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Hubbie and I are selling our 103 acre farm with a 2600 sf house.
We are in our mid 60's and just don't want (or can't do) all the work anymore. I'm also getting tired of cleaning a large house, and all the furnishings in a large house. There's got to be a life other than working to maintain a large home.
So when we sell I was thinking of buying something under 1000sf. Thinking anywhere in the 800- 900sf range, tho idea is "not carved in stone."
We are already slowly cleaning out barns and rooms getting rid of or selling lots of stuff. I currently- as I write this- have a truck and trailer packed and heading to an auction in 2 weeks. Will pack up our SUV also next weekend for our first load (of approx. 3-4) we'll make next week alone. Already did 3 loads of stuff to a different auction (most of our horse tack and supplies) 2 weeks ago.
Questions:
Does anyone live in a very small house?
How do you like it?
Did you go from a large home to a tiny home?
How small is your home?
What are the pros and cons?
Are you happy you did it, or do you want to go back to something larger?
What would you do differently or change?
900-1000 sq ft isn't considered a "tiny house" - those are generally considered to be about 500 sq feet and under. One big difference is that in a true tiny house, there is usually a sleeping loft rather than a separate bedroom - with approx 900 st feet, you should be able to have a reasonable sized bedroom and perhaps even a second room that could be a guest room/office/den combo depending on your needs.
Which is not to dismiss the adjustment it will be for you, just that there is still a big difference between 350 sq ft and 900 sq ft, even though some of the recommendations stay the same, like maximizing space by having things do double duty.
I don't live in a tiny house but last year, helped my mom downsize from about 3500 st ft to about 1300. I have to admit that I think much smaller than that would be tough. She's got a nice sized master bedroom with en suite bath and a second full bath and guest room. She has out of town visitors on a fairly regular basis so having that extra bedroom was important, and it also serves as an office including some extra storage for paperwork, books, etc. The living area is decent sized, and she was able to keep her dining room set, so that was helpful too. The biggest downsize was the kitchen, but realistically, she doesn't cook very much any more so it was more a question of keeping the things that she really uses, and no need to have duplicates anymore, the way someone who cooks more frequently and for larger groups might like to have.
I would say to make sure you've got as much storage as possible - not just clothing, but a generous coat closet (assuming you are talking about a climate with 4 seasons) that can also hold the vacuum and other cleaning tools, and at least one, if not 2 linen closets, because that storage is very helpful for other things as well.
I would also say to be realistic about how you live your life and the things you need to be able to do that. Downsizing possessions is good but you don't need to downsize your life if you don't want to, and it's ok to stick with a big enough space that lets you do the things you want to do. As long as you start off with enough room for everything, you can keep things orderly and organized and also come up with a cleaning schedule that you can accomplish in a limited amount of time, so you aren't putting in that much time and effort.
Hubbie and I are selling our 103 acre farm with a 2600 sf house.
We are in our mid 60's and just don't want (or can't do) all the work anymore. I'm also getting tired of cleaning a large house, and all the furnishings in a large house. There's got to be a life other than working to maintain a large home.
So when we sell I was thinking of buying something under 1000sf. Thinking anywhere in the 800- 900sf range, tho idea is "not carved in stone."
We are already slowly cleaning out barns and rooms getting rid of or selling lots of stuff. I currently- as I write this- have a truck and trailer packed and heading to an auction in 2 weeks. Will pack up our SUV also next weekend for our first load (of approx. 3-4) we'll make next week alone. Already did 3 loads of stuff to a different auction (most of our horse tack and supplies) 2 weeks ago.
Questions:
Does anyone live in a very small house?
How do you like it?
Did you go from a large home to a tiny home?
How small is your home?
What are the pros and cons?
Are you happy you did it, or do you want to go back to something larger?
What would you do differently or change?
All info would be welcome. Thanks.
My husband and I have lived in some very small homes at different times. Usually like in very expensive cities where it was not uncommon. We are not hoarders and don't have a lot of stuff nor are/were we shoppers.
When we watch all of these tiny house shows, we see it as not very realistic because they usually do not have enough storage for even very "light" living. Most people have at least one hobby or sport, for example, that requires some stuff. When you have literally a few square feet of storage, it is used up very quickly. Even things like a couple of bicycle helmets seem huge when you have no storage. Forget storing even basic camping equipment as another example. You like to scuba dive and even if you don't own the tanks, etc, you still have loads of stuff. Even if you are in a warm climate, you need SOME winter coats/clothes. A couple of winter coats can swallow up a lot of your storage.
So even if you subscribe to minimalist living, even the basics can take up a lot of space. These shows often show about 1 foot of hanging closet rail and not much room for anything beyond a toothbrush.
That said, i think that around 800 sq feet is actually a lot of space if laid out properly. A storage basement and/or attic (or separate garage) can make that space go A LOT further. Likewise, tall ceilings can create loads of storage if used cleverly. So not all 800 sq feet is created equal.
So my advice (perhaps obvious) is to be realistic about storage and understand what you really need to live vs what you don't. There's only so much you can delete from your life.
Generally I like living in a smaller home and i have no desire for a large home. I'd much rather have a higher quality smaller home.
At just under 1,400 square feet mine isn't a tiny house by any stretch of the imagination, but I did downsize from a house that was/is just under 3,000 square feet--not including a fully finished basement. The larger space is not something that I miss in the least because living in a smaller space a.) gives me extra reasons to get rid of things and not bring more things into the house and b.) the house is well-laid out with plenty of storage space.
I think, at least for me, having the main living spaces of a what I consider to be a reasonable size helps immensely--especially the kitchen. The bathrooms and one of the bedrooms are rather small, but really--what does a person do in either of those rooms that requires an immense amount of space?
The houses one street down from me were built in the late 'forties and average in size between 900 and 1,100 square feet; I looked at several of them when I was house shopping and found the space to be more than adequate for a couple or small family as the spaces were quite livable, if not vast in scale.
My husband and I have lived in some very small homes at different times. Usually like in very expensive cities where it was not uncommon. We are not hoarders and don't have a lot of stuff nor are/were we shoppers.
When we watch all of these tiny house shows, we see it as not very realistic because they usually do not have enough storage for even very "light" living. Most people have at least one hobby or sport, for example, that requires some stuff. When you have literally a few square feet of storage, it is used up very quickly. Even things like a couple of bicycle helmets seem huge when you have no storage. Forget storing even basic camping equipment as another example. You like to scuba dive and even if you don't own the tanks, etc, you still have loads of stuff. Even if you are in a warm climate, you need SOME winter coats/clothes. A couple of winter coats can swallow up a lot of your storage.
So even if you subscribe to minimalist living, even the basics can take up a lot of space. These shows often show about 1 foot of hanging closet rail and not much room for anything beyond a toothbrush.
That said, i think that around 800 sq feet is actually a lot of space if laid out properly. A storage basement and/or attic (or separate garage) can make that space go A LOT further. Likewise, tall ceilings can create loads of storage if used cleverly. So not all 800 sq feet is created equal.
So my advice (perhaps obvious) is to be realistic about storage and understand what you really need to live vs what you don't. There's only so much you can delete from your life.
Generally I like living in a smaller home and i have no desire for a large home. I'd much rather have a higher quality smaller home.
I agree- we would need at least a garage. Or we would need a storage shed. If we end up with enough property- we will also have a pet sheep and goat with us. but we have a calf hut if there is no barn.
Yes- we will have double duty furniture. I already have 1 piece that is a step stool, ironing board and chair. Our desk can hold the TV.
If the bedroom has a nice closet- I'd rather have a closet "system" then furniture, or make the extra bedroom as a walk in closet, with a bed if need. we have no family, so we won't have ppl visiting.
If you are moving from a 103 acre farm to a house in the suburbs or on the outskirts of the suburbs, you will want to think about getting a large enough lot to be isolated from your neighbors a little. Half an acre should be the minimum, and it should be fenced. Otherwise, you will hear and feel their doors slam, trash cans being moved, cars coming and going, arguments, dogs barking, etc. And if you find your house is a little too small, get yourself a "she shed".
Some of the things that always amuse me about those so-called Tiny Houses is how you have to move everything off one surface onto another in order to use that surface...storage under a bench, bed, or table may seem tidy, but every single time you have to get something out of that storage or into it, you have to move everything off said bed, couch, or table. Every time you need to change the use of a part of the house temporarily you have to shuffle a lot of things around in order to do it. Where do all those items GO in the mean time? If you rent or own the land you park the thing on you have to maintain it...garden shed time at minimum.
If you live in a climate that requires seasonal clothing what do you do with the stuff you can't wear at one time of year? You would have to grocery shop all the time and be content with a very routine diet, because you can't store much of anything and have it within easy use. I'd suspect you'd eat out a lot. You'd also want to avoid being a serious neatnik or you'll drive yourself nuts insuring everything is in it's place unless it's actually in your hands being used. Older folks considering tiny houses have to think ahead to the time they may not be able to climb a ladder to a loft. I'd really like to see a series "Tiny House Hunters after 3 Years...Where are They Now?" I'll bet the bloom is off the rose for most of them.
Some of the things that always amuse me about those so-called Tiny Houses is how you have to move everything off one surface onto another in order to use that surface...storage under a bench, bed, or table may seem tidy, but every single time you have to get something out of that storage or into it, you have to move everything off said bed, couch, or table. Every time you need to change the use of a part of the house temporarily you have to shuffle a lot of things around in order to do it. Where do all those items GO in the mean time? If you rent or own the land you park the thing on you have to maintain it...garden shed time at minimum.
If you live in a climate that requires seasonal clothing what do you do with the stuff you can't wear at one time of year? You would have to grocery shop all the time and be content with a very routine diet, because you can't store much of anything and have it within easy use. I'd suspect you'd eat out a lot. You'd also want to avoid being a serious neatnik or you'll drive yourself nuts insuring everything is in it's place unless it's actually in your hands being used. Older folks considering tiny houses have to think ahead to the time they may not be able to climb a ladder to a loft. I'd really like to see a series "Tiny House Hunters after 3 Years...Where are They Now?" I'll bet the bloom is off the rose for most of them.
Agree. I'm not opposed to the idea of scaled down living. But like everything on TV, it's too often exaggerated.
It wasn't even a proper "tiny house" but I remember the time taken to find and retrieve all the tools to do a simple job. We didn't have a huge amount of tools but even a pretty minimal set of tools takes a lot of storage space - drill set, saw, hand tools, painting tools, level, spare paint, adhesives, tapes, fasteners, caulk and caulking gun, etc, etc, etc. So much storage is needed for even this basic set of tools. Lots of swearing from my husband around this!
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