"Must Haves"

In planning our tiny homes we all have things that are really important to us.  Sometimes it takes living without something you may have taken for granted, to realize that if you have a choice, you want that in your life.  

When my washer/dryer combo gave out on me, I realized how much I took it for granted.  I don't mind going to the laundromat, but it sure is nice to be able to wash something in your own home.  I can't afford one of the really nice  - tiny house size - washer/dryer units, but I found this one that I am planning on making space for:  the brand name is 'Panda' and isn't it adorable?

I found it on Amazon, and have watched youtube videos on how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90qSKkBuMaw.  From reviews, it sounds like it washes very well, but you have to actually attach hoses to fill it and empty the water.  It looks like it agitates really well.  The tiny 'spin dryer' spins the clothes to nearly dry.  There is no heat with the dryer so clothing must hang for a bit to fully dry.  It reminds me of a salad spinner - multifunctional?  It's extremely lightweight (28#), so you could move it to various places if you want, and for under $170 I won't mind the extra work that goes into washing and drying, and having the ability to do so without taking laundry elsewhere. 

Another of my "must haves" is a bathtub.  At first I thought I'd have to purchase a small tub from an RV parts dealer.  The shipping charges were terrible.  But I am finding that Home Depot has a great variety of appliances and things that are small and hard to find elsewhere.  

 At 46 1/2" in length and a depth of 12" it is larger than a typical RV tub but smaller than a regular 60" bathtub.  It is also less expensive than an RV tub of much smaller size.  By adding another foot to my bathroom layout I'll be able to have a decent size little tub :).  

This is another of my "must haves":

I will be looking for a place in the country to park our tiny house.  I  raised hundreds of chickens (and lots of other animals) during our farm years when my children were young.  I miss it terribly, and want just a few laying hens now, for their cruelty free eggs, their endless entertainment value, and their sweet, warm companionship. 

Planning, Planning, and more Planning

I'm sure that everyone who falls in love with tiny homes, and goes on to actually live in one, goes through many changes in their plans.  And even when you think a tiny house is just what you are looking for - whether it be to simplify your life, live more greenly, have no mortgage and smaller bills, thus more options - you still have to wrap your head around the reality of actually living with far fewer possessions and space.  

Nancy, of the Ynez Tiny House, wrote some wonderful posts on her blog about deciding what is important to you, looking at how life in a tiny house will impact your life, and 'trying it on' and experimenting with how the actual sizes and dimensions will feel.  

When I was a little girl I was fascinated with travel trailers and so wanted to live in one.  As an adult, my family grew (with four children) and we took in my mother as well, and our house grew to 4,000 square feet.  All of that space drove me crazy.  After many family changes I am now living in a small townhouse with my daughter, and for a time we lived in a 39' travel trailer.  We both loved it.  For me, small surroundings feel cozy, and safe.  I have no doubts that I'll be blissfully comfortable in a tiny house.  But I knew that I would have to really pare down my 'stuff' and give away many things that had sentimental value.  

I told myself that I will always have the memories associated with those things, and after all, the people we love are what are really important in our lives.  And I also know that other people can use and appreciate those pieces of furniture or useful objects that I give up.  I remind myself that part of the reason I want to live in a tiny house, with far fewer possessions, is to live more in keeping with the way the majority of the world lives.  Knowing that someone will be thrilled to find my pretty red casserole dish at the Goodwill store makes me feel good.  So now I am taking the necessary step of purging.  In planning my future tiny house I am looking, in detail, at how much of what I now own can come with me. 

I have read a few people say that you have to really think about your priorities.  And I am looking at how my small house will have to function for me.  I love the small sinks and RV type  cook-tops and ovens in tiny houses.  But I realized that the kitchen, and cooking and baking and canning, are a big part of my world.  So I added four feet to my original floor plan to accommodate a 24" gas range and double bowl sink.  I also made my bathroom larger, knowing that a tub I can soak in is important to me.  

In addition to the layout of a tiny house we have to decide how we will handle all the activities of daily life:

- where will we get our power from - electric? propane? solar? wind?  
- do we want to be able to live off grid?
- how will we heat and cool it? 
- how will we have water?  how will we heat our water?
- how will we deal with our waste products?
- how will we cook or keep food cool?

I know these things are really basic, but when you are going to live in a tiny house, with the ability to move your house at any time, you aren't limited like you are when you buy a house in a neighborhood or live in an apartment and all of those choices are already made for you.  

So the planning goes on and on right now.  With each decision made the reality of the house comes more into focus.  I would love to hear other people's thoughts on their priorities and how their small house will function for them.


 

Thank you!!

I want to say “thank you” to all the people that have shared their plans and dreams, building progress, tips and tricks, insights and lessons learned.  I am still finding new blogs, and I recently joined three google tiny house "communities".  I also want to say that Alex Pino's Tiny House Newsletter, that I receive through email, always brightens my day with tiny house news and stories.  Here are some of the blogs I really enjoy, and once again, thank you, to everyone that takes the time to share their adventures. 

http://tinyrevolution.us/
http://yneztinyhouse.blogspot.com/
http://www.thetinylife.com/
http://loganblairsmith.com/
http://minimotives.com/
http://chrisandmalissa.com/tropical-tiny-house-plans/
http://thetinydream.com/the-tiny-house/
https://tinyhouseontheprairies.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/our-new-home/
http://www.almostglamping.com/
http://goldthreadtinyhouse.blogspot.com/

Here Goes....

I wasn't sure if I wanted to 'blog' about my tiny house build or not.  I decided to try this out for a couple of reasons, 1. to possibly be of some help to someone else out there, and 2. to document my progress. 

Every time I read a blog or watch a video about a tiny house build I am inspired.  It gives me hope that I can succeed in this endeavor too.  And while I see many young people building tiny houses I am also seeing many 'older' people too.  I am one of those older people (51 right now).  I'm going to be doing nearly all of the work by myself, so I guess if I can do it, so can someone else that may have doubts?  

In addition to the hope and inspiration that I gain from others' blogs, I also see the many variations and ideas that everyone comes up with.  The talent and creativity I've seen is amazing!  Sometimes just one different way of doing even something small helps me to think of a solution to a problem or a new way of achieving the result I want.  Or I just fall in love with a new feature I see and change my plan completely!

In documenting my progress I think it will help me to remain optimistic and focus on what I've achieved.  Journaling and writing has always helped me sort things out, and 'digest' the activities of life.  

Why do I think I can build a real house?  Well, in past years my children and I built a barn and several other farm buildings.  I learned a great deal through all of that, and I love designing and building simple, beautiful structures.  Now that there are also so many resources online to help, I am choosing to be confident that I will succeed at this!  My children are incredibly loving and supportive, and even if they can't help a lot physically, their emotional support feeds my soul.  After several years of debilitating illness I want to show them, and myself, that I am a healthy, strong person again.  

I remember the incredible feeling of building our barn - I knew every nail, screw, hinge, 2x4, and sheet of plywood.  I had an intimate, often love-hate, relationship with my circular saw and drivers.  And when it stormed, and I waited it out in the barn with our sheep and goats, I felt an amazing sense of ... I can't even think of a word for it... intimacy comes to mind again, and a bit of pride I guess.  It was big and strong and despite it's flaws it was beautiful to me, and I built it.  I want to have that same feeling with my house.  

In the 12 years since I lost my farm I haven't had a "home".  With each house or apartment I never felt settled. I am so yearning to finally have a place that truly feels like home, and I think I will feel that through building this little house.  I almost called this blog "finally, home", but I wanted to put the word "tiny" in the title so that people looking for blogs about tiny houses could find it easier?  I am a Michigander, and my daughter tells me I am fierce and tough like our state's mascot, the wolverine, so that became the name.