The Tiny House Movement

[modern_muslimah]

The Tiny House Movement

I thought this story was very interesting. It looks at Dee Williams, a woman who lives in a house that is 84 square feet.

Her home measures 84 square feet, has a small sleeping loft, a compost toilet and enough closet space for a few shirts and pairs of pants. Williams says the downsizing has brought her a sense of contentment, and many others are beginning to follow her lead.

There's a short video in the link that mostly focuses on Williams but also features interviews with other people building tiny houses. There's also a slideshow with pictures of various small homes. I actually like a lot of the homes shown in the report. I think they're quite economical, environmental and yet also stylish. It also shows you don't need an abundance of space to live comfortably.

[zaphyre14]

You do, however, need a friend nearby with a shower. Dee's tiny house has no plumbing.

These look a lot like the camp houses on Jones Beach and Martha's Vineyard, only on wheels.

[Capella]

I would totally do this. Well, assuming I had high-speed internet. That would be a deal-breaker.

[modern_muslimah]

You do, however, need a friend nearby with a shower. Dee's tiny house has no plumbing.

Although Dee's house has no plumbing, other tiny houses do. I have to admit that I would need plumbing in whatever house I had. I prefer to take showers in my own house.

I would totally do this. Well, assuming I had high-speed internet. That would be a deal-breaker.

Same here!

[Nan]

There are a bunch of tiny and small houses here:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses/

[Holley Calmes]

One word: claustrophobia! If these are cozy to some, fine. I would die. I don't need huge amounts of space, just more than that. I freak out in elevators and on airplanes (only to myself, but it's freakish nevertheless.)

[MikiAndoFan#1]

That is pretty amazing. In the future, I want to have a very simple life and a little house like that would be enough for me.

[immoimeme]

I would lurve to have a tiny house. Unfortunately most of them do not come with tiny price tags.

I highly recommend http://tinyhouseblog.com/

[modern_muslimah]

I would lurve to have a tiny house. Unfortunately most of them do not come with tiny price tags.

I highly recommend http://tinyhouseblog.com/

Thanks! Williams said her house cost $10,000 but she doesn't have plumbing. Plus, she powers her house to solar energy so I imagine that must cost more too.

Some of those houses cost about $40,000-$50,000 which was surprising to me, especially considering that you could get a bigger house for the same price (it might not be in the best neighborhood but it would be bigger).

[immoimeme]

Well, obviously if you build a tiny house yourself it will cost you less. But I decided I am too old to do that. SIGH.

Here's a guy building his tiny FREE house if you want to read about it

http://www.tinyfreehouse.com/

[Gazpacho]

I think New Yorker's have been inadvertently promoting this movement for a looooong time

[Jenny]

Here's an article some might find interesting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/bu...e&ref=business

The discussion is around not so much tiny houses (I've been seeing articles about them for years now), but paring down one's life - less things, less expenses, more time with loved ones.

It's interesting in that in the past few years, media/pundits/governments have been anxious to tell us that the recession is over and the economy is back on track etc etc. But the fact is, behaviours have changed - and the article has a few stats to support that notion.

[modern_muslimah]

Well, obviously if you build a tiny house yourself it will cost you less. But I decided I am too old to do that. SIGH.

True. I don't think I could build one either. Well, I probably could if I learned but I have never been good with building stuff (my husband and I had a tough time putting together a simple shoe rack that a friend was able to put together in five minutes ).

Here's a guy building his tiny FREE house if you want to read about it

http://www.tinyfreehouse.com/

Thanks!

[Anita18]

Thanks! Williams said her house cost $10,000 but she doesn't have plumbing. Plus, she powers her house to solar energy so I imagine that must cost more too.

Some of those houses cost about $40,000-$50,000 which was surprising to me, especially considering that you could get a bigger house for the same price (it might not be in the best neighborhood but it would be bigger).

Depends on where you live. Here in LA, that's about 10% of the price of a real house. The cheapest places I've seen, a tiny house would still be less than 50% of a condo with similar specs. So my bf and I drooling after tiny houses is very understandable.

It'd be smaller sure, but the great part about it is if a forest fire is bearing down on you, you could hook up your tiny house to a truck (if it's one of those hitchable ones) and drive away.

[Japanfan]

One word: claustrophobia! If these are cozy to some, fine. I would die. I don't need huge amounts of space, just more than that. I freak out in elevators and on airplanes (only to myself, but it's freakish nevertheless.)

Two of us are living in about 750 square feet (and have a patio in addition to that). I always thought that this space was tiny.

[Jodi]

I'm reminded of this house, which makes me .

But if I had a house like that I'd need another one for my craft supplies I envy people with clutterless hobbies

[LilJen]

I'm reminded of this house, which makes me .

But if I had a house like that I'd need another one for my craft supplies I envy people with clutterless hobbies

Oh my gosh! That's like a hobbit house. . .

I LOVE the idea of a small(er) house, but the clutter, the clutter, the clutter. If it were just me, maybe. But i have two major clutter collectors in my house: dh, and dd. Plus two large dogs. Cannot persuade them to get rid of much, although we've gotten rid of *some* stuff.

[Japanfan]

I love that hobbit house. . .and it doesn't look as tiny as the 'tiny houses'.

I would think that those tiny houses must be sort of like camper vans, designed with things on top of each other. For example, the back seat folds out into a bed and has drawers underneath it, but you can't get to the drawers unless the bed is folded back. And the sink or stove is on top of the fridge. There was virtually no space for any type of clutter - nowhere even to put a coffee cup or a few dishes down to be washed later.

I can't remember how it worked exactly but it was an extremely compressed and contained system. I would find it annoying to have to constantly being moving this and putting away that just to accomplish daily tasks. Annoying for camping, let alone permanent living.

[jlai]

I think that's the whole point.

I won't recommend this to claustrophobic folks but I like simple living and really wouldn't mind living in a smaller place though perhaps not a tumbletree house (coz I would need to find a lot to put that in and secure it or sth). If I were to live on my own, I suspect 400-foot will do--you know, bathroom, small bedroom and living area and a kitchen. Very energy efficient.

I've always thought the bad thing about 1-2 people living in big houses is the need to heat/cool the whole house (or at least the whole floor) just to keep you comfortable. To me it's really a big waste of energy.

[Japanfan]

If I were to live on my own, I suspect 400-foot will do--you know, bathroom, small bedroom and living area and a kitchen. Very energy efficient.

I would think 400 square feet would only allow for a living area, bathroom and small kitchen - your basic bachelor apartment.