seen before.

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"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

DH and I live in a 24x24 apartment attached to our horse barn. It has one bedroom, a kitchen/dining/living area, a full bath and laundry room. It's big enough for two, but barely. I'm not complaining about the size- I like that it's easy to maintain, heat and cool. My computer is in the barn office space. We built it about 10 years ago, standard construction (2x6 walls, drywall, etc) for well under 20,000, and that included new appliances and some new furniture.

I think those tiny houses are WAY overpriced for what they are, and even if I were single, I can't imagine living in a space half the size I have now, and I don't have a lot of "stuff".

Something to consider when thinking about multiple resident tiny house "with large common areas" is how many of the space options shown on the various programs suggest around 100 sq ft private space per person and 150 foot "common space".

This concept is routinely implemented to house up to 20 individuals for periods of 5 years or so since county jails have been authorized to house inmates for periods longer than 366 days.

Many cells offer around 60 sq feet of private space including a toilet, sink and desk per person and the day room common areas between the cells for up to 20 inmates is often about 400 sq feet.

My claustrophobic and incarceration phobic mind cant accept that a tiny house is much better than a jail cell with the locks mounted backwards and could never imagine myself willingly paying to live as if I were an inmate.

I will stick to small to medium sized housing as long as I am a free man and paying for my housing with cash instead of the time remaining on my sentence.

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The prison isn't a good example. We have about 16 sq-ft per person for interior space but we have millions of square-feet per person for outdoor space which is where we are much of the day. Prisoner's don't have that. They're locked in. A tiny house isn't a lockup, even in the worst storm we can go outdoors if we wanted to do so.

The beauty is, of course, since all of us are free to build houses as large or small as we like and cash allows.

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

I like smaller houses as well beause of the lower heating expense,I burn wood but my house is even smaller inside in the winter because I close it off,I only heat about 900 sq ft or less,the house is maybe 1300 sq ft,less area to heat=less wood to burn

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Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
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I don't see the appeal of them either, not for anything other than vacation housing at least. I like to craft and, especially if you have a homestead or farm, you want to be able to store things and have enough room to deal with your produce/products. Freezers for meat, shelves for canned goods, maybe you're dealing with dairy or wool and need the equipment to do the job right, etc. Any and all of that spells *elbow room needed* to me so I'd be looking for or building a home that's 2K+ sq. ft. with basement, attic, large kitchen & pantry etc.

Check out this gallery of Tiny Houses, very cool.

http://tinyhouseswoon.com/

Here's a few photos of a "tiny house" I built as rehab to recover from a kidney transplant about 14 years ago. Sold it in 2007 on Ebay to a guy in Vermont. When our kids were young it was our "Bluegrass Music Bus" taking us to festivals and jams all around the northwest.

Corral Creek, beautiful work!

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Christie Acres
www.SequimForLife.com
http://www.irealtyvirtualbrokers.com...lori-christie/
http://luxurywaterviewhomes.com/
SequimLiving@gmail.com

We have a small cabin in the woods and its perfect. French doors instead of windows. Insulated sides, top and bottom. And best of all, two porches and a deck. These extended living spaces are used more than the interior and are a snap to clean. The deck has containers of fruit, vegetables and flowers all mixed up. No back breaking bending over (we're older folks) and all the fresh food the two of us need. Also the grandkids love all the makeshift sleeping arrangements. It's like camping for them.

I've lived in tiny spaces before. You don't really "live" in them, you sleep there and eat a simple meal maybe, brush your teeth. No laundry, a truly tiny shower stall, you couldn't keep all your winter duds in storage in the house, you HAD to get rid of most of your books and mags, no place to keep your "stuff". Most of my "stuff" was in the back of my truck. Oh, and you never had more than maybe a weeks worth of groceries and cooled goods had to be limited to the dorm fridge.

It's like some others have said, you can live in the tiny house but you need a 20x40 barn for your stuff!

Bret, that is so true about the stuff part. Since my divorce I am in the process of downsizing from a 1300 square ft house to a 750 sq ft house. Figured just as a Bachelor I don’t need all that room. But the storage and garage that goes along with a bigger house is nice for the stuff.

tiny homes have their uses.
i think it is funny how everyone assumes that a tiny house means "downsize" but my wife and i recently "upsized" into this:



50's 24' trailer... just under 200 sq feet. insulated to r40 with rigid, spray on foam. bamboo floorign and counters. my truck is a 1947 international kb5 that is soon getting a cummins diesel.
like i said, we EXPANDED into this and it is a step in a larger plan: when we are eventually able to buy property we can move this onto the land and start living there immediately... wont' have to wait and save to afford a house first.

I have been drooling over tiny homes for years, even before my husband died. Container homes, buses, re-done storage sheds and yes, those lovely-but-oh-so-out-of-fiscal-reach ones made commercially.

I am losing my farm, and had to move to where work could be found. In doing so I moved into a 266 sf studio in another state (farm is about 2K sf with full basement and finished attic).

What I have learned is that I have far too much stuff! This week I have been re-organizing and de-cluttering - and I still have a house and barn full of more stuff back up in TN that I will have to divest myself of. Living small teaches me what I really need, and where I am unwise about spending. If I were to every remarry, I don't think two people could live here with the layout and the way it is furnished very comfortably. I'd furnish far differently if it were mine, but it isn't. I needed something affordable while paying on two places, and now I find that I really like this because it is teaching me some good lessons.

It lacks efficient storage though if you are going to prep in any way, shape or form. I'd say 450-500 sf would be excellent if well planned out, pre-considered storage, kitchen space and included outdoor space usable even in inclement weather (if you entertain family and whatnot). My place here has a patio larger than my indoor space and I spend a lot of time out there. I've had two sets of adult children and a grandchild here and it wasn't too bad for a one day activity

Everyone has put such beautiful and practical ideas up on here, and I surely appreciate the sharing of inspiration and knowledge!

~ST

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"Don’t let anyone put you in a little box – that is what coffins are for."
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ST, so sorry to hear all you have been through! It sounds as if you have really done your best to brave life in all its challenges in spite of everything. I'll be praying your circumstances improve dramatically, so you will have your own place again.

Good advice you posted, thanks Gave me a few more things to consider. I'd agree with you about the space, when mentally laying out areas we would commonly need/use.

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Christie Acres
www.SequimForLife.com
http://www.irealtyvirtualbrokers.com...lori-christie/
http://luxurywaterviewhomes.com/
SequimLiving@gmail.com

I just saw this thread. Been reading some, but not caught up yet.

I live in a small cabin, it's OK, but too small for full time for me. It's 14x18, and I have a detached 8x12 bathouse/pantry/reloading room, and a 10x16 shop thats supposed to be the reloading room, and shop, and light storage. It instantly turned into storage with little room to get in it, and I have storage elsewhere that needs to be moved to home (read build some storage at home). My little place was supposed to be temporary, but my Adventure In Matrimony! Changed the plan somewhat. I'm now starting the work to double the size of the cabin, and adding a 6x14 sun room, and a 6x12 office/study on another side. That will be a usable size for full time living (and will have a bathroom right in the house!). My "real house" was only going to be about 1000-1200 sq ft, but was going to be on a full basement. I may get to build it yet, but it wont be in the immediate future, so I'm going to make the most of the little cabin. I'm also wanting a barn'shop for critters and work space. A friend is an artist, he likes coming up this way in the summer, he could use it as his studio when up visiting, and I need a place to set up a woodworking shop. I have a pile of power poles already for the main frame, but setting them and starting on the building is behind the cabin addition in my schedule.

I built a portable cabin to sell, it's 12x20 (240 sq ft). I figure it would be a nice part time place, guest cabin, or starter place. It can be added on to fairly simply, which would add a LOT to its practical usability. I supposed it's one of those "overpriced" small places, but its not a finished yard shed, its built like a regular house, (perhaps better than most modern houses) with 2x6 stud walls, well insulated, log siding inside and out, and some style and attention to details. It has a decent 3/4 bath with a 36" shower (I hate small showers!). I didnt cut corners anywhere on quality "just because it's small". I priced it mid range for portables, and above average for quality and style from what I've seen online. One thing to consider about small places, they can't be assumed to be priced the same per sq ft as larger places, as a small place has the expensive stuff also, like bathroom and kitchen, just less sq ft to balance it out.

I understand the reasons for downsizing, most folks today have far larger houses than most people did in the past. I think if people want a larger place, fine, but its not required to be fulfilled or happy. as many have said, less is often more in many ways. When my life has been simpler are the times I've been happiest. Smaler houses are attractive in the motional sense for people seeking simplicity, and many find it. To others, it isn't as black and white. I like smaller, but not tiny.

Home, with the little shop behind it (its not attached, as it looks it the pic) and the bath house to the right


Inside,







The portable cabin I built,

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"..I don't want to get to the end of my life and find I have not lived.." - H.D. Thoreau-

I love your live in cabin, and the dog sure looks right at home; but those bottom two photos of the movable cabin - lordy that's nice.

__________________
"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

Kind of long, but detailed. Couple converted a school bus.

I found it interesting because I once owned a school bus that I converted to a Horse Hauler. I raised up the roof, replaced the side windows with a big sheet of steel and turned the rear emergency door into a huge drop down ramp/door.

Wow, so impressive. I love it. And the dog ain't bad either