Clothesline Tiny Homes Featured on CNN

Almost two months ago I participated in a CNN “iReport” about tiny living.  Today, the full article came out featuring all of the contributors’ stories.  So inspirational to read about all the people embracing smaller living.  And so invigorating to see myself quoted in an article for CNN!

Tiny Homes hit the big city – CNN.com

Read the full article here on CNN.  I’m quoted at the end of the story, along with several others in the tiny house community.

If you scroll through the photos at the top you can read the whole story we wrote about Clothesline Tiny Homes for CNN.  Or click here.

I also really enjoyed Andrew Odom’s report about Tiny r(E)volution.  You can find that by scrolling through the photos at the top of the main story, or click here for a direct link.

happy Friday!

– Carrie

The Downsizing Discussion

I read a really great post this morning by Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens and I wanted to re-post it for you all to read.  She discusses her and her husband’s journey toward downsizing and I was surprised to find out that it was actually her husband that pushed for living in a smaller house….and she was initially very resistant to the idea!

Here’s the article:  How to Negotiate Downsizing – On Becoming Minimalist

My story is similar:  Shane and I were living in a two bedroom house that we were renting – paying about $1,200 a month after utilities (which is relatively cheap in the housing world).  We were spending way too  much of our income on mere shelter and kept hitting a wall when we talked about our dream of building our own house on some land.  (and raising chickens etc.)  How were we ever going to save enough money to buy some land outright and build a house?  Given the unlikelihood of winning the lottery, and our failure to win big at the slot machines, it was not going to be possible if we were spending all of our income on our current shelter.

When Shane suggested living in a Tiny House I instantly bristled – “how many square feet is it?  so it’s the size of some people’s closets?  where will I do yoga?  where will I work on my projects?  where will I put all of my furniture?  how will we get enough space so we don’t fight all the time!?”  And finally… “NOOOOOOOO!”

After I realized Shane was NOT letting go of this idea, I spent about a week researching tiny houses, minimalism, and voluntary downsizing.  I found so many people (including Rowdy Kittens) who have found great happiness in paring down their belongings and getting back to a basic form of shelter.

I was inspired to try something different and get back to basics.

Wishing you all great courage to follow your dreams…

– Carrie

Simple Sunday: Thoreau

“Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.  With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor.  The ancient philosophers, Chinese, Hindoo, Persian, and Greek, were a class than which none has been poorer in outward riches, none so rich in inward.”

— from “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau

Tiny House Furniture Inspiration

Thanks for everyone’s comments on the last blog I wrote about entitlement.  Fascinating stuff.  On a lighter note….

I saw a really cool custom cabinetry unit online yesterday.  It combines a fold-down table and a Murphy bed.  This would work great in a Tiny House that was intended for more of an art studio / guest house and didn’t have a loft.

designed by Sarah Zames of General Assembly

you can read the whole post about the custom casework and remodel project here at Design Sponge.

There’s another company that makes fold down furniture like this too: Resource Furniture and their line called Space Savers has a wealth of folding furniture.  Their site has cool little videos of the furniture in action.

Entitlement – The American Dream

I’ve been thinking a lot about entitlement lately.  Mainly in reaction to my own frustrations at living in less than 200 sf (with my husband and dog).  We’ve been living full time in our tiny house for 4 months now, and I have definitely been feeling the pains of adjusting to a different way of life.

• I have to wash my face in the kitchen sink, which requires that I put away all the dishes first!
• I have to sit down on the little stairs to access the closet to find something to wear
• I have to move the table and lift the couch cushions to get my helmet out to go for a bike ride
• I have to burn my poo for crying out loud!
• I don’t have room to work on art or make things
• I have to stow my computer away in a cubby every night and bring it out again every morning

The list goes on and on…  I can whine and blame with the best of them.  🙂

Tiny Hospitality, Podcasts, and Tiny House Furniture: a Swiveling Table

hello everyone!

well, it’s been three weeks of living in Santa Fe now, and we are loving it!  it’s great to have the house out on some land that provides some long views from the interior and a lot of exterior spaciousness.

Recent happs:

• Shane spoke on Tiny r(E)volution’s podcast about Tiny Living yesterday… you can listen to the podcast by clicking this link.
• My brother and his family visited us over the long weekend so we got to try out “Tiny Hospitality”…
• And a recent addition to our tiny house was a swiveling table…

Swivel table in the living room.