Small Living

[Khan]

House is ~1000sf. Lot is ~5000. When the cat dies I'm having a potlatch and moving to a small apartment.

I really wish someone would build dwellings that can be hosed down (inside).

 

[hankster]

A coworker is planning to ER next July. He suggested to his wife the possibility of buying a park model RV to live in. She said "I'd make it about 3 days before I killed you".

I realize our plan to try full time RVing after I retire will not be without its challenges when it comes to living space, but for us, RV travel means seeking pleasant weather that maximizes outdoor enjoyment. In inclement weather, we would tend to seek out malls and other large indoor areas where one can walk about and avoid excessive time spent in a small space. If the full time RV life style doesn't suit us, we'll rent a small home, condo or look for something like Audrey chose.

 

[flyfishnevada]

I read that RVs are limited to 8'6" in width and 41' in length. This works out to less than 350 sf, not including wall thickness. No doubt, slide-outs would gain some square footage, but it is still not that much. I have read of double-decker class As, but my, that's more expensive than most homes!

You, and the rest of the posters, are correct. It was late and I was tired. RV's are limited to 400 sf except in Florida where park models can go to 500. With slides they probably range from 350 to 600, though that is expensive square footage.

That's it! Covers are overrated. I am moving to a place where all one needs is a hammock strung between two coconut trees. The Puget Sound is out!

We go to Jamaica every year and many homes are open air. Everything is built out of concrete and block. Wood rots to quick. A lot of people assume they are really poor (and they are) becuase the houses are so small, but in a place with few insects and 85 to 90 degree days and 70 to 75 degree nights all year why would you need walls or a big house. You can entertain out side and put your bedroom under the small roofed area so you don't get wet.

 

[Sue J]

Our first 7 years of marriage were in a 1 BR apt that was 19'x23'= 437 sq ft. Sure was "cozy" but it was also cheap and allowed us to save for a house down payment. Our kitchen included a full size refrigerator and stove and a stacking washer and dryer but very little counter space. An eating area was in the adjacent living room.

When we moved into our house (4BR, 2 Bath, 2 car attached garage) it was a huge difference! In this house we could downsize by just not using the upstairs and live nicely with 2 BR, 1 bathroom, LR, DR, and kitchen. That would be about 1015 sq.ft. I don't think I could go back to under 500 sq ft again.

 

[Runner]

My wife and her adult daughter lived for 20+ years in an apartment in Minsk, Belarus that I would estimate at about 400 square feet. I have lived the past 14 years in a house that is exactly 1000 square feet. On the day of closing, the lender insisted on a handwritten explanation as to why I was buying such a cheap, small house when I could obviously afford more. What is more interesting than me living in it is that the original owners lived in it from 1940 to 1996 and raised three children, a fact of which I continually remind myself when I start thinking that a little more space would be nice. The utilities, taxes and maintenance are equally Lilliputian. I can remember back in the 1970s when my friends and I would talk about someone having a 2000 square foot house as though it were the Taj Mahal, so I think peoples' expectations have changed dramatically in recent years. By contrast, my former boss and his wife, who are perhaps the two most stuff-acquiring lunatics I've ever seen, "downsized" to a 2500 square foot house upon his retirement a year ago; to do it, they also had to rent three 10x20 storage units and fill their garage full of unopened boxse. I learned a couple of weeks ago that they "just can't live this way," sold the 2500 square foot house, and are moving into a new place that (in my old boss's words) "makes the old one look like a shack." It's probably no coincidence they are also just about the two most unhappy, uninteresting people you'd ever care to meet.

 

[W2R]

Our first 7 years of marriage were in a 1 BR apt that was 19'x23'= 437 sq ft. Sure was "cozy" but it was also cheap and allowed us to save for a house down payment. Our kitchen included a full size refrigerator and stove and a stacking washer and dryer but very little counter space. An eating area was in the adjacent living room.

When we moved into our house (4BR, 2 Bath, 2 car attached garage) it was a huge difference! In this house we could downsize by just not using the upstairs and live nicely with 2 BR, 1 bathroom, LR, DR, and kitchen. That would be about 1015 sq.ft. I don't think I could go back to under 500 sq ft again.

We are thinking "outside the box" lately, and think we could each be perfectly happy in a smaller place again. Really, for me two of the main criteria are privacy (no noise from neighbors at all - - the Garbo thing) and low maintenance requirements and expenses. Unfortunately privacy is hard to find in smaller living quarters. But then, low maintenance requirements are hard to find in a great big house. You can't win!

 

[Gardener]

My first house was 750 sq'. Perfect for 2 people. I have also lived in an RV (8'x26' = 208 sq ft) for 8 months - 2 adults, a 12 yo, and a big dog. Was one of the worst winters in years and we stayed snowed in on our property for a while. Our current home is 1700 sq ft, but I now know I could happily full-time in an RV as soon as my son is grown. I would need a better RV (more efficient use of space), but the actual size was fine. Oh, and I would need to actually go somewhere in that RV. I didn't like that we just stayed on the property!
We talk about moving to Florida or Louisiana (where my partner is from) but after seeing our family after the hurricanes we have agreed we would only live in a house we could move out of the path of the hurricanes!
Gardener

 

[ERD50]

We are thinking "outside the box" lately, and think we could each be perfectly happy in a smaller place again. Really, for me two of the main criteria are privacy (no noise from neighbors at all - - the Garbo thing) and low maintenance requirements and expenses. Unfortunately privacy is hard to find in smaller living quarters. But then, low maintenance requirements are hard to find in a great big house. You can't win!

Agreed. I toy around with the idea of developing a house plan that is 'right-sized' for two people, designed for low maintenance (think Tim-the-Tool-Man's 'man room' - stainless steel and a drain with built in fire-hose in the wall!) and having it built in a place where I could get the privacy I would prefer. The key would be to have a floor plan such that the house could be added onto w/o disrupting the whole thing, to make it more sale-able when the time comes.

That probably isn't practical either, just a thought that keeps rolling around in my head - haven't even tried sketching it on a napkin.

-ERD50

 

[Major Tom]

My eldest brother and his SO live full-time on a small boat. At a guess I'd say that the usable living space is around 100 sq ft. They both lived in conventional houses when younger so had to do a lot of downsizing, but love their lives now. She says that the only thing she misses is the space to store some nice clothes and accessories, but all the other advantages of their lifestyle far outweigh the few disadvantages. They don't have a lot in the way of money, but spiritually they are very wealthy.

They live a physically active and very social lifestyle, and can't wait for SS to start kicking in next year.

I love making breakfast on the boat. The swans swim right up to the galley window and tap on the glass wanting be fed.

 

[Khan]

Agreed. I toy around with the idea of developing a house plan that is 'right-sized' for two people, designed for low maintenance (think Tim-the-Tool-Man's 'man room' - stainless steel and a drain with built in fire-hose in the wall!) and having it built in a place where I could get the privacy I would prefer. The key would be to have a floor plan such that the house could be added onto w/o disrupting the whole thing, to make it more sale-able when the time comes.

That probably isn't practical either, just a thought that keeps rolling around in my head - haven't even tried sketching it on a napkin.

-ERD50

Want much

 

[W2R]

Agreed. I toy around with the idea of developing a house plan that is 'right-sized' for two people, designed for low maintenance (think Tim-the-Tool-Man's 'man room' - stainless steel and a drain with built in fire-hose in the wall!) and having it built in a place where I could get the privacy I would prefer. The key would be to have a floor plan such that the house could be added onto w/o disrupting the whole thing, to make it more sale-able when the time comes.

That probably isn't practical either, just a thought that keeps rolling around in my head - haven't even tried sketching it on a napkin.

-ERD50

Interesting! But don't stop at the house. One needs to have such a house situated on a large lot that is paved over and completely walled off, with a remotely controlled electronic gate. No mowing or weeding, and lots of parking and privacy... but the resale would probably be abysmal. The house itself could be pretty small but for me it wouldn't look like a man room at all.

 

[calmloki]

..... I am moving to a place where all one needs is a hammock strung between two coconut trees. The Puget Sound is out!

A bit more complex, and there is that pesky roofwork to attend to, but no need to repaint.

 

[flyfishnevada]

My eldest brother and his SO live full-time on a small boat. At a guess I'd say that the usable living space is around 100 sq ft. They both lived in conventional houses when younger so had to do a lot of downsizing, but love their lives now. She says that the only thing she misses is the space to store some nice clothes and accessories, but all the other advantages of their lifestyle far outweigh the few disadvantages. They don't have a lot in the way of money, but spiritually they are very wealthy.

They live a physically active and very social lifestyle, and can't wait for SS to start kicking in next year.

I love making breakfast on the boat. The swans swim right up to the galley window and tap on the glass wanting be fed.

Actually, one of the motivations for ER and downsizing and such was this website:

Living aboard a sailboat is living cheap

They lived on a sail boat and in an small Class A for years.

That is fantastic!!!

 

[NW-Bound]

A bit more complex, and there is that pesky roofwork to attend to, but no need to repaint...

That's interesting. I may need a roof after all, when thinking about surfing the Web on the hammock without cover. The laptop will get wet when it rains.

I guess the smallest amount of space I'd need if I were very naughty would be a jail cell...

Some of the really naughty ones get put in here.

 

[TromboneAl]

This could be a plan B if one runs out of money.

YouTube - Jay's Tiny House Tour

 

[harley]

I could probably live in a 600-750 sq ft house as long as I had a 2000 sq ft. shed.

 

[NW-Bound]

This could be a plan B if one runs out of money.

My class C RV has more room than that, and has a separate shower stall. The smaller RV has the same wet bath arrangement like that house.

But then, it makes sense. My RV is 8' by 26', hence twice the square footage of the smallest tumbleweed house. And it's self-propelled. So, I am set!

I could probably live in a 600-750 sq ft house as long as I had a 2000 sq ft. shed.

I have seen RV'ers putting their class A inside a huge hangar or a barn. There, that's what you need.

 

[JustMeUC]

Interesting! But don't stop at the house. One needs to have such a house situated on a large lot that is paved over and completely walled off, with a remotely controlled electronic gate. No mowing or weeding, and lots of parking and privacy... but the resale would probably be abysmal. The house itself could be pretty small but for me it wouldn't look like a man room at all.

Holy Cow!!

You have just described my perfect house!!!

 

[W2R]

Holy Cow!!

You have just described my perfect house!!!

Too bad that others don't have the same idea. They don't seem to be easy to find in the average suburban community.

 

[NW-Bound]

Now, imagine that on top of the all-encircling wall is some barbed wire...

I can now picture the house...

 

[W2R]

Now, imagine that on top of all encircling wall is some barbed wire...

I can now picture the house...

Maybe broken glass pieces under the barbed wire would help, too.... I remember seeing walls like that in Mexico City when I was a little girl, and they fascinated me.

 

[NW-Bound]

All right! Let's make the wall 12 ft high. When do you break ground?

 

[flyfishnevada]

Thank you!

I could probably live in a 600-750 sq ft house as long as I had a 2000 sq ft. shed.

 

[RonBoyd]

My class C RV has more room than that, and has a separate shower stall. The smaller RV has the same wet bath arrangement like that house.

But then, it makes sense. My RV is 8' by 26', hence twice the square footage of the smallest tumbleweed house. And it's self-propelled. So, I am set!

Our Class B has a much better utilization of space. Our Galley is much better/larger. We can seat four at our table... well, only three because we have added a (removable) large clothes closet. When we convert the Queen-sized bed into a Sofa -- one button operation -- we can even set up a second table. We can use the seating as two Single Beds if we felt like it -- again only one because of the Closet. Our shower can either be that size or if we use the Shower Curtain, it can occupy twice that space.

Oh! And we have an Awning that is as good as a Porch -- certainly much larger.

And... Best of all: I can go anywhere a car can go.

 

[JustMeUC]

I did a Spanish Immersion in Nicaragua earlier this year and the next door neighbors to my home-stay had a 8' wall with broken bottles/glass all the way around it. The house on the other side had 4 strands of barb wire... There is a whole 'nother world out there that people need to get out there and see


I'm single and not a stuff collector so could easily live in a 500sf house. I really dislike yard work so would prefer no lawn to keep up. My current home has 2.5 acres and it takes up a good 2 or 3 hours a week of my time. I grumble and complain the entire time I am forced to do it. I do have the property fenced in with the electric gate entrance though, so at least I do have one of my wishes.