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Tiny Houses


Scarlett
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I am obsessed with this HGTV show.  I think there is one on DIY network too. 

 

Some are waaaaay to smal IMO.  I saw a fabulous one last night built in Hawaii....on a permanent foundation.  With a water tower to collect rainwate.  It was lovely.  I forget the sf but it seemed very livable.

 

I saw another episode where the tiny house was 399 sf.  I almost think I could do that with dh.  Not quite though.  I think the smallest I could go is 600 for 2 people.  I don't really want to because I enjoy having room for guests....but it still fascinates me for some reason. Maybe because I think I will end up in one in my old age.  :)

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A tiny house in my area was recently stolen and found in a nearby state. Just sayin'. ;)

 

I like stuff too much. I like books and art supplies. I like tiny houses when people talk about only owning a few pairs of shoes, or no DVDs, or something like that. But it kinda falls apart for me when I think of trying to throw a birthday party or even just have a few people over for a family dinner. Or trying to cook Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Or having Christmas morning... I had 15 extra people in my house on Christmas morning and it was an awesome day.

 

Anyway, I think tiny houses are cute and innovative and I definitely see the appeal. Just not for me, you know? :)

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A tiny house in my area was recently stolen and found in a nearby state. Just sayin'. ;)

 

 

 

Hey we must be in the same area, unless 2 tiny houses have been stolen and transported across state lines  :scared:  

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I also love tiny houses, and bizarrely, so does my DH.  I don't think we'd ever attempt to live in one.  

 

I think the appeal is the simplicity.  You have these tiny little spaces, everything has a place, no excess... very calm.  This is in stark contrast to our current situation of having a "small house" (1080sqft apartment) which isn't nearly as cool as a tiny house... and 6 people living in it who seem to spew chaos and tiny bits of paper constantly.  :-)  So it's less the tiny house and more the imagined peace that is appealing.    

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Hey we must be in the same area, unless 2 tiny houses have been stolen and transported across state lines :scared:

Springfield?? My whole fam damily lives near there and were talking about it on FB.

Edited by Moxie
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Oh...I ADORE the tiny houses too!!!! I have a Pinterest board dedicated to my love for tiny homes! My husband is 6'3 so he is less enthusiastic to say the least-- but a girl can dream 😊 Youtube has so many videos of couples and families living in small spaces, they are such fun for me to watch!

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I can understand the appeal for some people, but I could never do it. I need lots of space around me, so a tiny house would make me feel claustrophobic. We're all tall, too (the five of us range in height from 5'10 to 6'4), so it would be a tight squeeze!  

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Oh...I ADORE the tiny houses too!!!! I have a Pinterest board dedicated to my love for tiny homes! My husband is 6'3 so he is less enthusiastic to say the least-- but a girl can dream 😊 Youtube has so many videos of couples and families living in small spaces, they are such fun for me to watch!

 

 

My husband is 6'3 also.  As is my son.  And my step son is 6'2.  :)  So a tiny house is not likely in my future anytime soon.

 

 

They do have some really clever storage ideas.  And some of the workmanship is awesome.

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I think of them as retreats.

I can imagine having one as a library though.  I have felt for a long time that my main lack is a library (building).  But even that I wouldn't want to be actively tiny.  I'd want tall ceilings, a fire place with wing chairs, a window seat, velvet drapes, and very organized book sections.  Fiction would be in alphabetical order by author, sections for age categories (adults, teens, kids, picture books).  Nonfiction would be in categories, like ancient history, art, knitting, dyeing, loom weaving, card weaving, gardening, cooking, paper crafts, chemistry, natural history, history of science, other science, reference books (grammar handbook, science encyclopedia, 5 inch thick dictionary).  Nope, I guess this is not a tiny house either.

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400 sq ft is really not that small for two people. Our first apartment had 480, and we found it quite spacious and entertained a lot. So yes, the 399 sq ft one is doable. I don't want to do 100 sq ft though - that's like camping.

Edited by regentrude
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I'm sitting in our 200 sq ft home in the city right now. It was formerly an old hotel that's been converted. These are often called micro units/apartments and, although they're small, they are usually laid out very well and fitted with scaled-down, multi-purpose appliances and furnishings. I love this place, especially for its small size. We are in a lively area with train and bus lines nearby that go all over the city and we're close to the lake. There's a rooftop deck with beautiful landscaping and nice seating where tenants can have a drink and catch the sunset. This is our retreat. Very calm and tranquil. Super easy to maintain.

 

We also have a bigger co-op home in the suburbs which is about 1,000 sq ft and is part of an old complex. We're doing a lot of work on that unit ourselves. It's getting there but it's nice to get away from the chaos.

 

I love tiny homes!

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I love watching tiny house shows. I would absolutely move into one when the kids are gone. Unfortunately, my dh won't.

 

The people who complain about the lack of full size appliances drive me nuts. You are moving into a tiny house! Also, the people who can't believe there isn't a dishwasher when they will be living alone.

 

Kelly

Edited by SquirrellyMama
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400 sq ft is really not that small for two people. Our first apartment had 480, and we found it quite spacious and entertained a lot. So yes, the 399 sq ft one is doable. I don't want to do 100 sq ft though - that's like camping.

 

 

I think I agree.  It was laid out so nicely.  And big porches would help as well.  We had an apartment for 6 months when we moved to this area (it was for dh during the week while we sold our house back home) It was one bedroom and they claimed it was 700 sf.  It really didn't seem like it was.  Mostly laid out poorly.

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My husband is 6'3 also.  As is my son.  And my step son is 6'2.  :)  So a tiny house is not likely in my future anytime soon.

 

 

They do have some really clever storage ideas.  And some of the workmanship is awesome.

 

This.  DH is 6'4" and built like a truck driver.  DS is 6'2" and growing, so an actual tiny home is probably not in our future.

 

But for a vacation spot?  Maybe.  Someone I know just posted a picture of them "Glamping" in a tiny home, and I thought that was a brilliant idea.

 

Tiny House Nation on DIY is the best tiny house show there is.  The carpenter is absolutely brilliant, and the host does a really good job helping people get realistic about their tiny home expectations.  

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I grew up spending my summers and weekends in a camper that I believe was less than 30' (no bump outs), so under 255 square feet. Love, love, loved it, even with 5 of us.

 

That said, we still had our house back home, where we had plenty of room for our beloved "stuff".  My dream tiny house would have to have multiple outbuildings, probably bigger than the house, because I like my stuff!

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This.  DH is 6'4" and built like a truck driver.  DS is 6'2" and growing, so an actual tiny home is probably not in our future.

 

But for a vacation spot?  Maybe.  Someone I know just posted a picture of them "Glamping" in a tiny home, and I thought that was a brilliant idea.

 

Tiny House Nation on DIY is the best tiny house show there is.  The carpenter is absolutely brilliant, and the host does a really good job helping people get realistic about their tiny home expectations.  

 

 

Yes I just found that show and I love it!

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When I was pregnant with ds and for the first ten months of his life we lived in a 749 square foot two bedroom apartment. Our oldest was 6/7. The thing that SAVED us was the good sized balcony that overlooked a lovely creek. Whenever it got tight we could go out there. Our neighbors had a big couch and tarp over theirs and it was another room. The front window looked right into a tree (we were on the second floor) and so it was super private for an apartment. It was enough space four our family. The kitchen was a perfect galley kitchen, not big at all, the smallest apartment kitchen I have ever seen, even the Worldmark kitchens are bigger when we stay at Worldmark. The dining area was big enough for a table of four and dh's computer desk. He did a lot of programming at that desk. The bedroom dh and I had was big enough for a queen bed and a crib and changing table. The queen bed was a captain bed that had all our clothes stored in drawers underneath, so we didn't need a dresser, I'm sure that helped. 

 

So... our family of four lived very comfortably in 749 square feet for almost two years, and that was with a baby and constant house guests and an elementary school child who had lots of friends over. I could see just dh and I living in around 600 sf with the proper design. The design is CRUCIAL. I have lived much bigger places that were not as comfortable as that particular design. 

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All I can think about when I see those fantastic pictures of tiny houses is how many minutes it would take for it to be filthy. My first floor is about 750 sq. ft and it's a mess. My kitchen floor stays clean about five minutes. I sweep the floors almost daily and it's gross. The bathroom floor? Same. If the kitchen is untidy someone inevitably knocks a dish or something breakable/spillable over. I find it hard to believe living in such a small place would be pleasant if you have a kid or pet in the picture.

 

Plus there isn't adequate stuff to live comfortably. No place to set your stuff down? Toilet paper holder? Towel rack? More than four plates and two bowls?

 

I'd like them as retreats.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by SamanthaCarter
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I like the idea, but would rather have an RV. Honestly for what you can get in an RV and the space that you would have, to me it is well worth it. I have yet to see a Tiny house with a sewing area. In RV's they have 2 bedroom plans with flex spaces. I have even seen an custom RV that had private spaces for 4 kids!! Granted that was towed with a semi but hey, if you are going to dream, might as well make it big!

 

I like slide outs, they make bigger space when you need it, close when you don't. Few tiny houses do that! I also worry about over taxing trucks that they pull it with. Some of those I am sure are pushing the max with a normal truck.

 

 

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We have told our boys that a tiny house on our property would be a great option for them while they are young.

Ds wants one. I think it would be great for when he is in college if he goes to a local university. When moves out, I can move in!

 

ETA: I could not live in one with Dh. He drives me nuts as it is.

Edited by MaeFlowers
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Well, I would love to see how these people are functioning after a year. I live in my Class B RV for weeks at a time while I am away from home working. Sure, being able to potty and microwave one's food at the same time is cute. But, it ain't fun.

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My DS wants one when he grows up!  I love watching the shows, but I just don't think I could ever do it. Like PPs, I like the idea of a sense of peace and everything in its place, and nothing in excess, but at the same time, I love having a bustling kitchen of activity and hosting big family dinners and such.  I just don't think I'd like it.  I think I would feel claustrophobic unless it was in an area where you could extend the living space to the outside for the majority of days of the year, like southern California!

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I like the idea, but would rather have an RV. Honestly for what you can get in an RV and the space that you would have, to me it is well worth it. I have yet to see a Tiny house with a sewing area. In RV's they have 2 bedroom plans with flex spaces. I have even seen an custom RV that had private spaces for 4 kids!! Granted that was towed with a semi but hey, if you are going to dream, might as well make it big!

 

I like slide outs, they make bigger space when you need it, close when you don't. Few tiny houses do that! I also worry about over taxing trucks that they pull it with. Some of those I am sure are pushing the max with a normal truck.

 

 

Oh I totally agree.  The whole idea of pulling around a tiny house is just nuts.  If you want mobile why not get an RV?  Dh is constantly saying, 'that is a lot of weight they are putting in there!  Tile, tubs, full size appliances, lots of wood'.

 

If I ever did a tiny house it would not be on wheels.

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We have one. Dh is 6'3. The trick is vertical space!

We have towel racks (back of the bathroom door, it slides into a slot behind the shower) and a toilet paper roll holder (inside the bathroom cabinet)

Way more shoes and bowls than necessary - though we do end up with external storage solutions.

 

We have 20acres outside so it's hard to feel too cramped!

 

Maybe this is the thread that I will finally get around to posting a photo...

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We have one. Dh is 6'3. The trick is vertical space!

We have towel racks (back of the bathroom door, it slides into a slot behind the shower) and a toilet paper roll holder (inside the bathroom cabinet)

Way more shoes and bowls than necessary - though we do end up with external storage solutions.

 

We have 20acres outside so it's hard to feel too cramped!

 

Maybe this is the thread that I will finally get around to posting a photo...

 

 

Yes please do!

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Tiny houses intrigue me, too. I'm always joking with my son that one day when I'm very old, I'm going to put one right in his back yard. Every time we see one, I punch him and say, "There's my tiny house!" (It's all in fun).

 

Sadly, the reality is that an awful lot of building codes do not allow for tiny homes to be added to the backyard.  Even in the country there are townships with building codes and rules on the books.

 

SIL's mother wanted to put a tiny home in one corner of her 7 acre piece of property and have SIL and family live in her house.  The township would not approve it for them so they had to come up with a different solution.

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We have one. Dh is 6'3. The trick is vertical space!

We have towel racks (back of the bathroom door, it slides into a slot behind the shower) and a toilet paper roll holder (inside the bathroom cabinet)

Way more shoes and bowls than necessary - though we do end up with external storage solutions.

 

We have 20acres outside so it's hard to feel too cramped!

 

Maybe this is the thread that I will finally get around to posting a photo...

 

 

And you have 4 kids in a tiny house?  How many sf?  See I am so fascinated by this!

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Sadly, the reality is that an awful lot of building codes do not allow for tiny homes to be added to the backyard.  Even in the country there are townships with building codes and rules on the books.

 

SIL's mother wanted to put a tiny home in one corner of her 7 acre piece of property and have SIL and family live in her house.  The township would not approve it for them so they had to come up with a different solution.

 

 

Would the rules allow for her to buy an acre and set it on the land?  Was their issue with the mobility or the size?

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Oh I totally agree. The whole idea of pulling around a tiny house is just nuts. If you want mobile why not get an RV? Dh is constantly saying, 'that is a lot of weight they are putting in there! Tile, tubs, full size appliances, lots of wood'.

 

If I ever did a tiny house it would not be on wheels.

This is what my DH (in construction) says, too. He says, "Why would you do that instead of an RV? RVs are meant to do exactly that, and they do it more efficiently."

 

He's a killjoy like that. But he's probably not wrong.

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This is what my DH (in construction) says, too. He says, "Why would you do that instead of an RV? RVs are meant to do exactly that, and they do it more efficiently."

 

He's a killjoy like that. But he's probably not wrong.

 

I agree with that if you want it to be mobile, but if you want a cottage on a site, RVs are kind of flimsy and not well insulated, usually.  Plus I have never seen an RV bathtub, which is a must if I'm going to *live* somewhere.

 

One nice thing to do if you're setting up a tiny house, though, I'm convinced, is to tour an RV show and look for smaller or more versatile versions of everyday gear, and also to look at campus dorm suppliers.  Lots of great conveniences are available that way that most home dwellers would never run across normally, like collapsible laundry baskets or hanging shower caddies.

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We have one. Dh is 6'3. The trick is vertical space!

We have towel racks (back of the bathroom door, it slides into a slot behind the shower) and a toilet paper roll holder (inside the bathroom cabinet)

Way more shoes and bowls than necessary - though we do end up with external storage solutions.

 

We have 20acres outside so it's hard to feel too cramped!

 

Maybe this is the thread that I will finally get around to posting a photo...

 

Please! That would be so awesome!

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Please! That would be so awesome!

I will, just have to pull them up on the laptop - easier than just cleaning up apparently!

 

In the interest of full disclosure, it is an interim house while we build, but we have been here for two years, probably will take the best part of another year, and we do still love it! The house we are building is bigger, but not by that much. We've always preferred smaller/simpler.

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This is what my DH (in construction) says, too. He says, "Why would you do that instead of an RV? RVs are meant to do exactly that, and they do it more efficiently."

 

He's a killjoy like that. But he's probably not wrong.

 

My mom lived in an RV for 4 years. Every time I watch a tiny house home, and the people say, "I need..." I say, "Like you would have in an RV!". 

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