I did it. I got sucked into a show called Tiny House Nation and it got me thinking, could I like in a house that was under 500 square feet? My current house is about 1450 square feet. It has 3 bedroom, 1/2 baths, three floors, and a full basement that houses my home gym. I have a lot of hobbies and a lot of tools!! Could I pair that down into a house of 204 square feet?
I have to say though that they really find some great ways to save space. Large walls of shelving, or japanese style stairs with build in shelves and drawers. I love the idea of being more minimalist, but I do have a lot of “stuff”. I mean, where would my mugs go? My tools? My home gym? Seamus’ farts would be even worse in a tiny space.
With the smaller space you could cash flow the house, the house I was watching them build was under $20,000 to 35,000 and with my trying to get debt free that is a huge benefit to consider!
Putting a rustic tiny house near some hiking trails and a body of water, and you could possible sway me. I mean look at that one with the porch! The barn doors and the Carpe Diem Kitchen…Swoon!!
All photos courtesy of Tiny House Nation.
It is something to consider. In the mean time I need to work on pairing down my house, just in case.
Could you live in a tiny house?
My apartment is just under 500 square feet! It is tight and not a lot of kitchen space for cooking which is annoying!!
They build to your specifications and interests, some had wrap around kitchen with lots of counter space and others were not very big. I guess it’s all in how you prefer your space to be.
I saw a few of these on house hunters and I just don’t think I could do it!! I can’t imagine the weather we are having now and not having different rooms to go into without getting tired of my surroundings lol! xo, Biana
Yeah, but just imagine, you could pick up the house in the Winter and move it to Florida!
I think it depends on your priorities. If you’re a homebody, you need more space. But if you only sleep there and you’re always on the go and you want to spend your money on other things, small is the way to go. That show is fascinating to me too, but my ideal small space is on wheels. 🙂
I think with the way some of these are designed even home bodies would be comfortable in them. Most of them are on wheels or able to be moved from location to location.
i always think about this! i’ve seen families in small places that work for them. imagine the money you’d save!!
i follow a feed called “apartment therapy” and even though i dont live in an apartment, they have some great articles re: DIY or space savers for small(er) apartment sized places.
I could totally sell my house and pay cash for one, completely designed to my tastes! I couldn’t do that with other property in Massachusetts. That in itself is a freedom that makes it very appealing.
They really do make the best use of space rather than wide open expansive waste. It does get me thinking at least.
I think you could do it, once you start paring down you would realize how much stuff you really don’t need.
I love the concept and doing with less. It might make me claustrophobic after awhile but I think they design them so well!
I love the “idea” of a tiny house, and yes that is in quotes because I know we could never do it lol. With all of our stuff, I really don’t think we could go below like 900 square feet, and especially with the cats, they need some space to run around!
Haha! Yes, I think I like the idea of it too, but not sure if I could actually go through with it. I feel like I could do with a lot less “stuff” though.
The carpe diem kitchen seems to have a tiny sink and no dishwasher! None of these homes have dishwashers! And I couldn’t deal with my couch in my kitchen. I would love to visit a tiny home, but I need space and convenience!
I think you can put whatever you want into them, solar panels help make them function in remote location if you don’t have a hookup to electricity. I do like “space” but i think if you put it on a half acre of land, it might be an option. It’s interesting to ponder though.
i love the idea, though i could never live in something that small, purely because i have no desire to live ‘off the grid’ and i like living in the city, or the suburbs. that being said, we live in a 1200-1300 (no idea) sq ft house right now, and we could definitely go smaller. i love watching these shows (have you seen Tiny the documentary?) because I just really dislike the whole ‘we need more, we need bigger’ mentality that society seems to have. i grew up in a small house – smaller than my current house! we only had 1 bathroom and my brothers shared a room. you survive. i like being close to my family. the more space we have, the more crap we have. when we moved into our 3 bedroom house from a 1 bedroom apartment, we didn’t have a lot, barely filled the house – now all the rooms are overflowing with junk, i hate it!
that being said.. yeah, KC would need to take his farts outside. HAHA!
I don’t think all of them are off the grid, but I’m not sure. A lot have solar panels to help with electricity but I think it depends where you put the house. I love the mentality of doing with less “stuff”. Haha! Yes, KC would have to go outside, that would linger too long in a small house!
I love tiny houses. Because I hate ‘stuff.’ I could definitely do it (my last apartment was about 600 sq ft, including everything even a washer dryer and all kitchen appliances, and I still never used the front closet or half the living room) but John wants a big house. Big big big. Sigh.
You are the queen of living with less, so I think you could totally do it! With a big house comes big expenses. Sigh.
I love the idea of a tiny house. I think it’s awesome and when you see the finished products, they’re amazing. I do wonder about some of the maintenance costs, though.
For me, I couldn’t live in one. Maybe if it were just me and one of the dogs, but not with the whole family. We’d be displeased with each other all the time.
Yeah, I wonder. I guess it would depend on the area. They are pretty self sustainable for most of them. Solar panels help with heating and electricity.
Yeah, i couldn’t do one that tiny for a family, maybe 900 square feet! Hehe!
I like to see what people do with small spaces, but just imagining myself living in them makes me feel claustrophobic. I couldn’t do it. I definitely couldn’t do it with another person.
I love the creative ways they create more space and storage but I do wonder about feeling claustrophobic too. Like after a month would I freak out? Hmm.
I love the concept of living with less though.
NOPE – I would feel too claustrophobic in a tiny house. Those are pretty cute though.
Haha! I hear ya! I worry about that too, but some of them look pretty spacious! I like that you have to really think about what you own, and to try and do with less. My house could use some “tiny house living” for sure!
I never watched this series but there was a tiny house hunters series on HGTV and I was obssessed with watching it! Seriously. I have a tiny apartment. One bedroom but I grew up in a big house there is no way I could actually purchase some of those things. Ill admit that the gray (green?) house above is pretty cute though!
I find it so fascinating. I don’t know if I could but I love the idea of really getting rid of a lot of junk and living a simpler life.
The housing market here is so expensive so to be able to sell my house, pay off every debt and purchase it in cash, does make me give it a second thought.
I could not live in a small house. I need space. I believe the house we’re in now is about 1300 square feet and I wish there was more space.
Cute houses though!
I like the idea of them, but that might be too small for my liking too. I do like how creative they are with storage though.
I can’t even believe this but I watched this show this weekend too! Or maybe not the exact one, but it was on tiny houses. I really like some of the pictures you posted and I’ve never been someone to feel like I need a lot of space, but I think these houses are just TOO small for me.
I know, I think I could live with 500-1000 but 200 is a little tiny. No pun intended, okay maybe a little! 😉
I am always amazed at the little houses and how neat they are! It is like walking through Ikea and they have the different apartment sizes set up. I love it while I am there and think gosh I could really live like this…but I would go crazy in a small space like that! Especially being stuck indoors like you are right now!
Yes, the Winter would be where I would start to get annoyed with it. In the Spring I’d move it close to the beach and be a beach bum. Hehe!
I don’t know that I could do 200 square feet. I think if I had a big yard I could maybe do small-ish but not 200 square feet. The pictures are really cute though.
Some are larger than 200 but I totally agree that is a bit of a tight fit. I like the idea of being more minimalist though.
Oh boy.. I have to be honest and say I don’t think I could do it! I would get so claustrophobic and probably lose my mind!
I know, I wonder if it would get old quick. I do like the concept, and doing with less. Maybe I’ll just de-clutter. 😉
Bahahaha… poor Seamus, you called him out on Hims toots! 😛
I could def live in a small space. I mean, we live in a one bedroom apartment right now. I’d like another couple rooms but I can survive without them. I like a “cozy” feeling when I’m at home! 🙂
His toots are epic!! I would much rather have more land than house. The more house you have, the more you have to clean, and the more stuff you buy to fill it. Nope, no more.
I admire people who can live in small homes, and I like keeping things minimal, but I love being able to host showers and parties with 15+ people, which would be impossible in a small house. That’s probably the main reason I’d never move into one.
Yes, I love the idea of it, but I also wonder if I would get annoyed and claustrophobic with such a small space. I am working on minimizing though.