I have been watching a series about people building tiny homes on flat bed trailers. They range from 200 to 400 square feet of living space. All living areas are very compact and tight, but they have living rooms, kitchens, baths, and bedrooms. They utilize lofts for extra space for an office or extra sleeping, and they even have outside fold out features for outside living areas. Many put solar panels on the roof to cut energy costs, and composting toilets, but best of all you can move the home anywhere you can drive to. I like the thought of not having to pay property taxes. Even insurance would cheaper because it would be RV insurance instead of a costly home owner's policy. I don't think I would like apartment living, especially as a single senior. I was going to sell my place and move close to my brother, but then he started talking about living with his son, and I realized that if that happened I'd be stuck somewhere where I'd be alone and away from anyone I knew. But with a tiny house on wheels, I could go from one family member to another if I needed or just wanted to visit family members that are in other states. The cost range from $30K to $90K, depending on just how fancy you wish to go. It would mean paring down to bare essentials, but I like simplicity.
I've been following the "tiny house" thing too, including a couple of series about it. I have a few books with tiny house plans, largely because they include some ideas I can incorporate into our house or camp.
@Ken Anderson , have you ever been inside one? I have not, so I think I'll try to see if there are any builders in the Houston area. I am seriously considering one for a future home. One of the biggest problems would be downsizing. But with fewer possession life would become calmer. I also like the idea of being able to take my home wherever I go like a snail's shell. The convenance of always having the comforts of home wirh me at all times.
Yeah, each year at the Maine Organic Farmers & Growers Association's Common Ground Fair, there are vendors with tiny houses. Livable, but only if you don't need a lot of stuff.
Hmmm, I like to shop. I am not really sure how I would get along with a tiny house. I think it would be kind of like living in a closet. Although to be honest, I could get rid of 2/3 of my "stuff" and not miss it. What do you do if you want to have overnight guests? Where do they sleep, In the trees? I think the fact that you couldn't bring much in would lead to a bit of stress in itself. However, each to their own, maybe it would be perfect for some people.
I wonder about that theory - we moved from a house into an apartment that has 'one' double wardrobe Sparky has one side - me the other. So far so good, although I would like a foot more on the width You just get used to it and don't tend to keep 'clutter' and things you rarely wear .............
I'm one of those OCD people. I don't like clutters, and that means with everything in it's place, less space is needed. I spent a lot of time on my uncles shrimp boat as a child, and the ingenious ways that the spaces were utilized always fascinated me. The tiny houses work because of incorporating these compartmentalized and double duty features. Such as a couch that converts to a bed for company. I doubt that I'll go in that dirrection, because there isn't enough space for a wheelchair to maneuver around. That isn't an issue yet, but eventually it would be. If I didn't have to consider that I think a tiny house would be perfect for a single person.
I found these tiny houses, and if you wanted to get away from it all, theses two places could be for you.
Well, I shouldn't rule it out...because some of them look very nice, because they are affordable but I guess I like a little more space around me. I especially like a large kitchen. However, i think I would fell cramped in anything under 900 square feet. My parents house is fairly small, I think it is about 1,000 square feet..plus patio and garage, however, whenever they have company people are always tripping over each other.
@Ina I. Wonder This is pretty much like the small cottage we live in which has around 600 square feet. There is also a 2 bedroom version that is about 800 square feet. It is a small home but has everything we need. (We don't have a fireplace but this plan comes with one. We also don't have the bonus room which can be added or subtracted from the plan.
Hi @Babs Hunt , yes that's a nice little house, especially for a single person or retired couple. I am living in over 2000', and when our family was growing up it felt way to small. Now it almost echoes. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to deal with it all, but I'll stay for a few more years. It's paid for so it's like a saving account right now. I've just been checking out my options, and there are many different kinds of homes available now days, plus it's fun to dream about.
Ina, have you ever thought about seeing if your floor plan could be made into two separate living places. If it could you could live in one part and rent out the other.
It is nice to find others that are considering tiny home living. I am single and currently own a home. I am unsure how much longer I want to mow a hard as I grow older. My concern about tiny home living is the loft as a bedroom. I would not be happy climbing up and down steps nor the feeling of claustrophobia it would give me. My cousin and her husband are in their late fifties and have been living the past year in a tiny home of 500 square feet. They like home and use the loft as storage and as a sleeping area for the grandkids. The kit came with a cathedral ceiling which causes the tiny home to feel much larger.