Could you, would you live in a tumbleweed or other tiny house? - Page 2

[Dabble]

Originally Posted by Irishmommy

Can I have a link please? Google can't find it!

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

[orangefoot]

I wouldn't go that small with 4 children out of choice! We are in a tiny house with 4 children and we are struggling with personal space and space to do stuff. Just the basic clothing and shoes for six people takes up a bit of space then cooking stuff on top of that and food storage.

Our footprint is approx 21ft x 13ft which is a teensy bit bigger than the Tumbleweed Harbinger. This is the floorplan of a house like ours but we don't have a garage.

The Harbinger has storage space in the loft which is a bonus but finding places to sit downstairs looks trickier. We struggle with this as we haven't got room for big floor cushions or a large sofa or lots of chairs.

[nascarbebe]

If that's all I could afford then I guess I'd have to deal with it. But by choice, NO WAY! When I was younger I lived in a tiny 2-bedroom, 1 bathroom house that I shared with 5 siblings and my mom and stepdad. We were always practically killing each other and we all still have the scars to prove it! We had no privacy or room to walk around or just think. I hated it. I don't live in a large home now (by modern standards) but it's split level and penty big for my family. DH has his office downstairs away from the main floor and it's really nice to get away from him Sometimes the kids follow him downstairs and watch DVDs with him and I get the main floor all to myself

[Hopefulmama]

I lived in a travel trailer with 4 other adults and it was crowded. There was no place to get away. I could live in a tumbleweed if it was just DH and I, but with 4 kids, I could not.

[Irishmommy]

Originally Posted by Dabble

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Thank you.

[LCBMAX]

For both inspiration and for a cautionary tale, watch a wonderful documetary movie called Surfwise.

Not applicable, but my experience: this summer we were 2 dogs and 2 parents and one toddler in a van that would otherwise seat 7. It took a huge amount of constant organizing and cleanup, but ultimately it was great for us all. We keep our van, and we always think: well, if things get too weird, or too tough...

[Eman'smom]

Me, no way, when we were a family of 4 we lived in an apt about 700ish square feet, there was just no room to breath. It's not just about stuff, even without stuff there just wasn't a place to get away.

[lovelysunlight]

Yes. I think you CAN live anywhere. Bloom where you're planted, that sort of thing. However...that would be a little small for me. My brother just built a 900 square foot home for my elderly aunt and uncle -- I could definitely live there with my family of 3, soon to be 4. The space is well designed and there are no dead spaces -- he made use of every single inch. I think we could go as low as 600 SF for a family of 4-6.

[EviesMom]

We live in about 600 square feet now, 4 of us. My main issue here is that it's an apartment so we have no outdoor space. My dream home is the Tumbleweed Enesti with a yard. I think I'd rather the smaller 650 version of it with something like a weebee out back as an office/guest house.

[Freedom~Mama]

I would love to buy a Tumbleweed house when DH and I retire and our kids are older. We would love to buy some land with a view of the mtns. and have a cute little house. For now though with 2 young girls there is no way. Our current place is 2 bed, 1 bath and about 600sqf and it is way too small for us now that the weather is getting cold. We are moving in a few months to a bigger place. Idealy with young kids I like having 1,000sqf. In the summer I don't really care because we are outside so much but in the winter it feels so cramped!

[caiesmommy]

ME ME ME!!! I want one of those!!!

I'm looking at the Loring and w the optional room you could have ds's take the loft, dd take the optional room and you have the livingroom area w a futon?

Oh the Harbinger w that little sitting room? that would make a cute tiny bedroom w a draw curtain for privacy

The bigger ones even have TWO bathrooms..my house doesn't even have two bathrooms!!!

there's me, ds and dd and I would SERIOUSLY!! do it in a heartbeat! I would love nothing more then to sell all this cr*p and live on a decent size chunk of land in one of those houses! I would prob go on the bigger side and have dc on the top floor(w there own bathroom) dh and I in the bottom room I will admit.

[ParisApril]

Retirement here I come!

When we are older we want to have a large piece of land up in Northern Ontario with a very small cabin on it. I have my own vision of what the floorplan will be(about 500sq/ft). We would like to have 1-2 guest bunkies as well. The tiny tumbleweeds would work great for that.

[Logan]

Personally the Tumbleweed houses make me feel claustrophobic just looking at them, though they are super cute. Im particularly bothered by the loft sleeping arragment as I hate the idea of climbing up into a tiny area to sleep. It would be cosy in winter I guess. If you were to do it you would need to build some kind of shelter/patio for rainy days- then you could cook under it outside. Moving anything that isnt absolutely neccessary outside.

But a small house, absolutely! We are in a very small 2 bedroom cottage and plan to stay here as our family grows. I want a HUGE family. Its all about layout though. We have one room as a playroom, and one is now a family closet and the other is going to be the family bedroom for now while the kids are so little. Then the play room will probably also be a bedroom for the older kids.

I reckon you should rent a caravan for a while first as its a similar set-up in a similar size. Just to get an idea of how you would be living before making such a huge investment. But if you like the tumbleweeds I say go for it. Ditch the stuff. Get really good at organization and just do it!

[sarahwpen]

Originally Posted by Logan

Personally the Tumbleweed houses make me feel claustrophobic just looking at them, though they are super cute. Im particularly bothered by the loft sleeping arragment as I hate the idea of climbing up into a tiny area to sleep. It would be cosy in winter I guess. If you were to do it you would need to build some kind of shelter/patio for rainy days- then you could cook under it outside. Moving anything that isnt absolutely neccessary outside.

But a small house, absolutely! We are in a very small 2 bedroom cottage and plan to stay here as our family grows. I want a HUGE family. Its all about layout though. We have one room as a playroom, and one is now a family closet and the other is going to be the family bedroom for now while the kids are so little. Then the play room will probably also be a bedroom for the older kids.

I reckon you should rent a caravan for a while first as its a similar set-up in a similar size. Just to get an idea of how you would be living before making such a huge investment. But if you like the tumbleweeds I say go for it. Ditch the stuff. Get really good at organization and just do it!

yeah, i am with her. i lived in a 28' camper trailer for about a year ith 3 kids under 6 and DH the "stuff junkie". I guess we are ok, but i am pretty sure it took a large chunk out of my sanity. My kids seem to have that same disregard for the mess around them that you see in dogs that grew up in cramped kennels without any room to run. We now live in a house that is 672 sq ft. and we have 4 kids now. This, i can make work, but i have to stay on top of it, and be more than a little strict about what we are allowed to "keep" out of the massive piles of stuff that seems to migrate our way.