Could You See Yourself Living in a Tiny House?

[Oncefallen]

I think a big reason people want larger houses and more space is the fact that the human race is packed like sardines and it's getting worse all the time and harder to find that space.

Honestly I think it has more to do with the "keeping up with the Jones" mentality in America. There is the perpetual drive to have more stuff thus we need more space for our stuff. In about 60 years the average home size in America has gone from about 1,200 sq ft to 2,600 sq ft at the same time that the average family size has shrunk. One article I just read about housing size claimed that the US is surpassed in average housing size only by Australia and Canada follows in a close third.

The interesting thing about the minimalist lifestyle is that it goes completely against the American norm. Those persons who have turned to the minimalist lifestyle do so sometimes out of being eco-conscious but many of them are just tired of the rat race. One of the luxuries of the minimalist lifestyle is having more disposable income.

Personally I'd prefer a 500 sq ft home on land over a 2,500 sq ft home on a postage stamp.

 

[Sirk]

Most of the older ones and even some of the newer ones are terrible in colder weather but a lot of the newer ones are built with an "arctic package" that typically includes better insulation and double pane windows.

Ya....I had the cold weather package in mine. I'm sure there are better ones but mine wasn't a cheap one. Regardless it helps to skirt them.

 

[violakat]

For about 5 minutes I could. Ok, all joking aside. I could live in one if it were for camping purposes only. I need at least a minimum of 750 sq feet, which is a good size 2 bedroom apartment. (Coincidentally, the size of my last apartment.) And the largest size I've seen of these tiny homes I think is not even 500 sq feet. Most are like about 100 or less. So nope, it's not for me.

 

[seoulsearch]

Honestly I think it has more to do with the "keeping up with the Jones" mentality in America. There is the perpetual drive to have more stuff thus we need more space for our stuff. In about 60 years the average home size in America has gone from about 1,200 sq ft to 2,600 sq ft at the same time that the average family size has shrunk. One article I just read about housing size claimed that the US is surpassed in average housing size only by Australia and Canada follows in a close third.

The interesting thing about the minimalist lifestyle is that it goes completely against the American norm. Those persons who have turned to the minimalist lifestyle do so sometimes out of being eco-conscious but many of them are just tired of the rat race. One of the luxuries of the minimalist lifestyle is having more disposable income.

Personally I'd prefer a 500 sq ft home on land over a 2,500 sq ft home on a postage stamp.

I had a good friend who used to tell me that I needed to "grow up" and "buy a real (brick and mortar) house" and a "real" car, but I always stuck with smaller, simpler things I could afford and eventually pay off.

People think it's magic when someone doesn't have a particular debt that "everyone" else has (such as a car payment), but my only secret has been simplistic living below my means, and saving whatever I could. I've had some people roll their eyes at me and think I have some ever-blooming money tree in my back yard, but a lot of it is knowing where your money goes and how you can take control of that.

Several months ago I had to take my car in for some routine maintenance, and when I found out I needed a $300 repair, it wasn't a problem, and I had them take care of it right then.

The security of being prepared for emergencies and being able to pay my bills is a lot more important to me than having the latest or greatest (check out my Straight Talk phone I got from Walmart 6 years ago ), $5 Starbucks coffee everyday, or a fancy car/home if I can make do with something affordable and much more practical.

Can't say that I won't splurge someday, though.

I saw the PRETTIEST black Corvette the other day (they've always held a soft spot in my heart), but I wouldn't buy one unless 1. I could pay for it in full (it'll be a while!! No wonder fancy cars are usually being driven by older people... It takes a lifetime to save for one) and 2. I would really have to justify owning one.

I'd be wrestling with how many kids I could sponsor through my old adoption agency vs. what it would cost to buy, own, and maintain a car like that.

 

[coby]

Honestly I think it has more to do with the "keeping up with the Jones" mentality in America. There is the perpetual drive to have more stuff thus we need more space for our stuff. In about 60 years the average home size in America has gone from about 1,200 sq ft to 2,600 sq ft at the same time that the average family size has shrunk. One article I just read about housing size claimed that the US is surpassed in average housing size only by Australia and Canada follows in a close third.

The interesting thing about the minimalist lifestyle is that it goes completely against the American norm. Those persons who have turned to the minimalist lifestyle do so sometimes out of being eco-conscious but many of them are just tired of the rat race. One of the luxuries of the minimalist lifestyle is having more disposable income.

Personally I'd prefer a 500 sq ft home on land over a 2,500 sq ft home on a postage stamp.

I don't understand the mentality of working your socks off to be able to live the few free hours you have in a huge house and drive your huge car. I rather work 3 days, ride a bike and live in a 2 room apartment.

 

[wwjd_kilden]

As long as the price of a tiny house is more or less the same as for a large house: NO WAY
why pay the same price for a "dorm room" as for an actual house?

If they were cheap I would, as I cannot imagine ever affording a house , so small is better than nothing

 

[AsifinPassing]

Maybe if it was Hagrid's house...

 

[Hellooo]

I don't think I could live in a tiny house, but I love living in a tiny apartment.

 

[mailmandan]

I could not see myself living in a tiny house like this



Or a huge house like this

I'm happy with an average size house

 

[coby]

I could not see myself living in a tiny house like this

View attachment 146926

Or a huge house like this

I'm happy with an average size house

A huge house is nice if they pay it for me and give me a bunch of free cleaners.

 

[seoulsearch]

A huge house is nice if they pay it for me and give me a bunch of free cleaners.

The first thing I think about when I see big houses is all the cleaning time and maintenance costs. The lawn alone on some of those places would warrant employing an entire full-time staff.

No thanks!

 

[skylove7]

I'd be grateful to live in the Scooby Doo Van, at this point and time in my life lol
I'm serious...
I took alot of foolish chances before I got saved
God changed my life!

 

[violakat]

Wait, I thought my phone was old. It's just a teenager compared to yours. Lol. Or maybe it is old. (2012)

I had a good friend who used to tell me that I needed to "grow up" and "buy a real (brick and mortar) house" and a "real" car, but I always stuck with smaller, simpler things I could afford and eventually pay off.

People think it's magic when someone doesn't have a particular debt that "everyone" else has (such as a car payment), but my only secret has been simplistic living below my means, and saving whatever I could. I've had some people roll their eyes at me and think I have some ever-blooming money tree in my back yard, but a lot of it is knowing where your money goes and how you can take control of that.

Several months ago I had to take my car in for some routine maintenance, and when I found out I needed a $300 repair, it wasn't a problem, and I had them take care of it right then.

The security of being prepared for emergencies and being able to pay my bills is a lot more important to me than having the latest or greatest (check out my Straight Talk phone I got from Walmart 6 years ago ), $5 Starbucks coffee everyday, or a fancy car/home if I can make do with something affordable and much more practical.

Can't say that I won't splurge someday, though.

I saw the PRETTIEST black Corvette the other day (they've always held a soft spot in my heart), but I wouldn't buy one unless 1. I could pay for it in full (it'll be a while!! No wonder fancy cars are usually being driven by older people... It takes a lifetime to save for one) and 2. I would really have to justify owning one.

I'd be wrestling with how many kids I could sponsor through my old adoption agency vs. what it would cost to buy, own, and maintain a car like that.

 

[violakat]

I don't understand the mentality of working your socks off to be able to live the few free hours you have in a huge house and drive your huge car. I rather work 3 days, ride a bike and live in a 2 room apartment.

For me, the house is cheaper then the apartment.

 

[GrumpyCrumpet]

I catch grief from folks too who think I ought to be chasing the six-figure salary that they are or that I ought to saddle myself with a 30-year mortgage and "be successful". I try to be as polite as I can while saying nothing because I think they are foolish in their choices. To each their own though and if that's what they want, then bless their hearts.

Quite a few people I know drag down a healthy salary, but by the time they've paid the bank for the privilege of keeping their possessions in a house, plus the car payments, the CC bills, the satellite TV, the cell phones, the day care, and on and on and on, they're lucky if they have enough disposable money to go to a movie once a month.

If, and it's a big if but entirely possible, but if I can work things out right, I won't NEED to work like a mule to keep my lifestyle. I will OWN everything I have and anything I make, I can save for a rainy day. To me, that is more successful than the person working like a slave to give 90% of their money right back out to perpetuate the illusion of a lifestyle.

 

[mailmandan]

I'd be grateful to live in the Scooby Doo Van, at this point and time in my life lol
I'm serious...
I took alot of foolish chances before I got saved
God changed my life!

It's the mystery machine.



Some people live in a van.

 

[ntw1103]

Could you see yourself living in a tiny house? (What's YOUR idea of an ideal living space--traditional house? Apartment? Living in a tent but traveling all over the world?)

Yes, I've been trained to withstand most forms of torture...

More seriously. I think I could do it, but I wouldn't want to, and I would definitely not want it to be a permanent situation. I've learned to adjust to a lot of situations. Also, the location makes a difference.. are you pretty much trapped inside of the tiny house when you have nothing to do, or are there other places to go?

Spent a significant amount of time in apartments, they work, but not ideal.
Someday, I hope to buy some land and build a house. Or buy a house and repair it. preferably in/near woods. I don't really see myself buying a 'new' house, because the cost just isn't practical, especially considering I have the skills needed to repair older houses, or to build one.
Of course when I start describing the house that I'd like to build, it often starts sounding like a castle.. Large, many rooms, specific defensible designs, hidden compartments, tunnels and conveniently people-sized air ducts.
Part of the reason this might be appealing is the fact that my father built a 3 story house from scratch.. I helped out a bit as I got older.

 

[Oncefallen]

Someday, I hope to buy some land and build a house. Or buy a house and repair it. preferably in/near woods. I don't really see myself buying a 'new' house, because the cost just isn't practical, especially considering I have the skills needed to repair older houses, or to build one.
Of course when I start describing the house that I'd like to build, it often starts sounding like a castle.. Large, many rooms, specific defensible designs, hidden compartments, tunnels and conveniently people-sized air ducts.
Part of the reason this might be appealing is the fact that my father built a 3 story house from scratch.. I helped out a bit as I got older.

And all this time I thought you were just a computer geek (no insult intended).

My dream since my teen years had always been to build my own home on five acres up until I lived on five acres for a year then suddenly I realized that considerably more land was required. With only five acres you can still hear the next door neighbor if they're being idiots.

Albeit a lot of square footage never really played into the picture, defensibility and a "safe room" were always in my mental designs. I settled on subterranean design because with only one exposed wall it is highly defensible and it is easy to hide a room or two when there is no visible exterior reference that would give away hidden square footage. The drawback to subterranean construction is that is extremely expensive to build because of the excavating and steel reinforced concrete shell.

 

[AuntieAnt]

I always chuckle when people talk about needing so much space to live in. Back in 1900 the average home size was 700 sq ft, farther back they were even smaller.

Up in the mountains west of here are a couple of historic mining towns. When you look at the dilapidated remains of some of the old homes up there a lot of them are only 200 to 300 square feet. Back then home were built as small as possible for a multitude of reasons including cost of materials, cost of maintenance, and likewise when your only source of heat is a wood burning stove smaller = better. It was only post WWII that electricity became available to much of the country and home sizes began to swell.

A few years back my wife and I were seriously considering purchasing a larger 5th wheel trailer to live in partially for the monthly savings, and partially for versatility. In that scenario if you want to go on vacation, you just hook up the house and go. No need to pay for hotels or arrange for someone to take care of the critters.

Oncefallen, this would be my dream home! Add to that: a big housecat, an Australian cattle dog and fishing equipment and I'd be good to go.

 

[crosstweed]

And all this time I thought you were just a computer geek (no insult intended).

My dream since my teen years had always been to build my own home on five acres up until I lived on five acres for a year then suddenly I realized that considerably more land was required. With only five acres you can still hear the next door neighbor if they're being idiots.

Albeit a lot of square footage never really played into the picture, defensibility and a "safe room" were always in my mental designs. I settled on subterranean design because with only one exposed wall it is highly defensible and it is easy to hide a room or two when there is no visible exterior reference that would give away hidden square footage. The drawback to subterranean construction is that is extremely expensive to build because of the excavating and steel reinforced concrete shell.

I think subterranean is cool, but I would probably want partially subterranean for me, personally. Subterranean has a cozy feeling, but I like high lookout points. I like big windows.