Downsizing to 100 square feet of bliss

[Donzo]

It would be a great little get away on some property in the mountains w/o HO rules -- but to live in full time...I would be building sheds and shaded/screened areas to spread out and make it just a sleeping area - I think 500 ft is about the minimum to be OK - make it 2 story and it still has a very small footprint.
I think I will stay where I am -- for now!

 

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

I'm a little surprised that the HOA rules in the area allow what is essentially a trailer to be parked in a residential area. We own property in a much less affluent area, and even there they wouldn't be allowed to stay. Maybe they got lucky and nobody thought of it, or it's an old neighborhood with no HOA.

HOAs usually only really exist in planned development lots and condo/townhouse areas. Any house with acres of property or built by an individual is not going to be subject to an HOA.

I could probably stand to live in that boat LG4NB.

 

[FIREd]

I lived for 5 years in a 150 sq. ft. apartment and I loved it (but I don't think I could have shared that space with another human being). I had a small bathroom (toilet, sink, shower), a kitchenette (stove, fridge, toaster oven, sink and a small pantry) with a small kitchen table and 2 chairs, one desk, a sofa-bed with small coffee table, a couple of bookshelves and a fairly large closet for my clothes. The only thing I would miss: washer and dryer. But with those new compact, stack-up models, it would only require a couple of additional square feet. I would definitely do it again.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I love those tumbleweed houses! Lowe's had a tiny house plan program a few years ago, I think they called them Katrina Cottages--and there were some really neat house plans in there.

We lived on a 28 foot boat and were fine, the only thing we missed was a shower, but if you both smell, then it isn't so bad!

Our Airstream is 28 feet, but it is positively vast compared to the boat--and it has a shower! I'd go with the RV every time in the space contest.

 

[REWahoo]

I lived for 5 years in a 150 sq. ft. apartment...

What were you in for?

 

[bbbamI]

On small being better??

Hey it's their opinion...didn't say it was my cup o' tea.

 

[FIREd]

What were you in for?

Hum, that would explain the bars on the windows.... LOL!

No I was poor, living on about $500 a month. The rent was cheap ($200 a month) and I didn't have much stuff so it all worked out. I don't miss the poverty thing, but I miss the smaller space. Now that I live in a 2500 sq. ft. house, I just look around and I see too much junk everywhere. I wish I could go back to a much smaller home, but the wife is not too keen on it...

 

[Urchina]

HOAs usually only really exist in planned development lots and condo/townhouse areas. Any house with acres of property or built by an individual is not going to be subject to an HOA.

Maybe not, but they might be subject to zoning laws.

 

[NW-Bound]

On the Tumbleweed houses, he has changed his Web site. He used to show the floor plan of all his models. I studied the smallest one very closely, and discovered that it did not have a shower, and only room for a dry toilet.

Now, the smallest model is 65sqft. The info now says: bathroom is 3.5' x 2'. How does that compare to an RV bathroom? There's no info on what is inside that bathroom.

Here's a more reasonable alternative. Do you have an IKEA store near you? Have you seen their sample furnishing and decoration of tiny apartments or condos? Within 400-500 sqft IIRC, they've managed to have a setup with living room/bedroom/dining room/bathroom/kitchen. Looks comfortable to me. For me, the bathroom got to have a regular commode, with ventilation. That's non-negotiable.

 

[Sarah in SC]

NW, that is my low standard as well. I need to have a shower and a toilet, that was one reason we sold the boat--because our next one has to have a shower. I'm okay with a boat or RV-style throne, but it can't be the porta-potty kind.

The Katrina Cottages are cute and reasonably sized--here's one I like that is 544 sq ft
Lowe's Home Improvement :: The Katrina Cottage

 

[Jeb-NY]

Feel like I'm in a McMansion in our 1400 sq ft house. We built our place 25+ years ago as a downsize with retirement in mind. Didn't think about keeping it on one level so I hope our knees hold out. I think we could be happy with less but this is a nice size, easy to heat and paid for.

Jeb

 

[NW-Bound]

Feel like I'm in a McMansion in our 1400 sq ft house.
Jeb

That IS a McMansion, compared to the European and Japanese standards.

My 2nd home, in the AZ mountain, is 1700sq.ft, but better built than my main home. I bought it as a possible final "resting place". Thought it was a bit small at first when we first got it, but I slowly realized I have not been up to the loft much, nor to the guest bedroom. So, I am happy that we did not buy bigger.

PS. By the way, the 65sqft home has the foot print of 2 sheets of 4'X8' plywood. He can't be serious!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Here is how they live in small spaces in Japan (These are actual hotel rooms) - beleive it or not:

Stop Workin' and start Livin'

 

[kyounge1956]

(snip)
Here's a more reasonable alternative. Do you have an IKEA store near you? Have you seen their sample furnishing and decoration of tiny apartments or condos? Within 400-500 sqft IIRC, they've managed to have a setup with living room/bedroom/dining room/bathroom/kitchen. Looks comfortable to me. For me, the bathroom got to have a regular commode, with ventilation. That's non-negotiable.

There's an IKEA near me, and one of the displays is a studio apartment in under 300 square feet. It has a kitchen area with dining table, "real" bathroom including a shower, and even a little home office. The bed is on a loft in the living room part of the display. It would only work with high ceilings, though. They also have a "kitchen in one cabinet" in some of their kitchen cabinet styles that I think would work real well in a tiny space.

P.S. Tumbleweeds gave a design seminar here this summer on how to build one of those little cottages if you don't want to lay out the bucks to have one built for you. He is definitely not kidding about the 64 square feet. That's too small for me but I am planning a house about 400 square feet.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have talked to engineer friends, who told me that's the lodging accomodation Japanese engineers were allowed when sent on domestic business trips.

Wouldn't mind having a cubby hole like that on intercontinental flights though!

Was told it could not be done due to safety issues. How does one sit up and tighten seatbelt? I would gladly sign any waiver, so my surviving kinship won't sue.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Wouldn't mind having a cubby hole like that on intercontinental flights though!

Would the stewardess crawl in there with you to reward you for your frequent flyer miles ?

 

[brewer12345]

Now, the smallest model is 65sqft. The info now says: bathroom is 3.5' x 2'. How does that compare to an RV bathroom? There's no info on what is inside that bathroom.

Dunno what is in the tumbleweed bath, but that is about the dimensions of the bath in our trailer. We have what is known as a "wet bath" which means that when you shower the toilet seat gets wet. It is real tight, but if you aren't too big you can get the job done. At 5'11" and 186#, I fit, but much over 6' and/or 200# and you would have issues. Mostly we shower in the campground showers, since it is easier and less of a mess to deal with. But when boondocking or in a pinch, it is awfully nice to be able to take even a cramped shower.

 

[NW-Bound]

Would the stewardess crawl in there with you to reward you for your frequent flyer miles ?

NICE THOUGHT!

Er, I am afraid I have not travelled enough to have the astronomical frequent mileage that they would require.

Er, my wife usually travels with me too.

 

[CCdaCE]

I couldn't do a small house. No place to reload ammunition, entertain guests (not in any particular order), do model railroading, sort massive amounts of laundry, get away from wife and/or kids, etc. Along with that, all the obvious (fix a big meal, comfortably watch TV, have a computer desk, etc.).

...maybe if I had a big garage, but that kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it.

...back on the ammuntion issue. In a small house, there's no place to store massive amounts of food/water and hide from/shoot the looters when armageddon comes. Tornadoes?

-CC

 

[NW-Bound]

But when boondocking or in a pinch, it is awfully nice to be able to take even a cramped shower.

I am sure!

While window shopping for an RV (have not made up my mind yet whether we could use, or even afford one now), I saw the RoadTrek which looks interesting, but requires you to take shower in the middle of the aisle, after deploying a shower curtain.

Can't see living my whole life like that though.

 

[jambo101]

I am sure!

While window shopping for an RV (have not made up my mind yet whether we could use, or even afford one now), I saw the RoadTrek which looks interesting, but requires you to take shower in the middle of the aisle, after deploying a shower curtain.

Can't see living my whole life like that though.

Look at C class RV's as they have more room,The B class (Roadtreks etc) might be good for weekend getaways for 1 or 2 people but any kind of fulltiming and its going to get very cramped very quickly.

 

[NW-Bound]

I was drawn to the RoadTrek for the gas mileage. As for fulltiming in one, my portfolio has not been down that bad yet (knock on wood). Hey, my stick houses are paid for. I just have to have utilities turned off ...

 

[calmloki]

We currently rent unit #4 to a physician's assistant, all utilities paid, for $285/month:

158 sq. ft. apartment. She's been there over a year - stays 3-4 nights a week and finds it a better option than 2-3 hours driving per day to and from her main home when she's working down here.

The bathroom has a shower and toilet, some shelves, and a toilet topper sink - over which i do battle with the local health and safety inspector:

Wash Your Hands With Toilet Water : TreeHugger

Under counter frig, microwave and/or hot plate. It benefits greatly from two walls of windows!

 

[NW-Bound]

Calmloki, you are a good landlord. Nice, clean and reasonably priced apartments. About toilet topper, my wife who has been to Japan told me it's popular there. Makes a lot of sense to me. I wish we use them here in the US. What's the problem with safety inspector?

 

[calmloki]

Calmloki, you are a good landlord. Nice, clean and reasonably priced apartments. About toilet topper, my wife who has been to Japan told me it's popular there. Makes a lot of sense to me. I wish we use them here in the US. What's the problem with safety inspector?

The gal won't let me get away with much, so thanks - we try. Problem for him is that there is no hot water, cold only. As he delicately explained, one might get poopy on one's hands and then be forced to wash in the kitchen sink. He wanted me to plumb in another sink right in front of the main door not 3 feet from the kitchen sink. I found data on a liquid soap that claimed to be as germicidal as regular soap and hot water, but think the turning point in the discussion was when i dropped off pictures of a couple local parks with cold water only restrooms next to playground equipment and picnic tables. Gotta think that there is substantially greater risk in the public sector than in a single person unit.