Last updated on January 20th, 2013
Here is an interesting video about a family that downsized in a major way. While so many people today feel they must have that BIG HOUSE, the one that will consume most of their take-home pay, there are others who settle for less while knowing that the sooner it’s paid off, the more ‘free’ they will be. Free to retire earlier, free to value their personal time more for themselves, free to spend on other things if they choose, etc. The older one gets, the more one realizes that it’s not about the big house. It’s about other things including the value of your time alive on this earth.
Related: No Mortgage
A few years ago, Debra and her family lived in a nearly 2000 square foot home on an acre and a half of land. Then her husband lost his job and they began to work 4 jobs between them to pay the mortgage, until one day they remembered they had a choice.
Before having their son, Debra and her husband Gary had spent 9 years living in very tiny homes in South America. Living small hadn’t felt like a sacrifice, but a way to stay focused on what is important. They decided they wanted to get back to that.
They stopped working so hard, sold or gave away all of their extra stuff and began looking for the perfect tiny home.
Debra had always liked the Mississippi shotgun style homes, and one day, while browsing craigslist, they noticed an ad for a local Arkansas company custom building tiny homes for a price that could mean an end to house payments.
Six weeks and $15,000 later they had their own fully paid-off dwelling. Today, Debra, her husband and 13-year-old son live in a 320-square foot home that is not a sacrifice, but exactly what they need.
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good day of posts here!
i like the tiny home concept a whole lot. the idea of buying a tiny home to put on a rented lot is a bit curious, but i’m sure it made sense for them on some level.
Exactly. People today are ‘programmed’ that they need homes that are a very minimum of 2,000 square feet and larger. Look how many huge homes have been built during the past 10 years! Decades ago, most homes were very small compared to today’s standards.
Here’s another thought… at least for singles or couples without kids, or kids who are now out on there own… Imagine living in one of those nice ‘fifth’ wheel trailers (there are some amazingly nice 5th wheels out there), either on your own property or traveling around the country to one favorite location to another, perhaps ‘following’ your favorite season of the year (job dependent of course). Get a top-of-the-line 5th wheel for $50 – $70K (that’s ‘new’ – you can get them for much less too), say one of the ‘Carriage’ models, and a F350 pickup truck, and you’re set. A fraction of the cost of a home.
There are so many alternatives to buying a home, or a home that is much larger than you really need. Unfortunately most are brainwashed about mortgaging yourself to the max – so you can show-off to your friends that you have a McMansion. Big WhoopDeeDoo.
They also come in mobile form, so you could tow your tiny home!
I didn’t understand that either, considering that you can find a good deal on real estate now (on or off grid)–I was looking at real estate in Oregon and Washington today and found a half wooded acre on the market for 4k on grid in Bellingham and a beautiful two acres off grid in rural Oregon for 2.4k–average cost of lot space is $300 a month to rent, or $3600 a year. If they were planning on downsizing and spending 15k they should have just purchased a mobile home, used ones go for 10-15k and have more usable space.
Hi Thanks for doing the looking for land. My husband and I are looking to move to Bellijngham Washington. Is the land you found availabe. Blessings Anadi
Yes, but remember this was a huge downsize for these people, and we all get to make our own decisions. In their scheme of things $145/mo. was worth what they got, they are happy with it. She didn’t want a park model mobile home, or she would have gotten one. She was willing to go small, but it needed to have a certain feel to it for her to be comfortable with it.
Normally lot rent includes things like water, trash & electric, lawn maintenance.
I don’t know where you are from but around here, homes are 200,000 to get one in a decent low crime area and that is for a jalopy. Then electric alone is horrendous in a large house. There are also HOA fees where I am. You pay a monthly fee so other people can complain about your hedges and whatnot on your own property. At least they can move if they want.
That is definitely an option for some, and of course what you can handle depends a lot on where you live and the environment. It also depends on what you are into for hobbies and it very much will impact how much storage you have for extra food and supplies.
My wife and I opted in the other direction. We have much more room than we need, but we also have a couple of dogs that live with us. The pantry I built is half the size of the tiny home these people live in. We also live in a place that gets two feet of snow and -30 to -40 in the winter. We heat with wood, so the extra space is not an issue. When you are cooped up with bad weather it gives you some space to move around and we have room to set up for things such as a reloading room and a place to set up a fly tying bench, etc.
We have our bedrooms in the basement, which means they are nice and cool in the summer for sleeping, so air conditioning is not an issue during the summer.
The tiny home obviously works for these people and their environment. All the more power to them if they can handle living in that small a space.
I have seen these tiny homes before and I’m stumped why they cost so much. I could build this $15,000 tiny home for between $4,000 and $6,000.
As much as I personally dislike trailer parks they are the epitome of affordable housing. In the part of the country where I live $6k-$8k will buy you a fully functioning 2-3 bedroom home already set up in a mobile home park. It will be an older unit and perhaps not beautiful but it is a cheap way to “tough out” this recession/depression.
My husband and I live in a self-contained 35′ motorhome traveling around the country. It is nice to be able to run away from disasters. So far we’ve only run from one hurricane but we are always moving to where the temperatures reduce our need for interior climate control.
I am curious to discover how long you’ve been living this lifestyle, and your estimate of the average cost per month for your living expenses in this situation. (Assuming that your stays are at various camper parks, etc… versus on your own pieces of property). Sound intriguing.
This can’t be healthy.
And it isn’t.
People simply need space and air to breathe.
Don’t compare this with with living in a motor home because you don’t “live” in a motor home.
You travel and spend lot’s of time outside, meting new people, new sight’s and sceneries.
But to live 4 season’s a year, summer and winter in a mini home looks quite tormenting to me.
No place to retreat, ample storage room, etc, etc.
This i.m.o is not a solution to a crises, it is living a crises.
What an odd point of view from R. de Haan.
Tens of thousands of people live full-time in their RV’s- some travel frequently, some travel a few times a year, others never move. All of them certainly “live” in their RV’s just as they did in their stix-and-brix home They have pets, hobbies, they entertain, watch TV… its not vacationing 24/7.
I suspect the poster is very young and/or has never lived in a dense metropolitan area. When hubby and I were first married, we lived blissfully in a 2-room apartment, about 250 sq ft, as did many other newlyweds of the time. It wasn’t until the arrival of our second child that we “moved up” to 700 sq ft.
There was plenty of air for everybody and no one suffered. Our expectations were different perhaps, coming from large families of modest means.
Its a pity the poster lacks the ability to understand how material goods are not an end in and of themselves, and how frequently modern people are owned- even consumed- by their possessions.
Spoken like somebody who has never lived in a small space! My second apartment as a college student was hardly 12 ft by 12 ft total (kitchen, bathroom included). At first it was a pain to get used to, having grown up in a room that was bigger than my entire new apartment. As the months went by, I was happy to find that my little apartment turned into a perfect little home. I used lots of creative storage solutions and I kept the place pretty tidy (because it only took maybe 15 minutes to clean). When my soon-to-be-husband and I started dating, we joked that we’d break down the wall between my unit and the neighboring tiny unit to form a tiny house, perfect for two people. A few years later, we are moving from our overly large townhouse into my parent’s little mother-in-law suite. We are going to save gobs of money while we’re working on our graduate degrees (thanks to generous and adventurous parents). We’re excited to get back to small and well organized living, as well as happy to be saving up money for our very own little house in which to start a family. I think it all comes down to priorities and willingness to make hard changes. I never thought I’d live in a tiny house, but oh what an adventure it’s taken me on! I’ll never forget my little “shoebox” in the mountains.
Oh, and two other thoughts:
1) living in a static little house isn’t much different than living in a camper/RV. You still need to get out of the house. One of our big priorities is to have lots of outdoor living space. We love to garden, I have a horse and my fiance (mechanical engineer) is in the process of refurbishing his motorcycle. Given the choice, we love to be outside.
2) You just have to be creative about storage. We plan on getting a shipping container to put on our proposed land to house things we rarely use (off season clothing, ect).
There are also some unique homes made from shipping containers–I looked into it a bit a couple years ago, but then the cost of grading, pouring, plumbing, septic, etc would be a bit cost prohibitive for a small square footage.
There still are property taxes that we as TENANTS must pay yearly to our LANDOWNER.
Us public masses can never own land unless it’s an allodial title…
You hit on something that is so true… that is if more people were willing to settle for a small home (cheaper mortgage), they would become significantly better off a bit later in life because they would be able to use their ‘extra’ money for many things. E.g. pay off their home, invest wisely, pay cash for other big items instead of a loan, etc. Unfortunately, so many people are convinced that they need a McMansion as their first home!
Most of the world lives in smaller spaces then this, get over yourself! Just look at japan! Heck, all of Asia for that matter! I live in a small 1 bed room home with my husband and 2 kids and we could not be happier! The kids get the room we converted the former living room into our room. Just because you cannot see yourself living like this does not make it unhealthy!
Why would one always be inside the tiny house? It is just like having an RV. Tiny house dwellers are often closer to the great outdoor and access it regularly! Have you noticed that most tiny homes have front porches?
@ R. de Haan, That is some point of view. I lived in 400 square feet for over eleven years. With no electric, water, neighbors, phone, etc.. Was one of the most fulfilling times of my life… Survive-All…
@ Full-timer, Yes! I mentioned my 400 square foot dwelling and in reality that was it’s foot print. You start to minus the functional space, i.e. counter space, shelves, wood stove, and you end up with 250 square foot actual space to move within or less if you would like say a chair? Another tiny and happy living space I haven’t seen mentioned is a boat. There are 10 x10 house boats that many find invaluable. A vacation to Woods Hole-Martha’s Vineyard will allow you to see communities of this type. They are some happy folks. You could argue they aren’t necessarily year round but they are down the coast and in the Gulf. In the Keys, if they leave a good number I’ve spoken with have dwellings that are similar in size and function located to maximize self-sufficiency. It would seem you spend more time out of doors with a smaller home, using the environment to aid in moderate life style and stress free living. Survive-All…
I would only add that freehold land would be a notch better than renting the land…good story tho.
The “shotgun” shack may take on a whole new meaning when people come calling.
What a great discussion. My wife and I will be empty nesters in four years and are actively planning our next move. We have had serious discussions on both approached and are actually considering a blended approach. Building a small self reliant home base camp, but having a 5th wheel trailer to travel.
What a delightful little home.
I’m currently living in an apartment of about 540 sqf – which is surprisingly large for one man to inhabit.
I’d love to move to a house like the one featured here, with a bit of garden, away from the noise of the city.
This shall be my plan for the future.
Inspiring.
This is great, and I now feel the same way.
However, the buidling codes in Cali are yet more obstacles, and dictate no less than 500sf.
Ken: Some of these similar small houses we have here in Aus on mine sites called ‘Donga’s’. They’re usually on a steel skid frame that can be mounted onto a truck and relocated and even put on a floating base for a flood mitigation choice. You can ground anchor these and have crucible break away bolts when water rises and still manage to have the house anchored in the same area so it just floats – also in Finland they’re trailing this as they’re so flood prone… Another beneficial idea designed into most of these donga’s are that they can survive a Category 4 to 5 cyclone as they’re easily moved into the winds path with the smaller surface area into the wind easily managed prior to the storm hitting.
You could also make the house from sandwiched foam encased in Colourbond steel – which they are here, they’re thermally stable in both summer and winter due to the foam construction and air conditioners work easier so its more affordable to run a smaller unit and save on heating and cooling costs. These can be made to be modular, as it’s easy to modify and build upon, if you needed extra room or rooms just add a corridor to another room adjacent to the main room etc.
Its such a good idea for these times ahead of us, in both safety, security and saving large amounts of cash – the only issue some people may hit is building codes. But one of these houses can be built to suit any council requirement at a fraction of building a large brick slabbed home.
Wow, I feel like I’m living in a mansion. I live in a 576 sq foot house that me and my father built as a hunting retreat on our family farm of 125 acres. Either he or I drove every nail in it. My wife and I and our 5 small dogs and one large collie are happy as clams with the space. Utility bills are low, we heat with wood in the winter. I worked for 28 years in the HVAC business and about had a nervous breakdown trying to keep up with the Jones’s. I quit my job, moved out here and went to work on a farm for a doctor and am living the dream. The woman in the video has it right. You concentrate on what you have instead of what you don’t. Own your possessions, don’t let them own you. Let the Jones’s work themselves to death.
“The woman in the video has it right. You concentrate on what you have instead of what you don’t. Own your possessions, don’t let them own you. Let the Jones’s work themselves to death.”
I couldn’t have said it better…
Whatever is it that life has brought you and/or you have earned, be happy with ‘that level’. Don’t let the pressure of ‘more’ get the better of you – be happy with what you have rather than working yourself to death in a competition to ‘one up’ your neighbor – your friends – your ‘whoever’… TIME (at peace) is worth more than possessions.
Greetings to all from the Quiet neighbor:
R. De Haan has a point in that some extra space is nice in the event of long spells of cold and stormy weather. If all you have is one small dwelling, it can drive you stir-crazy.
The video was kind enough to point out that they actually have two small buildings rather than just one. This brings up a valuable point in that two small buildings may be better than one big one. There was an Alaskan Homestead for sale in a back-to-land-type magazine that featured a homestead that was actually a collection of small, purpose-built houses. It was built by supplies that could be flown in so it precluded the use of materials and tools that were too big and heavy for a turboprop to fly in. As the years went by and the couple grew more financially sound, they added some nice amenities like a guest cabin. This homestead was for sale because the old couple were ready to move back to the lower 48 to be closer to their grandkids.
While I would love the idea of a collection of small, efficient houses to live in, I am married to She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. So, like many readers out there, My Wife made our decision of buying a big-ass house to keep our herd of cats and our dog.
If I remember right, the Alaska Homestead consisted of a main cabin for eating and sleeping, Guest cabin for sleeping, a covered walkway led to central located shower/privy facility, a shed that contained a small sawmill and workshop and the furthest located house from the others with the tightest security was the meat storage locker/canned food storage. (they lived in bear-country.) A collection of small houses can be better from a a security standpoint in that one can still have shelter and a place to live should one house be hit by some type of disaster. (fire, flood etc.)
My old house in Cali was less than 1000 square feet and in moving into a bigger house in another state, it made me think of George Carlin’s comedy routine called: “A Place For My Stuff” Survive well to all.
i agree about the multiple tiny homes. if you could have a rew tiny homes or 20′ shipping containers circling a central outdoor kitchen and work area, that’d be a nice camp.
i live with my wife and two young sons in a 800 sq. ft. lower flat. we own the duplex and rent out the upstairs. we also have a basement, which we use. it is more than enough space. we don’t have room to store unnecessary shit, so we focus a bit. a garage, a garden, a basement, and some living quarters. very, very nice indeed.
living in an RV on your own land with well and out buildings would be ideal. It would give you space to work, have a garden and still let you bug out in case of fire or other reasons. Small house means even an acre of land feels roomy.
Down sizing is not being poor, it is having more money for other needs.
they didnt even own the land. made no sense to own a wanna be trailer and rent the land
About a mile down my road, a man has built a tiny home. It looks to be about 8′ x 12′. It’s very small, but I think he’s living there alone. lightnbug says California codes dictate no less than 500 sf, but if this man’s home didn’t pass inspection, the electric company would not hook up power to the house and he DOES have electricity. So, it looks like the codes for this area of California don’t have that same minimum.
I downsized to a small trailer home 12 years ago, then downsized again to a very small (600 sf) home 8 years ago. There are 3 of us living here now, 2 of us in wheelchairs, and we have plenty of space. We have 10 acres of ‘outside’ to spread out in though. I have a metal yard barn in the largest size I could find, an 8′ x 32′ shed/chicken coop/grow room, so plenty of storage space outside the house. I even use my Suburban for storage since I can no longer afford to drive it.
My house and property have been in my family (and paid off) for close to 60 years. I have no mortgage, and I already posted my yearly property taxes elsewhere in this blog (no use for rubbing THAT in everyone’s face again, lol) so my rental house pays for taxes and all the property upkeep and repairs. I just have my utilities to pay each month, and the electric for the well pump is billed on the rental house account so they pay for my water too.
Now, I’m just trying to figure out how to get enough solar panels to power both houses without going into debt. My renters don’t pay enough rent to finance that, and I don’t want to raise their rent and risk losing some really good people as neighbors.
I used to use a 7×8 garden shed for my “bedroom”. My kitchen and sitting/study room was a green house, about 10×10. It was actually fairly comfortable down to -40F, provided I dressed warm and moved around a little. I used a “duck blind stove” for cooking, and that also kept the kitchen warm enough. I generally sat high, with my feet a good bit above the floor; that helps.
The garden shed was hard to heat. Really difficult to find a wood stove that would not roast me out, and I often had to prop the door open to keep it bearable at anything over about 20F.
Building that out of ICFs would add about 1k to the cost I bet. Nice fire resistant, airtight, super-insulated, bulletproof, disguised little bunker.
Quiet and Sam, that’s basically my situation. Big house, little house, misc. outbuildings. Anything not being used isn’t heated or cooled, but can be. The houses are each standalone, separate water/septic, power, and fuels. Wish I could call the little one the M-I-L house, but she stays in the big house with us when she visits (at the DW’s insistence).
To: Tammy and Lightnbug,
Lightnbug was right in that many California cities and towns have codes that vary from location to location. Many people live in houses that are not built to code and the rent in those places is quite low for a reason.
City and county codes within some California towns are very restrictive in order to discourage the building of new construction. These codes are created by the old, established NIMBY crowd. This was very evident in some towns like Santa Barbara, CA, Los Gatos, CA, San Francisco, CA.
One of the few legal tools renters may have if there is a dispute with their landlord was to go to the code enforcement department within their city or county. Like many civil servants within CA they are understaffed and overworked.
Code enforcement is the only way to protect consumers from the dangers of faulty wiring, plumbing, mold growth, vermin infestation and unsafe structural integrity. Frequently, the costs of renovating a property in order to bring it into compliance with existing city codes can be cost prohibitive and it drives people out of the business of being landlords. City and county codes can be a double-edged sword. It can be a renters friend if you are angry at your landlord. The downside is that now you have to find a new place to live once reported (and property is declared unfit for human occupation)
The multitudes of codes within California towns is impossible to keep up with and it is one of the many reasons why people continue to leave California. (at least the towns and cities) In short, it is easier and cheaper to do business in many other states. (other exceptions being: New Jersey, Washington DC) During the years I lived in low rent areas, a final f— you type gesture toward an unreasonable landlord would be to sick Code Enforcement on them and report them as Slumlords.
These type of activities are what drove some of my family members to sell their residential properties and buy commercial properties instead. These problems along with problem tenants were what prevented me from investing in residential rental property. Survive well to all.
You are so right about “problem” tenants.
Had a neighbor report me when I had the problem tenant, so I had to tear out a kitchen in a studio I had rented.
Even though it was built to code, just that the zoning wouldnt allow a certain square footage on certain size lot (i was on 3 acres), and only 1 single dwelling on it.
I’ve been very lucky with my tenants. But I only rent to people I know. That isn’t practical for most landlords, but it really is an advantage to live in an area where there are not many people and you KNOW most of them (or are related to half of them, lol). All of my tenants have been great, doing a lot more things than any landlord has a right to expect, like building a carport next to the house, putting in a lawn and wood fence, all at their own expense because they wanted those things. I give my tenants free reign over there to do whatever they want and they appreciate that and help me out when I need it. The family that lives there now have 3 little kids, who, every time they see me outside, they holler “hi, neighbor!” and wave to me. Nice kids, the kind that play outside and have bikes and 4 wheelers and forts and stuff, they don’t stay in the house and watch tv. I LOVE hearing those kids outside laughing and playing.
You are lucky to have found good tenants.
I have had renters for a number of years, and its a BAD IDEA to share your own house with them. I”ve only had 2 really good tenants that actually helped around the house.
Most of the time, when they moved out, I’ve found my CDs missing, silverware, little things, etc.
Worse yet was a psychopathic teacher who seemed to be a professional at first, but turned out to have severe (and angry) mood swings and was really really strange.
I love the idea of a little house…I have lived in all sorts of places..but my happiest time was in a very small one room place. that was about 12 ft by 12 ft… I could live in a little house and be very comfortable..
Although I like the concept of this, I’m not sure I could live in a home that tiny…even just myself. Not because of any issue over 320 sq ft verses 2000 sq ft… but because I don’t like small places (can’t zip up a sleeping bag… or do the MRI’s). As far as a Manufactured Home goes. Our first home was a used 10×50 – 2bedroom home. It was 1/2 mile from our work place. We didn’t have a washer/dryer in it so that was the only inconvenience with a baby. There were laundry services on the property (about 1 1/2 blocks from our home), so it wasn’t really too bad. We loved it and it suited us until we had our second child.
Our first stick home was only 1,000 sq ft – 3 bedroom. We lived there – comfortably – for 6 years. The main reason we moved to our 1900 sq ft home on a 1/3 of an acre was because we wanted to be closer to both our parents so the children could spend more time with them. We lived there for 27 years. Then, we purchased a 1400 sq ft Manufactured Home to retire in. It was 4 years old when we purchased it, and although the couple who owned it owed $68,000, they wanted to move to the coast so badly, they offered it to us for $30,000. We have never paid more than $30,000 for any of our homes…. have no mortgage – no car payments – nor any credit cards in 40 years. It is cash or nothing. Although my husband past away this year, I am still not sure I could live in 320 sq ft… mainly, because I am of an age where my health limitations need to be considered. With several back issues and arthritis, this home would not be able to handle a walker (if I ever get to that point). And to be honest, the small shower and toilet area would not work for me when my back is out. I have been looking at 700 sq ft condos and I feel those I could live in. There is sufficient enough room for walking aids in that space. But, this was interesting. Good luck to the people living there.
I loved your response. Sorry for the loss of your husband. I too enjoy a house with a low payment. We choose to have a payment for tax purposes, as we pay fewer taxes by making the payments and deducting the interest (go figure that one out!). We too bought low, and refinanced at very attractive points in our life. Now we have our dream house with very low payments. When I reach retirement, I look forward to buying a smaller house, but I think 700-1000sf is about what I would look for. Good luck and God Bless!
Hubby and I downsized to a 584 sq.ft. house.
We thought we had our dream retirement home on the river. Huge mistake. We ended up with a LOT of things, storing all of our kid’s stuff, and extra rooms for “guests” who never came. Over 2000 sq.ft. to heat,cool, and clean ……. for no really good reason.
Now, we have a tiny home on beautiful 4 acres. We thought we were too old to start over, again. But, now, we are looking forward to making life easier, less expensive, and healthier.
We lived in our large motorhome for a couple of months , while our house was being assembled. We are too chubby for narrow spaces. We learned from the experience just how much space was enough and not too big.
Sometimes, I miss sitting on the large deck on the top terrace that overlooks the river. Then, I go out on my deck and sit, sipping my coffee and planning where the gardens will be. Learning to be happy with less is more fun than the stress of the upkeep of too much.
I have to say, I live with my husband, our kid and our dog in 1000 square feet and I can’t imagine going smaller, especially with a teenager. I’d definitely consider a house this size (We’re in an apartment) but I think the extra money is worth it for just a little more space. What happens when you use the bathroom and everyone can hear you? I guess it depends on the layout etc. I could do 300 sq feet for my husband and I but I think the average family needs more personal space and privacy.
Amen!
Its a neat idea and saved them money in the long run, I guess. Long as they are happy with it. Basically they just built themselves and stylish trailer though so I dont get it.
I’m sorry… I have to disagree. We upgraded our 1200sf house to add a 2nd floor with another 1000sf (2200 sf total). I could never see going to anything less than 1000sf for my family. We have 2 children and 2 dogs. I think about 300sf per person is a minimum. While thier house looks spectacular and probably works for them, I would be much happier in 1200sf (or more). As for costs, when we upgraded our house, we bought a new furnace (the old one broke and was replaced) which heats so efficiently that we have NO additional fuel cost for the extra space. We also replaced an old air conditioner (the old one was recycled and the new one is 150% more efficient) which now cools more effiently and costs NO extra money. The water use is the same regardless of size (we all take the same number of showers, drink the same, etc.). I like what MarjorieElaine Peirce said above about buying 700sf+ (sorry about your loss Ms. Peirce). I think it is minumum 300sf per person you are expecting to occupy a space. While some “shared” space works for all, I think it is important for everyone to have some space that they call thier own in order to function properly. Even my Labrador Retrievers have some spots that “belong” to them and nobody else goes into those areas. Don’t get me wrong – I love hearing the kids playing and the dogs playing etc. but I also like having a spot where I can work and play on my own.
Great idea but it seems impossible to escape the property taxes. Mom and dad paid their house off after 3o years but found the annual county taxes were then nmore than the original mortage payments they paid each year. Need to find a place deep in the woods away from cities, coal mines, fracking. people, etc.
As I found out this morning, there is one disadvantage to living in my small home: When a snake gets in the house, even a small snake, it looks HUGE in a small room!
Now, I have no fear of snakes, but I am careful around venomous ones. I’ve run across rattlers in my yard, but usually it’s just gopher snakes and king snakes. The one that got in the house was an 18″ gopher snake, scared the crap outta my son who’s a diehard ‘city boy’. So, he jumped up and scared the snake, which promptly hid under the fridge. It’s still in here somewhere, maybe it will clear out some of the mice.
Depending on weather where this house is located, I think I could do this, but I’d have a HUGE partially covered deck, outdoor kitchen and outdoor furniture, solar water heating for pool and hot tub. The house would be mainly for sleeping.
Where is the link to the video?
The video is embedded right in the post near the end. If you can’t see it, you may have some sort of blocking enabled on your browser.
I couldn’t even watch the whole video because I was feeling claustrophobic. While I agree that no one needs a McMansion, especially not if it is a financial hardship, this seems extreme.
It reminds me of a place I lived for about 3 1/2 years. Everything I truly needed – bed, toilet, sink, storage, clothing, desk, eating area – was contained quite efficiently in a 48 sq ft home. No that’s not a typo, I said 48 sq ft. I shared this space with a roommate who had his own bed. I was called prison.
Great idea if you can live that way. Some people just can’t handle small spaces. The first place I actually owned was a 1954, 8×35 New Moon trailer. It was built when people gave a shit about the product they were building. Real wood paneling and plywood instead of spit and glue. We cut a hole in the roof, installed a SS chimney package and heated it with a non air tight cast iron pot bellied wood burner. No running water except for the small pond fed by underground stream out front. But with 2 people an axe and a few 5 gal buckets we were all set.
If nothing else “small” living teaches you to keep your place cleaned up and broke me of being quite so much a pack rat!
That was over 30 years ago. Now I live alone but have moved up in the world to around a 350 sq ft studio apartment!
So impressive! I love the video and love seeing how you made everything work out! Good ideas for storage too
IMHO, bragging about one’s small living space/lifestyle, and how much money you saved and how “free” your life is, is just as tacky as bragging about one’s McMansion or how much money you spent on it.
As far as the concept of such a small living space in and of itself, my thoughts are that if your family can be sitting in the living room and hear you taking a dump, that’s a non-starter.
Not sure if what they are doing is bragging (the small house thing), and for sure this example of a tiny house is pretty extreme, but IMHO, I am pretty sure that too many people are (have been) spending too much money on houses that are too big for their realistic income – which then leaves them indebted for a very long time. It’s certainly not as big a problem today though as it was before the housing bubble burst, since the banks are not as eager to loan the money that the FED has been giving them from the printing presses.
I’m laughing at all of the “but what if my family can hear me in the restroom” comments. Oh c’mon people…just turn on the sink or the fan to muffle any noises. I live in a small farmhouse built in 1910 and the bathroom is right between the kitchen and living room…doesn’t bother me that my bathroom is in a social part of the house. 1st world problems!
Okay, your family was put in a situation that you had to act drastically and it is fantastic that you’re living mortgage free and it’s also great that you did what you could to provide a home for your family. However saying things like a 2000 sq ft home is too much to handle is not a reasonable comment. It’s great that you live within your budget and a way to handle not having the income to provide a different living environment. However I’m sure it’s an unpleasant living environment that will become more irritating as time goes by. Then, if things get better for your family how much are you going to sell it for? I’m sorry to be negative but frankly, this sucks.
Frankly I’m surprised your son has 6 friends.
You can easily build a large family home for $15,000, you just have to choose your location, materials and design wisely, the cheapest comfortable house you can ever build is a basic shed roof polehouse in a tropical to sub tropical environment, immediately you have negated the cost of any insulation and heating requirements.
Cooling a basic polehouse design is easily achieved using natural drafting, breezeways louvered windows.
Other cheap houses that can be large for a family at little cost is free formed ferro cement, earth bermed adobe, natural stone, actually anything at all, its to do with material choice, location and building designs, the more complicated the building the higher the cost. (Kiss)Keep it simple stupid is the principal to be followed.
I tend to agree living tiny is a novelty that would soon wear off for most people, great as a retreat but certainly not one for even the most mild of claustrophobics in a long term situation.
Why have a small house that is paid off only to have to pay space rent? Pay for your land first then the home is actually yours.
I find tiny houses very interesting. I’m sure my wife and I could have done that before we began having kids. But now we are in a 1200 square foot house with a $650/month mortgage for a $100,000 home. Its the best we could find where we live.
I’m not one to make trouble, but she talked about how small the house is and how they have plenty storage space inside for what they need. But then she goes and mentions that they have a storage shed outside. Could they not have afforded a $20,000 home just to have storage inside? They could even put flooring in an attic to increase storage space. Or dig a basement, reinforce it and account for drainage and then place the home over the hole and add an entrance down for the basement? I’m just sayin…