The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on August 18, 2013, 02:09:01 PM
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/11282615
Oh my.
Flaxbee (12,723 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 09:03 PM
I don't want a "tiny" house. I think i'd go crazy. Not because I want a lot of stuff, or even have a lot of stuff, but because I like a little space and I don't want to live right on top of the cats' litter boxes (we have 5 cats, must have 3 litterboxes, minimum).
I get pissed off quickly if I'm crowded, cracking my elbows on door frames, etc.
Now, we currently rent a small house, about 760 livable square feet (basement is not livable for humans - the ceiling is so low my husband can't stand up to his full height (6'4") nor can I if I'm in heels), but the cats are happy to play there and visit two of their three aforementioned litter boxes).
However, I think that if we had use of both the upstairs and 'downstairs' (basement), that would be AMPLE space. It's just the two of us and our five felines. Huge amount of space, if used correctly / designed well. If we even had a full 1000 square feet, it would be comfortable. We'll probably end up with a little more because it'd be nice to have an annex office ... but again, if we had about 1250-1500 sq. feet (including the office) it'd be perfect.
Even if we could afford a super giant mansion, I don't want one. I want a very energy efficient, extremely well built, convenient home that doesn't take weeks to clean. And that has only a few functional, regularly used items be they furniture, clothing, home appliances, etc.
How about you? Could you live in a "tiny" house? One of those tumbleweed ones ( http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/ )? What space do you think you need to feel personally comfortable but not extravagant and wasteful?
Curmudgeoness (11,096 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 10:01 PM
1. I have seen those tiny houses, and there is no way that I could live in one....unless I lived somewhere where I could be outside almost all the time. That would open up the livable space for me. I don't know what the square footage would be that I would want, but I have had a dream of a small cabin/cottage type, with one large room, a small kitchen, a small bathroom, and a bedroom above, like a loft. I stayed in a cabin at Yosemite that was like this----it was an a-frame. The only problem with it was that there was only a bathroom downstairs, and at night in the dark, it was no fun to navigate the stairs, which were steep. That would have to be remedied.
I have learned to hate basements...always moldy and mildewed. But having that area for storage is great.
Flaxbee (12,723 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 11:24 PM
2. I don't like basements, either. I can handle "walk out basements" partially built into a hill, because the first floor ("basement") has windows or a door you can open to fresh air. But so many of them are built so poorly that there is always seepage and mildew. Yuk. I know a house can be engineered and built so that doesn't happen - after all, there are terrific energy efficiencies that result from building under/below ground level (warmer in winter, cooler in summer - our basement is so much more stable, temperature-wise, than the above-ground level), but I think it takes a very skillful engineer and very skillful/honest contractor to pull it off.
I know the kind of house you mean - small cabin with upper loft - and I also realized there was no freaking way, especially if I lived in the house as I aged - that I'd want to shimmy up and down steep stairs (or a ladder, god forbid) if I had to pee at night. No.
Curmudgeoness (11,096 posts) Wed Aug 14, 2013, 06:24 PM
6. LOL, yes, there is a downside to that loft.
I love the idea of a loft to keep the sleeping area away from the living area. But the solution should be easy if I am just dreaming...and that is to have a bathroom up in the loft as well as downstairs. Actually it would be better for me to have a full bath above and just a half bath downstairs.
But as I get older, I do think that having stairs is not the best move. Too many older people that I know are moving into homes on one level with no steps to navigate because they can be daunting.
So, are you thinking of moving or building? Or is this just an exercise in dreams? Do you want to downsize?
.....and now.....the cbayer primitive, who lives on a boat and wants everybody to know it:
cbayer (122,608 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 11:52 PM
3. I live in a very, very tiny house and I love it.
We essentially live off the grid. No pets, which I think helps a lot.
I like that we use the space so efficiently. We have staked out our own spaces and kind of have a rule that if you bring stuff on, you have to take stuff off (kind of).
The thing about space, imo, is that you will fill it.
Same goes for water, electricity and holding tank capacity.
I miss a garden and would love a bathtub once in a while, but those are small things to give up in the long run.
And the ability to clean quickly and easily is a big benefit.
But everyone is different, and that is what makes life interesting.
Flaxbee (12,723 posts) Wed Aug 14, 2013, 01:13 PM
4. I think one pet would be easy - dog or cat - but multiple pets does make a real difference in terms of space (esp. if you're on a boat!)
I'm sort of paranoid about fresh water; not sure if I could handle a boat / having to worry about fresh water. Everything else I think I could handle just fine (electricity, space, etc.). Husband lived on a houseboat on a big lake for a few years and loved it; we have talked about that, also, but I love the ocean and if we were on a boat at all and I could get past my water issue, I'd vote for the ocean.
But then again - a garden is something I've really grown to love.
Everything has its trade-offs, I guess.
cbayer (122,608 posts) Wed Aug 14, 2013, 03:23 PM
5. A lot of people on boats have pets.
We even knew a couple that had an iguana, a dog and a parrot, lol.
But it has some inherent downsides, imo.
We carry about 150 gallons in clean aluminum tanks, but better yet, we have a water maker. It's makes the freshest, purest, most uncontaminated water you could imagine. Far superior to anything you could buy or get through a public system.
Living on a boat can be challenging, but also idyllic. I sometimes forget exactly how fortunate I am.
The empressof all (27,813 posts) Thu Aug 15, 2013, 04:18 PM
7. I understand how you feel
I am moving from 3600 feet into 1600 square feet in a few weeks and worried about how it will work. The reality is that with two people you can make do with even smaller spaces than that, if you organize and plan correctly. I think you need light, air and the ability to close a door on each other when needed. We found we really only used three or four rooms plus the kitchen and bathrooms on a regular basis anyway. I don't know if I would be able to handle a really small place because I do like my alone time and I need that door quite a bit as my SO is a yacker and if I am within eyesight he is talking.
With a good design I probably could get down to 800 square feet but it would need a great design and solid doors.....maybe with a lock...
ConcernedCanuk (12,377 posts) Sat Aug 17, 2013, 08:27 AM
8. My new home, first one I ever owned, is 900 square feet.
Just about right for me - no upstairs, no basement, so heat costs are minimal.
Fortunate to have 2 large garages, as well as a 8x16 foot bunkhouse with 2 beds for guests.
Kitchen and living room are open concept using half the house, so quite spacious for such a small house.
3 bedrooms and bathroom are off to the sides.
Both the bunkhouse and the main house have good airtight wood stoves,
main house also has a propane wall furnace, and electric in the bathroom.
I'm in Northern Ontario, and retired -
I wanna be warm!
And I will be.
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I would've thought that more DUmmies would be all for living in tumbleweed houses since no sane person would ever live in one.
(http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/Delmar59/tiny-house-20100729-125801_zpscb6bb13c.jpg) (http://s1095.photobucket.com/user/Delmar59/media/tiny-house-20100729-125801_zpscb6bb13c.jpg.html)
Though one would make a cute, classy playhouse for someone's daughter.
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Curmudgeoness (11,096 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 10:01 PM
I have learned to hate basements...always moldy and mildewed. But having that area for storage is great.
DUmmie has no clue what function a dehumidifier performs.
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Curmudgeoness (11,096 posts) Tue Aug 13, 2013, 10:01 PM
I have learned to hate basements...always moldy and mildewed.
As always, the DUmmy has things exactly wrong.
The only bad things about red state hell are the Central Time Zone and no basements.
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Dear DUmmie Dickweeds:
I've lived in smaller confines than pretty much anyone there on that board will ever consider.
Just because I've done it doesn't mean I want to keep doing it. No. I like my carbon footprint, bitches. I have the money to live a certain lifestyle, and I shall do so.
Don't like it?
Tough shit.
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I would've thought that more DUmmies would be all for living in tumbleweed houses since no sane person would ever live in one.
(http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/Delmar59/tiny-house-20100729-125801_zpscb6bb13c.jpg) (http://s1095.photobucket.com/user/Delmar59/media/tiny-house-20100729-125801_zpscb6bb13c.jpg.html)
Though one would make a cute, classy playhouse for someone's daughter.
My camper has more space than one of those "houses".
I'm sure it's a wet dream of Barry's to have all Americans living in one of those "houses".
We already have a few places like that here already.
They're called "trailer parks". :lmao:
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I know these people and their basements! Scumbags!
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I know these people and their basements! Scumbags!
My girlfriend and Hubby bought a condo with both attic and basement. They put in a small kitchenette and half bath in the cellar, walled off one area for a Murphy Bed, rest of cellar was set up like a game room, pool table, bar, a couple couches and comfortable chairs.
Summers they live down there no air conditioning needed. Winters they close it off and live up stairs, so much room for just 2 people.
Then the last DC trip I took had on the mall an exhibition of a Canadian School of design for compact homes suited for the cold climate and just 2 people.
The structures were built at the school and trucked in on flat bed trailers and unloaded open to the public free naturally. Really well designed with comfort in mind. Not one square inch of the homes was not used. Sort of a ---- We all live on a Yellow Submarine thinking.
Bathrooms, now most used the same design, a coat closet size room where one would sit on the toilet and a wall mounted shower would drain from a grate in the floor.
Living rooms in some reminded me of the set up in my travel trailer, a U shaped seating with a collapsible table in the middle. The seating could be expanded to make a queen size bed for guests.
I will bet my bottom dollar that the students spend much time touring travel trailers for ideas.
Some of the homes were strange, one shaped like an igloo had perhaps 6 inches of dirt around it held to the shape with wire and vegetables planted all over the structure. Come winter the 6 inches of dirt was just another type of insulation to keep the cold and wind out.
I would think the windows were the most expensive thing in the whole house. Had one home built for the arid areas hot year round that caught my eye, They blew up a big balloon of heavy plastic and then sprayed on some kind of cement let it dry collapsed the balloon and the home could withstand 130 mph winds. This was for both arid and coastal areas and designed to be placed on stilts.
We have some wonderful imaginative kids out there designing compact homes for the future.
Sort of in a race with the Japanese to build these compact homes that one does not get claustrophobic living in.
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(basement is not livable for humans - the ceiling is so low my husband can't stand up to his full height (6'4") nor can I if I'm in heels)
Now WHAT activity would DUmmies do in basements that require HEELS? The visual is just to disgusting... :leghump:
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I would've thought that more DUmmies would be all for living in tumbleweed houses since no sane person would ever live in one.
Though one would make a cute, classy playhouse for someone's daughter.
Unless all the trees in that area grow slanted in the same direction, that so-called house has a serious list to port.
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Unless all the trees in that area grow slanted in the same direction, that so-called house has a serious list to port.
Maybe it's that guy's swishy hips that are creating an optical illusion?
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Until we managed to move out of town, we lived in a house with less than 1000 square feet of living space (the garage brought it up to almost 1200), and there were routinely 6 of us,and also 4 dogs, 3 cats, 2 birds, a rabbit and a turtle. At times, when a someone's friend stayed over or needed a place to stay, we were up to 9 or 10 for a while.
I wouldn't mind living in a tiny house when it's just me...so long as some child is willing to move out here and take the big house. :-)
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Until we managed to move out of town, we lived in a house with less than 1000 square feet of living space (the garage brought it up to almost 1200), and there were routinely 6 of us,and also 4 dogs, 3 cats, 2 birds, a rabbit and a turtle. At times, when a someones friend stayed over or needed a place to stay, we were up to 9 or 10 for a while.
I wouldn't mind living in a tiny house when it's just me...so long as some child is willing to move out here and take the big house. :-)
The years went by and the kids began to leave home one by one. Sold the big house when there was just us two, down scaled to two bedroom apartments, still too big, the extra bedroom was too tempting for the kids that came home from time to time to stay just a few days----right, some brought their kids with them and stayed for months.
Big mistake, we could not resist the home we bought unfortunately it has 3 bed rooms and a family room. 6 months after buying Hubby's brother moved in with us, then a year later my daughter displaced from her home came to spend a month with her 4 kids. Turned out to be like 6 months actually.
BIL stayed 14 years before moving out. Finally just us two again and Mother decides to clean out her home of family stuff and now two bedroom are full of boxes of stuff I should sell or give away to my children as part of Moms Estate.
We live in essentially 4 rooms, living room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen. We do not need 2 extra bedrooms a guest bathroom a laundry room or a family room.
If I could find a two car garage on 1/4 acre of land I could convert it into a one bedroom home and have space left over. No feelings hurt when turning down anyone from spending but one night on the sofa. Utility bills would be slashed by 3/4, house cleaning cut by hours, a place for everything and every thing kept in its place. No more wandering about wondering where I had or Hubby had put something.
I adore the Japanese style of built ins and sliding walls, Murphy beds and convertible furnishings that can have triple use. Tables with shelves under them that can be used as a coffee table or sat on for a seat, In my home something to put ones feet up on.
Status symbols are no longer the big homes for the empty Nester's, the yard work involved, high taxes and huge utility bills. All that money can now go into luxury items, expensive curtains, bed linens that cost a fortune. Perhaps a couple good pieces of Art for the walls, one pair of $400.00 shoes with matching bag. A maid service to come in once a week to do windows and floors.
Imagination and ingenuity for those living on retirement when every penny counts. A retired couple bought into the old section of our Village a run down single wide trailer. Paid about $12,000 for it, took $15,000 out of their retirement fund and had a child who was in school for design come and rebuild the inside. This 14x50 trailer about 700 SQ feet, was a work of art. Walls were knocked down and all inside doors , glass French, slid into the wall. The outside walls inside were covered in knotty Pine paneling, All the floors covered in a red brick motif Linoleum, one would believe those were really bricks on the floor. No curtains just wood shutters that were of the type that were collapsed against each other.
The kitchen was much like mine, no doors on the cabinets above and the below cabinets had curtains of small red and white check design to match the brick linoleum. Kitchen table was a 4 setter wood pick nick table with attached seats they had sanded down and covered with some kind of plastic to a warm glow. The metal pieces were sanded and painted a copper color.
One of the most comfortable and welcoming homes I have ever been in.
Bathroom , the tub was removed and a big shower in its place.
Bedroom was just that a place to sleep, but IIRC the doors to the built in cabinets had also been removed and wicker baskets held clothing, they did splurge on the big closet by buying a closet organizer that amped up storage space by 25%. Hard to believe they did all this for $15,000.
And the family living on #SS is the only family in her area to have once a week cleaners come in.
Cost $17,000, paid in full. Taxes $900 a year. Lot rent, $400.00 Utilities + cable and phone. $150.00
$625.00 a month to own their own home that frankly I would rather live in then this money hole.