Mr. Jay Shafer is the responsible genius who came up with the idea for Tiny Houses! His company, known as Tumbleweed, is part of the tiny house movement. In 2002, he co-founded the Small House Society in Iowa City, Iowa. In 2003, Gregory Paul Johnson commissioned him to build The Mobile Hermitage, which became one of Tumbleweed’s first commercially sold houses.
When did Tiny Houses begin to flourish?
It turns out that during the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005, Marianne Cusato developed 308 square feet. hut constructions for homeless victims and small house movements flourished.
Want one? What to do next?
Identify the square footage you will need. Visit local prefabs to get an idea of what their minimum requirement is or rent a Tiny House for a weekend to take an appraisal and experience your practical life inside a Tiny House. Then start thinking and planning your setup and your storage needs. Slowly, but surely, you will begin to form your image of the interior of your Tiny House.
A prefabricated building of 320 m2. foot is enough to make it comfortable and the transition from big to small very easy. Some even include all appliances and HVAC systems. All you need to do is pay for the building (approximately $35K), plus taxes and transportation. Another alternative is to contact a builder of your choice.
You should also research the state laws and requirements for these Tiny Houses. A good resource for information is through The American Tiny House Association.
There are several different resources and websites that sell plans, workshops, existing real estate for sale, or even rentals. So these small houses are here to stay for a long time and a definitive solution to not paying a mortgage for 30 or 40 years.
Get creative inside tiny houses
Imagine inside a Tiny House and exactly what you expect to feel and be comfortable. Let’s entertain our thoughts right now… think about having enough kitchen cabinets, maybe a pull-out pantry, a small stove with an oven, enough counter space to prepare food, a small sink, cabinets for your bedroom, and where would it accommodate? in your washer/dryer combo, oh… and don’t forget your bathroom staples. Do you want a loft-style bedroom or on the same floor? If you have a loft, how are you going to want your staircase? Will you have storage under or inside your staircase? As for your living room area, get yourself a space-saving creative outfit with a small sofa with drawers or storage underneath, maybe a drop-top table for dining or working on a laptop and continue working on all your ideas by writing them down. Then, with all your ideas, prepare a layout drawing and include measurements.
There are many small-scale furniture ideas that save floor space. Sofas with storage drawers, corner desks, floating desks, folding tables with drop leaves, storage chests, Murphy beds, beds that slide out or up and down from the ceiling and many more. The truth is, whether inside a Tiny House or not, these are also great space-saving ideas for small apartments, small rooms, sunrooms, bedrooms, guest houses, studios, and even studios. Many innovative and creative ideas come to life every day from different sources and all because of the need for them. Well said by Plato “necessity is the mother of invention”.
Last but not least: a reality check
I recently read an article “Dear People Who Live in Tiny Houses – Medium” by Lauren Modery where she wrote this article about Tiny Houses and mentioned some harsh realities of living inside a Tiny House that weren’t that great, but the truth is that depending on However many square feet your Tiny House purchases, they could be custom made to be very comfortable and efficient. You’ll enjoy many great experiences, like being able to take off whenever you want to travel, enjoy mortgage freedom, pay very low utilities, and receive lower property tax bills. Without a doubt, a great blessing!
But, in the end, it all comes down to planning wisely ahead of time by staying within your budget and making sure your expectations are met.