Tiny homes - a lifestyle for older authors

[Leo]

 

If I ever have to downsize, this is what I want:




http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-23/tiny-homes-offer-an-alternative-to-retirement-homes/10264960?smid=Page:%20ABC%20News-Facebook_Organic&WT.tsrc=Facebook_Organic&sf198243293=1

[Edward M. Grant]

With so many things going digital and VR getting ever-better, we're soon not going to need much more space than that. Heck, it's probably bigger than the log cabin I used to rent when I lived in the UK (I forget the square footage, but it was roughly half the size of my kitchen here in Canada).

I was looking at land for sale the other day and thinking about how little space I could get away with to minimize the amount I'd have to spend to live there. The smaller and cheaper the house, the more I can spend on making it self-sufficient, and the less I'd have to earn to pay the bills.

[Anarchist]

With so many things going digital and VR getting ever-better, we're soon not going to need much more space than that. Heck, it's probably bigger than the log cabin I used to rent when I lived in the UK (I forget the square footage, but it was roughly half the size of my kitchen here in Canada).

I was looking at land for sale the other day and thinking about how little space I could get away with to minimize the amount I'd have to spend to live there. The smaller and cheaper the house, the more I can spend on making it self-sufficient.

I couldn't imagine living in a space that size.

I may not need more space, but I definitely want it.

[Edward M. Grant]

I couldn't imagine living in a space that size.

I may not need more space, but I definitely want it.

If I have a hundred acres of land, the size of the house doesn't matter as much, at least in the summer. It might be a bit too cooped-up in the winter, though it's probably larger than the historical Ukrainian immigrant house we were looking at in the museum a while back.

And with Google Earth VR, I can go pretty much anywhere in the world from my bedroom. Or I can walk on the spot from one end of Skyrim to the other.

Edit: I guess one issue is that with such a large wall to volume ratio for a tiny house, it may be worth building a bigger place because it won't cost much more to heat in the winter than a small one. It's the walls that lose heat, not the interior.

[Simon Haynes]

I'm looking to downsize at the moment, but my garage and tools wouldn't fit into those houses, let alone the rest of my stuff.

Although, to be honest, a small part of me is tempted to get rid of everything and live with my PC and laptop in a small apartment. Which is great until I decide I want to build a dining table and chairs.

[Leo]

I'm looking to downsize at the moment, but my garage and tools wouldn't fit into those houses, let alone the rest of my stuff.

Although, to be honest, a small part of me is tempted to get rid of everything and live with my PC and laptop in a small apartment. Which is great until I decide I want to build a dining table and chairs.

I was thinking that if it needed extra space then a shed or a covered verandah would do.

[Maggie Ann]

I've been researching tiny houses for a while. When I was first married, we lived in a trailer, about 320 SF. It was well laid out and comfortable for the two of us. The only thing I would add is a washer/dryer and not the combo. They tend to shake a tiny house to pieces.

The bedroom would have to be on the ground floor. No ladders or even stairs for me. And no composting toilets.

The other problem would be where to park it. This is FL and I'd be concerned about hurricanes or even tropical storms. I think I'd prefer a small RV or even a small Skoolie with a drop down deck in the back. Hurricane coming? Just hop in the driver's seat and head north.

[WasAnn]

While attractive, I'm thinking of what I'll need if I want to "age in place." A tiny home like the one above won't work for that. No room for a walker. How do you take a shower when you need a seat and leverage getting in an out? How do you get up to the sleeping loft?

While I have no need of it now, someday most of us will need accommodations as we age. That makes a tiny house impractical for a long term, last home.

Still, I have zero need of this home anymore. I've had to create a calendar JUST for keeping track of flushing unused toilets and running water in unused sinks and showers. Seriously. That's insane!

So, I'm also looking at downsizing at some point. I will miss looking out over my beloved bay and the ocean beyond, and definitely miss that salt tang in the air and chasing the crabs back to the safety of the marshes after a storm.

I actually saw a house just a few houses down from my parents' home. Mid-century modern. Perfect size and all that lovely, lovely glass. It's occupied with a rent-toward-ownership person now, but it needs a massive re-do, so I'm keeping my eyeballs peeled for the moment when they realize it's going to be too expensive for them to accomplish. I could turn it into a wonderland.

Also, I need a craft room. That tiny house isn't even big enough for my craft room. Where will I stick all my easels and paints and paintings and beads and solvents and glues and tools and....well...you get the idea.

[Maggie Ann]

Ann, you're absolutely right. I realized a short while ago that a tiny house was just a dream.

My other dream was to own a cottage in The Villages in central FL. That was twenty years ago when it was a contained community and everyone had golf carts to get around in. Now, it's forty square miles, about the size of NYC, and packed full of everything from mobile homes to huge houses. Another dream bites the dust.

My GS lives with me and the reality is that by the time he leaves, I'll be ready for assisted living or worse.

Oh, well. Authors are dreamers or we wouldn't have anything to write about. I'll just keep on looking at tiny houses and RVs and Skoolies and dreaming.

There's a business down the street holding a raffle for a tiny house. Dream, Dream, Dream.

[Simon Haynes]

Still, I have zero need of this home anymore. I've had to create a calendar JUST for keeping track of flushing unused toilets and running water in unused sinks and showers. Seriously. That's insane!

Same! Three toilets here, plus two bathrooms and a laundry. There are also two bedrooms which are empty and closed up.

I live with my eldest daughter, and the house is currently on the market so there's endless cleaning and making sure everything is tidy. I'm really looking forward to buying a smaller place.

[Lex]

I like the idea of a tiny house -- both the functionality and the minimalism. But I'm also a packrat. And I have a lot of hobbies that take up a lot of space. And no matter how hard I try to be orderly and organized, my natural state seems to be clutter, clutter everywhere.

[HSh]

Tiny homes are so interesting and often creative!  I like learning about them.  But I've reached the conclusion they're not practical because of zoning and building issues most of the time.  It's unfortunate because they would be a much better solution to housing issues than just ignoring them.

I hope that in time local governments will making it easier for people to choose small homes, whether on wheels or made of cob or whatever, and make zoning and building regulations less onerous.  There are a lot of places where it's simply not going to be legal to build what you want, or do a lot of DIY, or nonstandard building.  As it is now, it seems you have to hit the sweet spot, know somebody, and / or hope the authorities turn a blind eye.  This is obviously how things start to change, but at the same time it seems risky, especially if you're not a twenty-something who can just pick up and move with the tiny house when The Man starts to hassle you.

In practical terms, I think for most people finding a small rancher or other outdated pre- or post-war home that needs a little work is probably a better solution.  Less work, more space--possibly cheaper. (Tiny homes can be expensive!) 

Obviously neighborhoods and access to things matters, but that's the whole thing about being a writer, or a retiree.  You don't have to drive to work every day; you just need somewhere decent to live, and that opens up the possibilities a lot.   

There's a lot of real estate, even in these times, that's priced for living rather than investing.  A lot of people can't work from home so their options are a lot more limited.  Since the popularity of larger homes took over the world, a lot of older but perfectly practical homes got let in the dust.  As people want smaller places to live, or fewer stairs, lower bills, or whatever, these places become more appealing.

I think there's a lot of future in tiny homes, and I like learning about them.  But I don't think they've reached the tipping point of practicality, while forgotten little homes scattered around, often under 1000 foot and in need of some work, are a practical small home with some advantages.  Of course they can't be moved here and there...but many tiny home dwellers don't actually want a home to move, just somewhere small and affordable.

[RCoots]

Also, I need a craft room. That tiny house isn't even big enough for my craft room. Where will I stick all my easels and paints and paintings and beads and solvents and glues and tools and....well...you get the idea.

This. So much this. My work office/craft room has more floorspace than some tiny homes I've seen. And I'm in danger of spilling out of it. Maybe I could live in a tiny home. If I were single. And if I had a couple of conex trailers in the backyard to house my hobbies.

[Lex]

Also, I need a craft room. That tiny house isn't even big enough for my craft room. Where will I stick all my easels and paints and paintings and beads and solvents and glues and tools and....well...you get the idea.

This. So much this. My work office/craft room has more floorspace than some tiny homes I've seen. And I'm in danger of spilling out of it. Maybe I could live in a tiny home. If I were single. And if I had a couple of conex trailers in the backyard to house my hobbies.

I have five sewing machines that I use... we won't talk about the others I have just to look at. And then between the two of us, my boyfriend and I have at least ten guitars, plus half a dozen other random instruments. So we'd need a tiny house for my machines and a tiny house for the instruments.

[Post-Doctorate D]

I've looked at tiny houses for quite some time.  Several years ago, a couple of us even started a website focused on tiny homes.  We didn't keep it going for whatever reasons.

There are tiny homes with bedrooms on the first floor so you don't have to climb up to a sleeping loft.

I still follow some of the tiny house websites, but I was largely turned off when some tiny house people decided to make it a "movement" and it went from being a lifestyle option to something like "this is how everybody should live; nobody needs a bunch of stuff!"  I agree with the idea of changing local regulations and laws to allow tiny homes, but I don't like the idea of trying to force them on anyone.  Don't tell me how to live.  I can make my own decisions.  Usually.

I remember one part of the argument for tiny homes was that they were so much more affordable than a regular house.  But, that's not always the case.  I've compared prices of a decent tiny house and for what you'd pay for a tiny house, you could get a normal sized house for not too much more.  At least in my area.  And that's a house with a yard, not just a house on wheels you need to find a place to park.

Also, it seems to me that websites focusing on tiny houses used to focus on the house.  A tour of the house would be an actual tour of the house and so on whereas now they seem to focus more on the people and why they picked a tiny house and all that.  For me, I want to see the tiny house.  I like to see how they did certain things.  I like to see how they maximize their storage space.  There is a lot of useful information in seeing such things that are applicable even if you live in a larger house.  We all want to maximize storage, right?

I think that was the downfall for some of the home makeover shows that used to be on.  When they started out, they showed all the neat things about the renovated house.  You'd see the process and then the big reveal would take you on a virtual tour of the house.  And then they switched the focus from that to showing how happy the family was to see their new house.  I'm happy the family was happy.  Really, I am.  I like that they were happy.  I liked that the community pulled together and helped the family out.  That's all good stuff.  I'm happy everyone's happy.  But, that said, I just spent 50 minutes watching them work on the house, so I'd like to see more than 10 seconds of the finished project.  Show the dang house!!!

But, I digress.  Anyway, even if you can't imagine yourself living in a tiny house, there's still a lot of stuff that can be learned from people that do.

[Edward M. Grant]

I just started watching an interesting show on Netflix; I forget what ti's called, but they've got eight or nine teams in the UK competing against each other building small houses for 11,000 pounds (plus their own labour), and while there are some I wouldn't want to live in, there are others that, while they're still a bit too small for me, look like they could still be pretty good places to live if they were enlarged a bit and adapted for Canadian living (e.g. not freezing to death in the winter).

One of the big issues, of course, is housing codes, which require you to build houses in a certain way. I doubt any of them would be remotely legal here.

Heck, I very much doubt the log cabin I lived in was legal in the UK.

[Edward M. Grant]

My GS lives with me and the reality is that by the time he leaves, I'll be ready for assisted living or worse.

Don't bet on it. Rejuvenation research has been progressing rapidly over the last few years, and Big Money has just noticed the field and started looking at profitable things to invest in. 90 may soon be the new 50.

[Maggie Ann]

My GS lives with me and the reality is that by the time he leaves, I'll be ready for assisted living or worse.

Don't bet on it. Rejuvenation research has been progressing rapidly over the last few years, and Big Money has just noticed the field and started looking at profitable things to invest in. 90 may soon be the new 50.

Oh, no! I was looking forward to the rest. 

[Post-Doctorate D]

Rejuvenation research has been progressing rapidly over the last few years, and Big Money has just noticed the field and started looking at profitable things to invest in. 90 may soon be the new 50.

I'm waiting on 200 being the new 20.  I want to live forever.  At my writing pace, I kind of have to.

[Edward M. Grant]

I'm waiting on 200 being the new 20.  I want to live forever.  At my writing pace, I kind of have to.

That's probably another 20 years away .

[Ghost5]

I am all for living smaller and not taking up too much room on this planet. Although I'm fascinated with looking at them, I have to go with Chuck Wendig on this one:

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/04/05/an-open-letter-to-tiny-house-hunters/

Just leaving that here for a laugh. 

[elleoco]

While attractive, I'm thinking of what I'll need if I want to "age in place." A tiny home like the one above won't work for that. No room for a walker. How do you take a shower when you need a seat and leverage getting in an out? How do you get up to the sleeping loft?

I agree with WasAnn that tiny houses wouldn't be a good idea for most older people. I've seen some older folks living in pretty small condos, but then they also had assigned storage space and garages. I know I had far less stuff and could have been happy in a tiny space much more easily 30-40 years ago.


Not that my house is huge - the tax assessor claims 1,500 square feet, even though I know it's 1,250, but I also have a two-car garage under the house and a six-stall barn with only one horse and wouldn't want to give up either because of the storage space.

[Maggie Ann]

I don't remember the name of the company, but they build cottages for older folks with health problems. They are designed to be put up in the back yards of family caregivers and, when the cottage is no longer needed, it can be taken down and sold.

The floor is like rubber to cushion falls and, if someone does fall, an alarm goes off in the main house. Everything is reachable by wheel chair. Lots of other features that I can't remember now, but it sounded like a good alternative to stashing a parent in assisted living or a nursing home.

[Max]

I am all for living smaller and not taking up too much room on this planet. Although I'm fascinated with looking at them, I have to go with Chuck Wendig on this one:

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/04/05/an-open-letter-to-tiny-house-hunters/

Just leaving that here for a laugh. 

That's a funny read.

[Kate Elizabeth]

If I were young and single, a tiny home would work.  I live in a one-level ranch with my husband and son, that was supposed to be our starter home.  We've now been here almost 20 years.  Whenever my husband gets tired of gardening and messing with the yard (which will be never), and hopefully both children are living on their own, we'll move to a one-level condo.

[HSh]

I don't remember the name of the company, but they build cottages for older folks with health problems. They are designed to be put up in the back yards of family caregivers and, when the cottage is no longer needed, it can be taken down and sold.

The floor is like rubber to cushion falls and, if someone does fall, an alarm goes off in the main house. Everything is reachable by wheel chair. Lots of other features that I can't remember now, but it sounded like a good alternative to stashing a parent in assisted living or a nursing home.

Please share the name of this company if you find it again.  Thank you...    My parents are still in good health and I hope they stay that way for a long time, but it seems like it would be good to know about options like this before they became necessary if, God forbid, they ever did. 
 

[Maggie Ann]

I don't remember the name of the company, but they build cottages for older folks with health problems. They are designed to be put up in the back yards of family caregivers and, when the cottage is no longer needed, it can be taken down and sold.

The floor is like rubber to cushion falls and, if someone does fall, an alarm goes off in the main house. Everything is reachable by wheel chair. Lots of other features that I can't remember now, but it sounded like a good alternative to stashing a parent in assisted living or a nursing home.

Please share the name of this company if you find it again.  Thank you...    My parents are still in good health and I hope they stay that way for a long time, but it seems like it would be good to know about options like this before they became necessary if, God forbid, they ever did. 
 

It didn't take me long to find it. Looks like they've expanded their designs. They have one you can put up yourself inside a two car garage.

http://www.medcottage.com/home.html

Otherwise known as The Granny Pod.

[Maggie Ann]

Looking through the Granny Pod website, I came across these tiny homes that can be bought on Amazon. They really do sell everything.

https://www.countryliving.com/remodeling-renovation/g5108/tiny-houses-amazon/

They're kits, of course, but there seems to be something for everyone.

 :Tup3a:

[guest153]

I live in a small apartment (at least by American standards, by Japanese standards it might be considered mid-size). My bedroom doubles as my office, I've got a living room with my entertainment center, but one thing I realized after the last place I lived is that I need a decent-sized kitchen. My last apartment had a crazy small kitchen. it was basically just a walk-in closet, and it was impossible to have enough room to prepare anything. Certainly no room for appliances.


Everything else I've downsized. The only physical books I own anymore are textbooks for classes I teach and a few reference books. All my clothes fit into one small closet. But I need an office that's separated from the entertainment center and because I'm a movie buff, a room with a big TV is a must for me.

[guest278]

http://www.medcottage.com/home.html

Thank you for this. Like the concept.
The URL to their products page - http://www.medcottage.com/attorneys-1.html    (someone forgot to rename it)

[Cathleen]

I don't live in an official tiny house, but I do live large chunks of time in our RV, since we have a construction company and work out of town. If you decide to go this route, OP, here are some lessons I've learned.

Climbing up to the loft bed on a ladder is a pain. I get sooo tired of it. At the bare minimum, I'd recommend stairs. Legal ones with a rail. If you can at all afford it (I couldn't), I'd get a ground floor bedroom.

I second the thing about the washer/dryer combo. You need at least an apartment stack unit, or I'd go to the laundromat every week.

I do this with two German Shepherds, but I also have a "normal" house that I get to live in, too. If you love big dogs, it truly sucks when it's raining. Especially if one of them is a puppy. Ugh. Invest in good rain gear, which is something I'd do anyway.

Living as we do, we see another side of life in America. Way more people live in campgrounds and trailer parks in their RVs than most people think--we've watched it happen over the last ten years. Many parks no longer even take short-term campers due to the long-term demand. One interesting side benefit is that the kids actually play outside like we used to when we were young. There just isn't enough room to stay inside all the time. So, you need whatever gear necessary to spend time outside all year. Fortunately, I live in northern California, which is a mild climate. I've been snowed in exactly once, and it only lasted for a couple of hours. So a climate where you can get outside and do stuff all year is important.

Not all those fixer small houses are good deals, again depending on climate. We looked at a lot of fixers in Oregon and decided that it would be better to build our own. I've never seen so many rotted foundations in my life. But the house we're looking at building is 750 square feet, two beds and one bath. Stack washer. Slab foundation--it will never rot away. I think of it as a tiny house done sensibly.

I tend to want to stay away from mobile homes, especially in moist climates, since they're built as cheaply as possible. But if it's a retirement thing, they'll probably last for your lifetime, even with all the OSB they use. I'd waterproof the underneath, though, even in California. Anyway, mobile homes offer a lot of small two-bedroom options, and again, I think of it as a tiny house done sensibly. And they're cheap. Sometimes, that consideration trumps all.

[She-la-te-da]

I get the idea of downsizing and making things easier to take care of. Home ownership can be a pain, with all the maintenance. But there are condos and townhouses meant for older people, where you don't have to do any of the work.

Living smaller would be better for the environment, too. Carbon footprint, and all that. But it can be done without spending $50K or more on a house you still have to maintain, find land to live on, and deal with the issues of being cramped up in a truly minuscule space. Most areas won't even allow you to build something like this, so there's that headache to deal with.

I have an 1100 sq ft single wide that once housed four of us (my youngest son grew up here from birth), on my own land. Yes, trailers need maintenance. Every house does (been there, done that). They aren't built all that well, though you can find brands that are really nice, and more expensive. If you're willing to put the time and money into it, you can remodel into a good home.

I was just talking to my brother and the son still living here that I want to basically strip the inside and rebuild. I want to take over the one end that has two bedrooms and a bath (and a hall) and remake it into a large suite that can accommodate me in my even more golden years. Handicap access in the bathroom, larger doorways and an outside entrance that could be wheelchair accessible. That end of the house is only about two to three feet off the ground, which would make building and using a ramp much easier.

My son would move into my current bedroom, the master suite, giving him more privacy and room. The remaining bedroom would be storage, allowing me to get rid of a couple of storage buildings. Believe me, unless you build sheds that are basically livable space, your stuff won't fare well. So, more money and more maintenance.

I've got some planning to do and a lot of work going through and minimizing stuff in storage so we can live better. Next year is going to be busy! On the bright side, my brother said the metal sheds can be reused as skirting for the trailer, and have insulation behind them. That will help with heating and cooling costs. And once I've gotten organized and downsized, I can have my nice craft building back. The fun part about that is I want to move it closer to the trailer. I can hear my brother crying already.

[Maggie Ann]

Trailers were the original tiny houses. We liked living in ours but we were in a crowded park with no place for the kids to play. That's when we moved to our first house.

Depending on my health, when GS moves out, my next stop will be a villa.

[dgcasey]

I think I could live the tiny house lifestyle IF I had some land, 2-5 acres, and could take maybe three tiny houses and place them in a group around a courtyard garden. Each building would be for a specific purpose, such as one for actually living in, one would be my writing cave and library and the third one would be my artist studio.

As it is, I'm looking for a small home, 1200-1500 sq ft, on a small bit of acreage, with a barn that could be converted to my writing cave and studio.

[cecilia_writer]

One of my sisters-in-law almost convinced herself she could live on a narrow-boat a few years ago, but I think the logistics of everyday tasks put her off in the end - that and the fact that she has a house full of stuff, a dog and a really nice garden where she is. I think a narrow-boat - or a caravan would be ok for the summer months if you had somewhere warmer and more secure to go for the winter.

[Edward M. Grant]

One of my sisters-in-law almost convinced herself she could live on a narrow-boat a few years ago, but I think the logistics of everyday tasks put her off in the end

A friend did that for a year in London. From what he said, it was fine aside from the bugs in the summer and the freezing cold in the winter.

[Simon Haynes]

I've been thinking about these tiny homes, and I reckon if I could get hold of six or eight of them, arrange them in a rectangular fashion and make holes through the connecting walls, they might actually work out for me.

[Oscar Luster]

We took the plunge and $7,200 of our fun money and ordered a small cabin-style shed a few weeks ago - its a 14' x 32 with a porch and loft storage. When finished, It will have a comfortable bath with a 5" shower with bench, small but adequate separate main level bedroom. The remainder will be a large open, lofted living area with a small but functional galley style kitchen w/laundry appliances, along part of one side. The shell is due for delivery in mid-Nov and we will take our time finishing the interior over the winter. It's become something of a family project that we always wanted to accomplish together and recent events have shown us that it is important to take opportunities when you can instead of putting them off for a later that might never come. Maybe its a combo Christmas present / hobby project, I guess.

Ten years ago, I believed I had to have a huge kitchen, both a family room and a living room, a dedicated office with massive printer (anyone need a gargantuan Xerox Phaser, lol?) , file cabinets, etc. Now, I realize that I never use most of that space or the stuff in it.  I write very happily on the porch, at the kitchen table, or on the couch, use cloud storage and thumb drives and only go into the office to dust it or to look for a frightened dog when it storms.

We already live very simply, having already given most of the family heirlooms and big items to the kids years ago. Our current house  is way, way too big, so looking forward to  experimenting with a very private, very small home overlooking woods, green pastures and a large pond.

[Maggie Ann]

We took the plunge and $7,200 of our fun money and ordered a small cabin-style shed a few weeks ago - its a 14' x 32 with a porch and loft storage. When finished, It will have a comfortable bath with a 5" shower with bench, small but adequate separate main level bedroom. The remainder will be a large open, lofted living area with a small but functional galley style kitchen w/laundry appliances, along part of one side. The shell is due for delivery in mid-Nov and we will take our time finishing the interior over the winter. It's become something of a family project that we always wanted to accomplish together and recent events have shown us that it is important to take opportunities when you can instead of putting them off for a later that might never come. Maybe its a combo Christmas present / hobby project, I guess.

Ten years ago, I believed I had to have a huge kitchen, both a family room and a living room, a dedicated office with massive printer (anyone need a gargantuan Xerox Phaser, lol?) , file cabinets, etc. Now, I realize that I never use most of that space or the stuff in it.  I write very happily on the porch, at the kitchen table, or on the couch, use cloud storage and thumb drives and only go into the office to dust it or to look for a frightened dog when it storms.

We already live very simply, having already given most of the family heirlooms and big items to the kids years ago. Our current house  is way, way too big, so looking forward to  experimenting with a very private, very small home overlooking woods, green pastures and a large pond.

 

[Cathleen]

Best of luck on your new house, Oscar. Be sure to post photos when it's done--I'd love to see it.

ETA: I totally get you on not needing both a family room and a living room. Who came up with that? We rented a house with both once, and it turned out the living room never got used, except for parties.

[Tom Wood]

Architect here. The thing that a lot of the tiny house articles don't mention is the cost of bringing in access and utilities. Yes, you can put a tiny house on 5 acres, but then you need a stabilized (preferably paved) drive to a public right of way, electricity, water and septic. You have to pay for all those yourself, one way or another. The pictures of the houses that are at ground level are not realistic either - rain happens. So some sort of foundation will be required. I think high-density city centers are a better alternative.

[EB]

I'm counting down the days until we retirement (2 more years!!) and we start living in the toy hauler & roam the country. We've already downsized to a small house, so the trailer isn't much of a stretch. I think I'll be fine with the small space, especially since we'll have the Harley to jet around it when we're parked.

[Vijaya]

We took the plunge and $7,200 of our fun money and ordered a small cabin-style shed a few weeks ago - its a 14' x 32 with a porch and loft storage. When finished, It will have a comfortable bath with a 5" shower with bench, small but adequate separate main level bedroom. The remainder will be a large open, lofted living area with a small but functional galley style kitchen w/laundry appliances, along part of one side. The shell is due for delivery in mid-Nov and we will take our time finishing the interior over the winter. It's become something of a family project that we always wanted to accomplish together and recent events have shown us that it is important to take opportunities when you can instead of putting them off for a later that might never come. Maybe its a combo Christmas present / hobby project, I guess.

Ten years ago, I believed I had to have a huge kitchen, both a family room and a living room, a dedicated office with massive printer (anyone need a gargantuan Xerox Phaser, lol?) , file cabinets, etc. Now, I realize that I never use most of that space or the stuff in it.  I write very happily on the porch, at the kitchen table, or on the couch, use cloud storage and thumb drives and only go into the office to dust it or to look for a frightened dog when it storms.

We already live very simply, having already given most of the family heirlooms and big items to the kids years ago. Our current house  is way, way too big, so looking forward to  experimenting with a very private, very small home overlooking woods, green pastures and a large pond.

That's so wonderful!!! Please share pictures when you are finished.

I like the idea of the tiny house and my preference would be for a camper...but right now our 3-bedroom home is just perfect and when our kids have families of their own, they'll have a space to stay too. I've already converted half of my son's room into an adult nonfiction library.

[dgcasey]

I'm counting down the days until we retirement (2 more years!!) and we start living in the toy hauler & roam the country. We've already downsized to a small house, so the trailer isn't much of a stretch. I think I'll be fine with the small space, especially since we'll have the Harley to jet around it when we're parked.

I have thought seriously of a toy hauler for a couple of years. I'd remove the bunks at the back and turn that into the office where I would do my writing and I'd modify the ramp so I could stop it at level and have an awning over it so I could work outside on a folding table, on a porch. I would just need enough room to also have my artist's easel and some art supplies. What I also like about it is being able to set up and unhook the truck and have a vehicle for driving around the area.

[Maggie Ann]

I'm counting down the days until we retirement (2 more years!!) and we start living in the toy hauler & roam the country. We've already downsized to a small house, so the trailer isn't much of a stretch. I think I'll be fine with the small space, especially since we'll have the Harley to jet around it when we're parked.

I have thought seriously of a toy hauler for a couple of years. I'd remove the bunks at the back and turn that into the office where I would do my writing and I'd modify the ramp so I could stop it at level and have an awning over it so I could work outside on a folding table, on a porch. I would just need enough room to also have my artist's easel and some art supplies. What I also like about it is being able to set up and unhook the truck and have a vehicle for driving around the area.

Just recently found out what a fifth wheeler was and now I had to look up toy hauler. Interesting concept.

[guest278]

Architect here. ,,,, I think high-density city centers are a better alternative.

This would be great especially if most things were within walking distance and/or the city had reliable public transportation. Wish they made the inner walls a little more sound proof. I'd be willing to pay more to not hear every sound my neighbors make!  Other than cost is there a reason to not make the inner walls as sound proof as the outer ones?

[Tom Wood]

Architect here. ,,,, I think high-density city centers are a better alternative.

This would be great especially if most things were within walking distance and/or the city had reliable public transportation. Wish they made the inner walls a little more sound proof. I'd be willing to pay more to not hear every sound my neighbors make!  Other than cost is there a reason to not make the inner walls as sound proof as the outer ones?

After living in Texas for nearly 40 years, where the car is king, I moved to central DC. I'm three blocks from a Metro station that can get me close to anywhere I want to go. The grocery store is right next to the Metro station, and there's an entertainment district within easy walking distance. I'm eight blocks from the National Mall and all those museums. Should have moved a long time ago! I can ride to Union Station and for $7 ride a train to Baltimore, get off there and catch a free bus to that downtown. They know how to do mass transit right here!

It's all about cost of construction when it comes to soundproofing. It's hard to tell sometimes when choosing an apartment, but look for buildings that have a concrete structure for the floorplates. That will cut down the floor to floor noise. My building has concrete block walls between the units, so they are closer to soundproof.  In general, you might want to look for a condominium building that was converted to apartments. They will (usually) have been built with the sound issue more in mind. Or, rent a condo if the building allows it.

As a last resort, I have a rain bucket that I can plug in to create white noise. There are electronic versions, but I like the sound of real water.

[Lysmata Debelius]

A rain bucket! That sounds great. :: runs to Google ::

[guest278]

DC is awesome. 

but look for buildings that have a concrete structure for the floorplates.

Any other way to figure this out other than by asking the rental office?

As a last resort, I have a rain bucket that I can plug in to create white noise. There are electronic versions, but I like the sound of real water.

I have an electronic white noise machine. Have it on a reasonable volume every night because I am not sure what the long term effects are if it's on really loud. There are still times I can hear neighbors banging doors  

So, the only thing google brings up for rain buckets are buckets to collect rain! Would you have a link to the product you use?

[Cathleen]

I think tiny houses are mostly speaking to a different demographic than those who rent apartments in large cities. A lot of the people want to be mobile, and many of them want to live on acreage.

It's great that some people like the city, but even living in the suburbs left me profoundly unhappy. I'd rather live in my RV full-time than live cheek-by-jowl in an apartment again. Ironically, living in a large city made me feel profoundly isolated. I couldn't have my large dogs. I never felt safe. I wanted OUT.

So, even though a tiny house isn't something I'd personally be interested in long-term, it's nice that there are options. One person's slice of heaven is another's idea of misery.