I Saw a Tiny House!
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86778)
United States
December 16, 2015 7:23pm CST
I've opined about tiny houses before here and on Persona Paper. I'm on the fence about them: as I said here earlier (link to the original article below), I don't understand the notion of paying 20-30 times the going rate for square footage for a fad that I truly believe is going to fold in a few years. I wonder if people are getting into this because it's a twice-a-week feature (all night long twice-a-week feature) on the FYI network on television.
However, I can understand that the benefits can entice someone to invest in a tiny house. In the event of an emergency (such as the wildfires in the western U.S. or the hurricanes that hit the southeastern U.S. coasts) you don't have to worry about "what" to take, just take the whole dang house! 
If your job forces you to move, just hitch the tiny house to the back of a pick-up truck and take it with you (instead of having to deal with both selling the house you're living in and buying a new house at your new city).
And it's that latter notion -- the idea of moving the house -- that enabled me to see one "up close," sort of, last week. I was returning from a concert in Nashville when I saw a pick-up truck toting a tiny house down the interstate.
It was small -- of course -- fitting within the confines of the lane width (not wide enough to warrant an "oversized load" sign). But there it went, down the highway with no problems being towed by a good-sized pick-up truck.
I can understand, to a large degree (pardon the pun), the interest in tiny houses for people who would have to change locales regularly because of their job (such as servicemen). I think it's too cramped for a couple, and watching families on Tiny House Nation try to make it in a 300 square-foot crate with a couple of hyperactive kids is comical in a sad sort of way. Still, seeing a person toting their home to a new locale with no problem makes me understand why people would want one.
My original article:
If your job forces you to move, just hitch the tiny house to the back of a pick-up truck and take it with you (instead of having to deal with both selling the house you're living in and buying a new house at your new city).
And it's that latter notion -- the idea of moving the house -- that enabled me to see one "up close," sort of, last week. I was returning from a concert in Nashville when I saw a pick-up truck toting a tiny house down the interstate.
It was small -- of course -- fitting within the confines of the lane width (not wide enough to warrant an "oversized load" sign). But there it went, down the highway with no problems being towed by a good-sized pick-up truck.
I can understand, to a large degree (pardon the pun), the interest in tiny houses for people who would have to change locales regularly because of their job (such as servicemen). I think it's too cramped for a couple, and watching families on Tiny House Nation try to make it in a 300 square-foot crate with a couple of hyperactive kids is comical in a sad sort of way. Still, seeing a person toting their home to a new locale with no problem makes me understand why people would want one.
My original article:
I'm watching [i]Tiny House Hunting[/i] on the FYI channel. Apparently, 'tiny houses' (under 500 square feet) are quite the rage right now. I'm laughing at...
5 people like this
6 responses
@Angelee_27 (3460)
• United States
17 Dec 15
I just watched "house Hunters - Tiny House Edition" the other night! It was a family of five and they chose a home that was less than 200 sq. ft. My boyfriend and I were wondering how they are going to manage in such a small home with 3 small children. There were no bedrooms, only two small loft areas to sleep which you accessed by ladder.
1 person likes this
@Angelee_27 (3460)
• United States
17 Dec 15
@FourWalls No way! The parent's sleeping area was directly across from the children's sleeping area. I would say no more than 8ft. apart.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86778)
• United States
17 Dec 15
Living in a space that small pretty much guarantees they won't have a fourth child!!
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
17 Dec 15
I like tiny living spaces, it's one of my weird interests
Check this out as it's a very small house
Check this out as it's a very small house
Containing just two rooms Britain's Smallest House in Wales is a huge hit with tourists from America, Australia and Japan.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86778)
• United States
17 Dec 15
@Mike197602 -- understand, I've never been to England (but, as the song says, I kinda like the Beatles ), but what I have read and heard is that living spaces in the UK are generally smaller than here in the States. I love the original Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) series, and I always had to laugh when I saw Jeff's apartment: "he lives in something that small???"
), but what I have read and heard is that living spaces in the UK are generally smaller than here in the States. I love the original Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) series, and I always had to laugh when I saw Jeff's apartment: "he lives in something that small???" 1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
17 Dec 15
@FourWalls firstly i LOVED randall and hopkirk...used to watch it as a kid!!
From what i've seen of US properties (i've not been to the US) I'd certainly agree.
UK houses are much smaller until you get to stately homes then even your hollywood stars have little to compare to places like chatsworth etc.
predominantly though, land is cheaper in the US and you have way more wood houses there which we don't have so much here...our building costs are certainly higher.
Look at places like old boston and you'll get an idea of how closely packed some of our houses are...I've also seen english type living in philadelphia...predominantly in the east coast anyway....where our colonies used to be.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86778)
• United States
17 Dec 15
@Lolaze -- may I ask if your friend lived in a tiny house by herself or with someone? It seems to me that a lot of tiny houses would be perfect for single people. Families, though, make it seem like you'd have to go outside to change your mind!
