OFF TOPIC - tiny house living

[cookiecat]

How much square footage do you live in right now? Does it suit you? Would you consider going smaller?? How small is too small??

 

[twister947]

1500 square feet. I live on 80 acres on a river, and plan to die here. A smaller cabin would suit me, but I don't feel a pressing need.

 

[cookiecat]

We lived in 1500 square feet but the house couldn't be modified for a wheelchair. We moved in to about 700 square feet. Thought I'd feel squeezed in but it was manageable. Difficult if we had more than 2 people over.

Now that it's just me, am wondering what next? I'm watching Tiny House Living on HGTV and it seems appealing. In theory.

 

[Azuldrgon]

I have the average....around 1500 square feet.

I like my house. I still have my two grown children here, so it's about right.

*hugs* cookie.

 

[cookiecat]

the dream:

https://i.imgur.com/ZpFhOHYm.jpg


probably the reality:

https://i.imgur.com/mLwghQVm.jpg

 

[Mustang Sally]

I think our house was listedat 1200 sq ft but I swear it's bigger than that. We have two small kids so I'm not thinking about downsizing now. I wish our space was redistributed a bit; somehow we have two rooms that don't get used much, and meanwhile we are completely lacking an entryway (mudroom?) and i wish we had mote space for the kitchen/dining area.

But i could imagine going smaller in the future.

 

[Mrtenant]

Y'all are making me feel claustrophobic just thinking about it. 4500 here. I like it, with a couple exceptions that are being attended to.

Meh, no tiny house for me. I like the space. Especially the dungeon.

 

[twister947]

the dream:

https://i.imgur.com/ZpFhOHYm.jpg


probably the reality:

https://i.imgur.com/mLwghQVm.jpg

It looks like you've been on cabinporn. Love that site!

 

[KimGordon67]

I had to do some converting, but we live in what seems to be 970 square feet in your people's money. I'm buying soon though, just for myself and a third of my kid, and intending to go smaller - not a lot smaller, but probably two bedrooms instead of three (and a sleepout/caravan for visitors). I like the idea of having less to maintain/clean/heat.

The tiny houses drive me a bit mad though. They seem premised on lots of things being slid into spaces/tucked into lofts/etc. Which is lovely in 3 minutes of TV, and very clever, but late at night or when you've had a few wines, I just think have to clear everything off the kitchen bench so you can slide over the wall that's necessary to make the bedroom appear would be a huge pain in the bum. They would need to come with a house-dwarf for me to be interested.

 

[DrDelirium]

5k square feet and there's barely enough room to swing a bullwhip. I have no desire to live in a tiny house, but I could see putting one in the basement for a sub.

 

[lickitandstickit]

2000 now but I'm probably gonna be building a place in a Rural property I own and I dont plan on making it any bigger than 1500 sq ft.. Its plenty IMO

 

[lillianaZ]

.....

 

[13Fantasies]

1000.

It's good since there are five of us. We have a couple of small, unused spaces, but that's it.

I like the tiny house or apartment idea, but I agree on storage issues. Plu, I'm tall, so it seems like I would have issues, including in a bathroom built for midgets.

Still intrigued, but not any time soon

 

[twister947]

Should I ever take the plunge and downsize, getting rid of "stuff" that owns me will be job one. That includes real estate, and all of the burdens that entails. There's something very seductive about the idea of being able to throw everything I own in my van, and hit the road. Blue Highways ftw.

 

[MeekMe]

In Japan we stayed in an apartment that might have been 500 square feet. Probably less though. It was basically one room with a small kitchen and an accordion divider wall to "make a bedroom". I really liked it. It was efficient and cozy. Staying in something like that basically would mean selling most of our stuff and downsizing to just necessities. I think I could feel happier with something minimal. It would require being incredibly tidy though.

 

[lickitandstickit]

Should I ever take the plunge and downsize, getting rid of "stuff" that owns me will be job one. That includes real estate, and all of the burdens that entails. There's something very seductive about the idea of being able to throw everything I own in my van, and hit the road. Blue Highways ftw.

I did that for years back in my greatful dead days LOL

 

[seela]

OMG you all have such huge houses! Who cleans it all and what do you do with all that space???

I live in an apartment of 452 square feet and it's more than enough for just the two of us and the cat. I could live in an even smaller apartment, too. We have a separate bedroom and a kitchen/livingroom that's big enough for two book cases, a table that seats 4, a couch that seats 4, a desk and a chair, TV and an end table, and all the kitchen stuff as well of course.

And I still have enough space to do yoga as well if I move the end table! Or I could do yoga in the kitchen area where there's plenty of free floor space.

I wish the bathroom were a bit bigger, though, but it's not that bad. I've had smaller.

When I lived alone, my apartment was a 193 square feet studio and the bathroom was tiny. If you wanted to take a shower, you had to squeeze yourself sideways past the sink, but the actual shower area wasn't that bad really. The real issue was that if anybody taller than me (and I'm really not that tall) was using the toilet, there wasn't enough leg room to close the door... Good thing there was another door that could be closed between the living space and the tiny hall that had the door to the bathroom.

 

[lickitandstickit]

OMG you all have such huge houses! Who cleans it all and what do you do with all that space???

it generally gets filled with a bunch of junk you dont need. I wonder if this is how the hoarding disease comes to fruition.. I have a full basement ( washer and dryer down there ) , walk up a flight up steps and full dining room, kitchen and living room, walk up two more flights of steps and theres a bathroom / 3 bedrooms.. Walk up two more flights of steps and theres a full attic up there that technically can be turned into a giant bedroom if i so choose. It basically holds a bunch of stuff we dont need and can be thrown out.

Thats why when I build next. Its a ranch and 1500 at most... and most of that junk is gone..

I like having a basement though, basically a gym, and well a bunch of other junk that can be thrown out..

Also, the cleaning sucks...

 

[DrDelirium]

OMG you all have such huge houses! Who cleans it all and what do you do with all that space???

Clean it? Just move to another room...
What do I do with it? Art studio, photo studio, workshops and, of course, dungeon space.

 

[MistressMoira]

I am now living in 72 square metres. Moving to a place less than a quarter of this. Basically the same size as a RV or boat.

I am aiming to get rid of 90% of my belongings, taking only what is absolutely necessary.

Should be a very interesting exercise and it already terrifies me.

 

[DrDelirium]

I am now living in 72 square metres. Moving to a place less than a quarter of this. Basically the same size as a RV or boat.

I am aiming to get rid of 90% of my belongings, taking only what is absolutely necessary.

Should be a very interesting exercise and it already terrifies me.

Sounds like you're going to prison.

 

[SalvDali]

current place is 1600 sq ft. Our first house was 2400 sq ft. We had more space than we knew what to do with and was only 2 of us so we rented the basement to a friend. We moved into a 1200 sq ft place, had 1st child and then got this place to have a second child. I think it is perfect for us, when the children are grown we will probably get a smaller place with land.

 

[o2baPrince]

I am now living in 72 square metres. Moving to a place less than a quarter of this. Basically the same size as a RV or boat.

I am aiming to get rid of 90% of my belongings, taking only what is absolutely necessary.

Should be a very interesting exercise and it already terrifies me.

Best of luck! It sounds nice. Get rid of the shit!

 

[coati]

I lived in 220 square feet for 10 years while building a 1100 square foot home. The new home uses less energy than the tiny house did, and I feel much better prepared for old age in the larger place.

 

[cookiecat]

OMG you all have such huge houses! Who cleans it all and what do you do with all that space???

I live in an apartment of 452 square feet and it's more than enough for just the two of us and the cat. I could live in an even smaller apartment, too. We have a separate bedroom and a kitchen/livingroom that's big enough for two book cases, a table that seats 4, a couch that seats 4, a desk and a chair, TV and an end table, and all the kitchen stuff as well of course.

And I still have enough space to do yoga as well if I move the end table! Or I could do yoga in the kitchen area where there's plenty of free floor space.

I wish the bathroom were a bit bigger, though, but it's not that bad. I've had smaller.

When I lived alone, my apartment was a 193 square feet studio and the bathroom was tiny. If you wanted to take a shower, you had to squeeze yourself sideways past the sink, but the actual shower area wasn't that bad really. The real issue was that if anybody taller than me (and I'm really not that tall) was using the toilet, there wasn't enough leg room to close the door... Good thing there was another door that could be closed between the living space and the tiny hall that had the door to the bathroom.

hi seela! good to see you. your feet?!

200 and under seems to be my limit.

Living alone v. with someone is a key. Or even having someone over. I want no sideways squeezing in order to use the bathroom.

The appeal of getting rid of stuff is strong!