Tiny houses

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76
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8
Location
SC
Has anyone else seen these? I think these are very similar to campers--it's very close to the same idea. There is a certain appeal. I don't think I could live in one all the time, but it is a nice idea.
 

Simplify

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Arizona
I watched a few documentaries on them and they are a real neat idea.

Most localities have codes for the minimum square footage of a house. People who want to live simply and debt free are forced into the mortgage/debt slavery system because the house has to be so large.

Tiny houses bypass these requirements and codes because they are built on top of a trailer, which makes them subject to DOT regulations and not local building codes.

Many of them are 150-200 square feet and the people that live in them seem to be very happy because they don't have to work their lives away to pay for them. It is sort of like being a modern day Thoreau.

One quote from the Tiny house documentaries really stood out to me: 'Large homes are simply debtors prisons for the people who live in them'. That rings very true.
 
Messages
76
Points
8
Location
SC
Now that's neat! I didn't realize there were specific codes involved. I'll have to look up this documentary, it certainly seems worth the time. My mother in law has voiced interest in looking into this and possibly purchasing one. It does seem like a very attractive option, especially in this day and age.
 

carmen

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In a house with a tin roof
There is a show we watched a few weeks ago about how the design of these started out and we saw a few. They are cute but I am not sure if I could live in one either. I like the idea of being minimal but I think at some point we might go stir crazy from being so confined.
 

southerngal

Member
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We have watched the tiny house documentary several times now and owning one is now our goal. There is a channel on YouTube by Kirsten Dirksen with a lot of other documentaries about the tiny house movement and they are all excellent.
 

Simplify

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Arizona
The people who own them seem to be so free. They are not caught in 'The Cat's in the Cradle and the Silver Spoon' thing working constantly and having no real time to enjoy life.

I went through a similar reducing your lifestyle experience when my old pickup truck was getting ready to die and I sent it off to the junkyard. I decided not to get another vehicle. For transportation around town I bicycle or take public transport. If I want to go out to the boonies or go sightseeing in other areas I can rent a car or put my bike into my bike bag, take a shuttle van, and ride my bike from the drop off point.

The financial savings from simplifying have been great.
 

dinosaur

troublemaker
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Remember there is good and bad to everything. Unless you live on Walden Pond or you're a hobbit, you may want to rethink it. Simplify has the right idea, at least in my opinion. The more complicated things get, the more of your time is consumed, hence expense. Since money is only a conversion of work effort into buying power, the question is: How much? If the answer has become all, you need to simplify.
 

Pathfinder1

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3,716
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Liberty, N.Y. Lower Catskill Mountains.
Hi...
For more than two-and-a-half years I lived in a 'tiny house', such as it was. Actually it was my camp, somewhat North of Fairbanks...and WAY off the grid...!! It was 8' X 8', and averaged 7-1/2 feet tall.

It was comfortable and warm...sometimes too warm. The temp had to be at least 20-below zero before I could keep the heater on. My Coleman lantern supplied all the heat I needed in the meantime...!! The heater was also what I did my cooking on.

Fresh food needing refrigeration or freezing was simply kept on the floor.

That was a fun time...and I kinda miss it...!!
 

Simplify

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Arizona
Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have. As if one were to wear any sort of coat which the tailor might cut out for him, or gradually leaving off palm-leaf hat or cap of woodchuck skin, complain of hard times because he could not afford to buy him a crown! It is possible to invent a house still more convenient and luxurious than we have, which yet all would admit that man could not afford to pay for. Shall we always study to obtain more of these things, and not sometimes be content with less?

Henry David Thoreau
 

Simplify

Active Member
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301
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Arizona
“Needs? I guess that is what bothers so many folks. They keep expanding their needs until they are dependent on too many things and too many other people... I wonder how many things in the average American home could be eliminated if the question were asked, "Must I really have this?" I guess most of the extras are chalked up to comfort or saving time.

Funny thing about comfort - one man's comfort is another man's misery. Most people don't work hard enough physically anymore, and comfort is not easy to find. It is surprising how comfortable a hard bunk can be after you come down off a mountain.”

Dick Proennecke
 
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Grandpa

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SE Idaho
If I built a 50' x 150' machine shed, grandma would have it stuffed in two years. A friend of mine used to believe everyone should move every two years, just so they could shed themselves of unnecessary attachments. However, he eventually changed his mind when he almost shed his most valuable attachment, his wife. She finally said enough so they have stayed put since.

Wants and needs are two different things. I really don't need a backpack but I sure want the several I do have. I may never use a lot of the stuff I have but I don't want to let it go until one of the grandkids is ready to put it to good use.
 
Messages
76
Points
8
Location
SC
To me, tiny houses have great appeal for two reasons--they're relatively easy to move, and they don't carry the same financial risks as buying a house.

I think they're also a great idea if you have agoraphobia and you're trapped in your house. If the house is portable, and you can move that safe place whenever you need to, I think it might be a good thing.
 

southerngal

Member
Messages
514
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18
I dream of the day where we can finally move in to our own tiny house. In the meantime we are making a concentrated effort to shed the things we don't need. Even if we can't live in the tiny house just yet, it is very freeing to have more space and less junk!
 

Simplify

Active Member
Messages
301
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Location
Arizona
I went through that when I moved from Massachusetts to Arizona. I gave most of my possessions away to friends. I put my remaining possessions in boxes and mailed them to my new address and flew down.

Getting rid of all those possessions was like having a ball and chain removed from your ankle.
 

ArkansasMom

New Member
Messages
25
Points
1
I've discussed this with my husband. I don't think it would be a bad idea after the kids moved out. I think downsizing would make life a lot easier too. Don't see the point of having a big house if it just the two of us.
 

carmen

Active Member
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In a house with a tin roof
It was not a documentary that we watched, it was a guy and his team that built these by request for people who wanted them. The last one we watched was a lady who wanted a place to write her novels. I thought it was a great idea but I don't think we could ever downsize that much. What documentary are you talking about?
 

Simplify

Active Member
Messages
301
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43
Location
Arizona
One thing I am wondering about with the whole issue of tiny houses is if you want to reduce your lifestyle by buying a tiny house one could do that much cheaper by simply living in an RV. I had some friends who lived in an RV and they loved it. They just had their small monthly lot fee and that was it.
 

Blazer

Member
Messages
76
Points
8
I still have my kids with me and that necessitates having a fixed home with address, etc. I've downsized to a 2 bedroom apartment, which I loved. When I was married we rented a house for years. I never wanted to own a house, to have to worry about debt or fixing something when it breaks. All my friends seemed to be slaves to their homes. While I was out in the woods hiking and enjoying myself they'd be stuck doing home chores, like mowing the lawn, fixing something, raking leaves, etc. Plus, my ex was terrible at doing anything chore related so I wasn't inclined to do it or nag about it so we rented. If something breaks, you call the landlord and wash your hands of it.

In 2 years my kids are graduating from their schools and I've told them that I'm done living here. I've hated being in NJ for years and have been sticking it out for my kids, especially since now I'm their sole source of support. But they know that I'm planning to sell everything, pack up what I absolutely need and head out west.

I'd LOVE to live in a tiny house, RV, trailer someplace but I'm not even sure I could afford to buy anything. Raising my kids takes up all my reserve cash. I've even thought about selling my beloved Jeep (cars cost money to own and maintain) and just hiking, wandering, working when I have to or getting a job as a caretaker someplace, where I wouldn't have to worry about room or board.

I really just want to be FREE. Right now I don't have a mortgage or any debts. Not having property or debt allowed me to get a quick, cheap and easy divorce. Now I want to take the next step and simplify things further.

I've always told my kids "It's not what you make, it's what you spend." Yes, I make pretty good money here but between the expenses of living in a costly place and raising my kids I don't see much of it and I hate what I do and where I live. To me, I'd be much "richer" to finally be free and basically just have with me what I can carry and live very simply.

The idea of getting a tiny house and putting it on a plot of land someplace is very appealing and one that I will undoubtedly look into. I could live in a room. As long as there is a place for my gear and to sleep I'd be good.

If I could live my life over I'd never have gotten stuck in a job that only worked in one area and tied me down. That and getting married are my 2 greatest regrets in my life. I try and learn from my mistakes and move on and living simply, in a tiny house or RV would serve that purpose very well indeed.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
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63
I still have my kids with me and that necessitates having a fixed home with address, etc. I've downsized to a 2 bedroom apartment, which I loved. When I was married we rented a house for years. I never wanted to own a house, to have to worry about debt or fixing something when it breaks. All my friends seemed to be slaves to their homes. While I was out in the woods hiking and enjoying myself they'd be stuck doing home chores, like mowing the lawn, fixing something, raking leaves, etc. Plus, my ex was terrible at doing anything chore related so I wasn't inclined to do it or nag about it so we rented. If something breaks, you call the landlord and wash your hands of it.

In 2 years my kids are graduating from their schools and I've told them that I'm done living here. I've hated being in NJ for years and have been sticking it out for my kids, especially since now I'm their sole source of support. But they know that I'm planning to sell everything, pack up what I absolutely need and head out west.

I'd LOVE to live in a tiny house, RV, trailer someplace but I'm not even sure I could afford to buy anything. Raising my kids takes up all my reserve cash. I've even thought about selling my beloved Jeep (cars cost money to own and maintain) and just hiking, wandering, working when I have to or getting a job as a caretaker someplace, where I wouldn't have to worry about room or board.

I really just want to be FREE. Right now I don't have a mortgage or any debts. Not having property or debt allowed me to get a quick, cheap and easy divorce. Now I want to take the next step and simplify things further.

I've always told my kids "It's not what you make, it's what you spend." Yes, I make pretty good money here but between the expenses of living in a costly place and raising my kids I don't see much of it and I hate what I do and where I live. To me, I'd be much "richer" to finally be free and basically just have with me what I can carry and live very simply.

The idea of getting a tiny house and putting it on a plot of land someplace is very appealing and one that I will undoubtedly look into. I could live in a room. As long as there is a place for my gear and to sleep I'd be good.

If I could live my life over I'd never have gotten stuck in a job that only worked in one area and tied me down. That and getting married are my 2 greatest regrets in my life. I try and learn from my mistakes and move on and living simply, in a tiny house or RV would serve that purpose very well indeed.

Smart Lady!
 

Simplify

Active Member
Messages
301
Points
43
Location
Arizona
All my friends seemed to be slaves to their homes. While I was out in the woods hiking and enjoying myself they'd be stuck doing home chores, like mowing the lawn, fixing something, raking leaves, etc......

.....I really just want to be FREE.
"There are two ways to be rich. Make more, or need less'

I would talk to friends of mine who lived in large homes about what they were doing with their free time and their response was 'What free time'?

When I got rid of my pick up truck and decided to go car-free I felt like I had a ball and chain taken off of my ankle. I no longer had to worry about cylinder heads cracking and transmissions failing. When I am riding my bike to work and the occasional motorist yells something out the window at me I just laugh at them. I am paying 500 dollars to get from point A to point B and they are paying thousands. I only have 25 dollar repair bills for a new chain or cassette and their repair bills are in the hundreds and even the thousands.

The other way I downsized was with my career. I used to work as an HVAC technician and when I first started my career I was gung-ho about being the best and climbing the company ladder. I went to every training seminar I could, took classes from community college and went for every excellency certification I could

I wanted to be the 'go-to guy' so I studied and practiced and did very well climbing the company ladder.

As a result I became stuck in a rut where I was working 60-80 hour weeks regularly. Theoretically, you were on call one weekend and off call for the next two but that was never the way it worked out. It was always somebody quit or got fired or somebody has something going on and they needed me to take call. Theoretically you had a day off but company policy required you to keep your phone on even on days off and it was always 'I know this is your day off..........but we really need you in'

That process went on week after week month after month and I had to argue for the right to shut my phone off and be free of work for a day.

I realized that climbing the ladder isn't all it is chalked up to be. I would be driving to service calls on Saturdays and I would see people at the lake fishing and enjoying themselves and I was always working, working , working.

I realized I was working my life away and decided to leave the trade. I stuck it out to the end of the busy season and in the fall I gave my notice and turned in my van without having another job lined up. I took a month and a half off work and went out fishing and hiking. I felt like a kid all over again.

After the month and a half off of work I took a job as a general laborer in a manufacturing plant. People thought I was crazy, leaving the high paying world of HVAC to take a lower paying position. I smiled inwardly because I didn't even care about the big bucks or the 'prestige' of the job anymore. I had my life back and was working set hours and when I was done I was done. No more phone, pager and on call. The most I have ever worked in one week is 50 hours but 40 hour weeks are the norm.

I have since worked my way from the original general labor position to acquire new skills in roll forming and welding and it is great....a decent job and I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!

Who cares about money. The real wealth is enjoying your life and making the most of it.
 
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