I applaud this young couple! They really are at the forefront of environmental conservation, paving a way for others to live better lives with Mother Earth...brilliant!
Thankyou for standing up and telling us about your tiny house and sorry you had to read the awful comments here from people who are unaware of the fact that millions of people worldwide have babies, live, function and survive in small spaces, with less stuff, and without washing machines and public speaking skills. I found your talk inspiring and thought provoking, and I found many of the comments revealing about a society that are nasty, critical, judgemental and mean.
I would've saved so much money if I'd known about minimalism/tiny houses at this couple's age. Not that I necessarily would've chosen a tiny house, but I would have gotten out of that idea that a big house meant that "we have arrived." What a big house REALLY meant, after I got married and had a baby, was a lot of house to clean/maintain while taking care of a baby who seemed to never want to sleep!
I have been watching so many ted talks based on minimalism and it all started from watching minimalism documentary on netflix. I am proud to say I have finally donated almost 70% of my closet and it does feel liberating.
Awesome! I'm still living in a student sized appartement. I looked at it in the past and thought, why don't i just stay right here. It's a bit of a wonky space but it suits me fine. I'm amazed at how i'm still able to improve the flow every day. I won't pay for anything i don't need and then end up as one of those people constantly excusing the mess and never being happy with what they have, eternally 'decluttering'. I have this space, this is the maximum amount of stuff i can have in it. End of story. So liberating. Happy travels!
I noticed living in a smaller home somehow my family actually grew closer. We spent more time together. There should be a balance, not big and not too small. If i is too big there will be more maintenance to do and sometimes there is not enough time to dedicate to it's maintenance and then you have too small, not practical and now you wish you had a little more elbow room. So it all comes down to balance. I think most people do have too much. Too much house. or too many little things or too many activities. my home was 650sqft. I did need a little more elbow room and I would be perfectly content with 900-1000 sqft. I was also forced to cut down on unecessary things. This made a huge difference in my peace of mind. less stuff less things to worry about or meddle with.
Love the bee hives outside! This is not something that would normally be accommodated in a trailer park; while trailer parks are still more affordable and often more efficient than larger residences, for people with a vision like them they need a separate space for the other parts of their lives that extend outside as part of their sustainability. It's nice to know they can always expand or move on to another space and sell this to another person with sustainable house goals.
We resonated with the quote "...there's a certain reluctance of our generation to settle down." We definitely fall into that category, and that's why we are in the process of building our own Tiny House in Cleveland, Ohio. Loved your message; it is very worth spreading.
+The Tiny Things In life Congrats, that's super awesome! My family is still in the early planning stages but it's such an amazing movement. It gives young couples and even older people a lot more options for freedom from huge monthly bills and debt. Good luck with everything and enjoy yourselves!
There have been people in the US living in trailers and small spaces forever. I personallyhave been living in just over 100sq for over a decade. The cost of homes is so high today its just not feasible and more important worth the effort and cost for a home. We need "trailer parks" that are updated and nice- think more like marina rather then run down property and broken cars. The big question is- Would you choose to live simply by choice- even if you have the financial ability to live bigger. Live simply so others may simply live" Gandhi
Its interesting to note, how simplified life can be if we start downsizing. More healthy, happy and financially stable. Tiny homes doesn't have to be Tiny rather with one's Wants and Needs you can decide how to plan out your dream.
i was working far from my home town for 20 years when i returned i was a little shocked how small the house i grew up in it seemed much bigger when i was young
poor people have lived in caravans for ages. This is a celebration of poverty. In the 50's a man's salary could cover a big house, a stay at home wife, and money left over for vacations. Today's workers have to choose to be "house poor" or to not have a decent house at all and that is with two incomes.
Unfortunately most Americans have bought into the material mental matrix. That someone driving a ford escort that running well and paid for is less worthy than someone that's driving a 2016 BMW.
For all the tiny house owners, I have a practical question, do you have an "address'? Most of the legal paperwork ,like drivers' license, utilities, bank account.... etc, requires that you need a physical address. Especially when you are on the move, how do you deal with the 'address' ? Or you only have a PO Box??? Would that be legit??
How much does the tiny home weigh ? What kind of truck do u use to tow it ? Miles per gallon when towing ? Have you added electric brakes to the tiny home ?
Not sure you will get an answer to your good questions from the people at TED, or the presenters. I will offer my thoughts for you. Weight. Depends on size, construction materials and contents. However, for the typical 'tiny home' you would d be looking at 10,000 lbs to 16,000 lbs. A standard 3/4 ton truck would suffice. Mine will be 8x28' and be near 16,000 lbs. Many tiny home dwellers don't regularly travel with them. The trailer is about having the freedom to move when you like. In some cases, moving with in the property you are on to maximise using the environment for energy harvesting and/or passive air & light control. Such as when the season change. Many will not even own the vehicle that may use them., rather, they will rent or borrow on the occasion it is needed. -MPG will be dependent on many factors. Is nearly moot though, especially if not always on the move and considering one would not have rent/mortgage and probably be debt free, as the majority of tiny home dwellers are. I can rent a truck for less than $30 a day, insured and just add the cost of fuel. Sort of become irrelevant-- if not always on the move. Though the average Canadian (I'm Canadian, so I'll speak to that statistic) owns 4-6 homes in there life and will move more than that. That is near my situation and I'm just middle aged! Each move has cost $1000-$5500 dollars. When one calculates the 20-40 year perspective of shelter and moving costs, and volatile housing markets that may lead to a loss every move... having one home on a trailer is far less costly. -Electric breaks are required for various transport laws and are just good sense.
Robert thanks for ur very helpful reply! Looking at doing this and the info helps. Is it safe to assume u might be going with 2x 10,000 pound axles to support the weight of ur 16,000 pound tiny home with a good margin of safety ? Are u getting a pre-made trailer or having one welded up for ur exact size and weight carrying requirements?
The trailer will be custom made from engineer drawings. Ours will have three axles. Each rated at 7,000 lbs. The trailer accounts for about 1/5 the cost. Custom and the costs associated are essential in our home design.
Robert Leonardo Yeah, and besides the cost of each move, each time you buy and sell a house, you pay thousands of dollars in closing costs and fees, plus the realtor gets a hefty percentage. That's like throwing money away, In that sense, a tiny home makes better sense, but few can live that sparingly.
MinnesotaMichele few CHOOSE to live sparingly. Until forced to by economic downfall. A trend of rethinking is happening though. Our survey here, www.tinyhomealliance.ca shows the the beginning of change in my country.
Like the stairs that double as dresser draws. Do you still have to be hooked up to public utilities ? The composting toilet ; do you have to mess with that (a lot ? ) ; empty it ; clean it , etc., ? What do you do with the composted poop ? Ok you answered the utility question ; batteries / generator ; do you also have a solar panel ? Ok ; composting toilet ; wood shavings ; '...it's in there waiting to be used for composting your garden later..." ; how much later. What do you do with it if your don't have a garden ? Do you collect rainwater ? Go to the gym to shower; to the laundromat to do laundry; to the library to........ read ; get accosted by vagrants and just get away from it all ? I like being at home to much to hassle with having to run all over town to get the necessities done. The lack of home maintenance ; mowing ; snow removal; etc; is very appealing. : Yeah ; if you are going to travel ( a lot) ; you are hardly ever in the tiny house; I'm not sure if it's worth even having a house if you aren't going to live in it that much in fact ; it's just another anchor holding you down. It might be cheaper ; instead of seeing all the sites in the U.S., that actually cost you money to go to and don't give you back anything ;except in memories ; would be to travel to places where living; renting ; eating etc are cheap ; (Panama for example; Mexico; Philippines; Thailand) . I haven't figured it out yet but if you live outside the U.S., for 6 mo or more I think you pay less taxes. It would mean arranging your life around cheap travel opportunity but........ I guess you have chosen the mid range between actually giving up a home base and taking off completely and having a traditional space. Children , family etc would make that decision for you. Without those things holding you back ;you might be able to go to more interesting places; Europe, for example ; who doesn't want to travel Europe ? I guess it comes down to determining how much you really need . I don't know if I could live 'tiny' . If I did I think I'd go for a more astere home without the frills. The fancy wood paneling is nice but not necessary. Instead of a second story I'd rather have a double space one story ; the size of a double wide trailer house; then I'd wonder how a tiny home (x2) would compare to a double wide. Then if you had two ; it would cost more to move it. You still have the problem of having a property to park it on. Do you rent it, buy it , borrow the property ? Seems that if you are going to have to have a property you may as well build a small house (on a slab ; with a storm shelter which would be more $$) . It's nice to have the flexibility of being able to move the tiny house when you want to ; to another location or city or whatever ; how much does it cost to do that ? I don't know ; it just seems like a lot to pay for what you get. Seems like you could build a small house (very minimal with your own design ; if just one person; you don't need all the walls and rooms of a traditional house; basically you just need the bathroom to have walls ; esp if you live alone). The utility issues ; is an issue ; the less you have to mess with something ; the better. You also have to spend extra money on the generator (gas for that when needed). Spend a lot in gas having to go do things outside the home ; like laundry etc. ; ok , if you are going to be out anyway ; not so good when you have to make special trips ; esp if you live in the country. No garage for your vehicles ; I've found that having a good garage has extended the life of my vehicle. Of course, it costs more for the house to have a garage but it also saves the auto ; it sort of balances out.
Your statement of, "I guess it comes down to determining how much you really need ." is exactly it. Humans need very little to live happy and healthy. In fact there is much research and social/cultural studies that shows less equates to more internal happiness and life satisfaction as those with less possessions are dealing with less stresses. Often, our wants cloud the true values of the heart often. The whole "American Dream" thing is revealed to be grasping at smoke for a huge amount of the North American population. Yet, it is that vary pursuit that drives economics, so an alternate (minimalist) lifestyle that tiny house living can bring is difficult for some to grasp. I have chosen the venture of building and owning my own tiny home for MANY reasons, but chief among them is purely economics. The "business of my household", if you will. In a word, sustainability. When comparing current state (condo mortgage, mortgage interest, maintenance fees and utilities) vs. future state (well made tiny home, mostly off grid with little costs to operate), I will recover $33% of my gross income in 3-4 years. In 5-7 years it will be around 41-50% That is calculating inflation and alternate expenses of lifestyle elements that living in a tiny house would have. Though, there is very little as it is about harvesting natural energy, using less and yet living more. All that income that is not by default outgoing.... that does open for some greater options in life. If that was a proposal put to a business for cost reduction where they still have the quality of production and service (or whatever measure of output/investment ratio), few would dismiss it. Somehow, we don't think of ourselves as a business and our own economic structure, yet we are! Again there are many reasons I am perusing my tiny home but the spark is that I am looking at 'personal life' as business. It is all about income and outgoing. We can't always control the income, but we can do something about the outgoing. We just need to rethink. My life situation is not as everyone else's, so each must do there own calculations for themselves. However, I am on par for the typical disappearing middle class, both statistically and by grass-roots-struggle-talk that is common around the water cooler!
Robert Leonardo Thank you for taking the time to respond. I commend you on your diligence and commitment to this project. If everything goes well I'll be joining you off the grid soon. All the best !
Absolutely! And...the 3-8 lb elephant in the room: the imminent baby. That changes *everything* and then some. I commented about the practical concerns with babies, space requirements, smells, crying, need for quiet sleep, all the crap they need. You're crazy if you believe everything will fit in one drawer. If you do you ain't ready for this. No how and no way. A baby will introduce you to a different world of existence. They truly, no shit, change EVERYTHING.
Robert Leonardo Of course. It goes without mention, Robert. Of course humans have done it since recorded time. That's NOT the point. I wanted them to talk more about what creative solutions they've made to accommodate the baby. They babbled on and on about everything but a single blithe mention of her pregnancy. Which seems curiously oblivious to practicalities. Maybe if they showed their areas planned to keep the baby, supplies, etc., it's not beyond expectation prospective parents considering a tiny house would be interested. In essence: Sounds pretty, guys, so how will it work?
So if you live in a tiny home you have to borrow things from people that live in a regular size home. Basically treating your friends like a storage unit. Same goes for. The gym and library. They should try living in a tiny home without borrowing from others. What if everyone lived in tiny homes. Where would they borrow things from then? Also, they rely upon a mill to get wood shavings for their toilet. How many beautiful aspen trees had to be cut down/killed for their tiny house? Which means those beautiful trees are no longer there for others to enjoy. This entire thing smacks of self-centeredness.
Cute but silly. These two bought a bunch of new materials, and a giant truck and built a brand new tiny home. Why didn't they just move into a trailer park? They could have saved a bunch of money and they would get to know a lot of people who live on way fewer resources than this couple ever thought possible.
+Beth Donnelly there are some benefits you are ignoring such as moving the house cheaply or not being around people when you dont want to. trailer parks charge you a fee as well/ i dont think they wanted that expense.
She's pregnant. They didn't say boo about that and how will they adjust their space. I'd like to see how this works out for them. Handling sleep, requirements for quiet, poop smells that would peel paint, crying, parental sleep deprivation, and jangled nerves are all part of the bargain. I'm not being negative; babies are a fine addition to society. I just know how this shit goes down. They don't seem to know what they're in for. Babies require a lot of stuff, much more than you think. These two probably think they will bring home the ideal quiet baby that's open to engaging in reasoned, witty repartee, (pre-housebroken) that would be immediately compatible and embrace their evolved ethic. Using disposable diapers? Recyclable, but a freaking arm and leg. So is a diaper service. You gonna wash them yourself? Good luck with that. Stinky, nasty mess that will last exactly *one* week, tops. There's a *LOT* of stuff nobody's talking about that doesn't mesh with all the idealism and untried practicalities. A baby will catapult you to a whole new level of existence you hadn't counted on, at all. I wish them all the luck in the world. I just wonder if they thought all this through.
Maybe some babies require less stuff. Lots of babies have so many clothes and toys that they only get to use them once ( if at all ) before they've grown out of them.
Smithpolly Sorry for the wall of text, but: Y-e-a-h....that's absolutely true! However, clothes and toys aren't the whole picture. Stuff like diapers-where are they gonna go? People with babies don't buy them one bunch at a time, and you better believe they go through a shit-ton (no pun intended). Going out late at night to replenish well and truly sucks. What about baby food, bottles, or if the mother does breast milk, bottles to pump 'n' serve? Inherently, babies need a LOT of stuff, and even if though you cut the amount of necessities to the bone, even *that* can amount to a surprising amount. The thing is that babies tend to roar through clean clothes and diapers, bibs, food, etc. like nobody's business. You change that bottom A LOT. I would have been happy if one of the couple had said *anything* remotely addressing preparations and arrangements for the baby, that's all. They didn't seem to be concerned much whether viewers would be interested, as I am, on seeing this work beyond a starry-eyed idealism that doesn't jibe with, well, real life.
Cruithne Acutally I would say the opposite. Babies inherently need very few things. A few changes of clothes, a box of diapers at a time or 10-20 cloth diapers, or you can do Elimination Communication like many "primitive" peoples do, reducing the amount of diapers further, food, which can be bottles or breast. And if it is breast, all that's needed is the breast and baby. My mother and grandmother never needed bottles, pumps or anything, and probably would choose not to use them even now if they had young babies. A few toys can be helpful, but most things around the house double as toys. If the baby gets taken outside a lot, the need for toys is further reduced. And yes, I have had a baby in the house, so I do know what they're like. For me, a washer would be a necessity, but they could always have a 5 gallon bucket manual washer for emergencies if needed.
Elimination Communication? Is that when the child tells you they gotta shit and you plop them on the nearest wastebasket? ; P (Sorry, couldn't resist.) But you do have a point! It's just that running out of stuff is such a drag, and maybe I've always been able to stock up. I stubbornly assert, as is my original comment, that the couple needed to address the new baby's needs in other than an offhand comment. Maybe they would update the viewers somehow so we could see how they made it work out.
And BTW, thank you all for your comments. I appreciate the novel approaches to child rearing a tiny house would necessitate. Maybe more builders and owners would address the topic, since all the videos of families have older children.
I'm a huge lover of the tiny home movement but sadly I was put off by their public speaking skills. They have such a important and positive message to share but I feel like it's was lost in translation a bit. I wish they would have tried to engage with their audience and speak with more enthusiasm. A session with a speech coach would have been invaluable, it's a shame the person running the event didn't make the recommendation or the couple take it upon themselves to seek out the help. They seem like kind people and I wish them well but I hope If they agree to do something like this again in the future they take some time to polish their presentation skills.
+MetusBatboy All over the world we require students to master these skills because they are very important especially in the work place. Sorry but I don't think that two professionally minded adults in their 30's should be exempt from possessing those skills. I totally understand that many people are uncomfortable with public speaking and I feel for them, but when you agree of your own free will to do something like this event you are agreeing to adhere to very specific and rigid social norms and should do your best to deliver your material in the expected and accepted manner. Whoever was in charge of the event could have set them up with a speech coach but it doesn't seem like that happened and I find that to be unprofessional from all the parties involved, especially since people took time out of their lives to be there in person. Those of us watching at home had the luxury of choosing to move on (or not) from the video, the audience members did not. Maybe you're confused but my comment was not an attack, it is simply my opinion and a bit of constructive criticism. They have a great story that many people would enjoy if it was delivered in a more professional manner. Mentioning that I wish someone delivered a presentation differently is not a personal attack, unlike your name calling.
This poor couple is so nervous and I feel so sorry for the guy because he is talking like hes on that show on how things are made? The narrator is zombie speaking and no emotion whatsoever and has been talking as though it's the 90's,just feel bad for them, but very informative and genuine, just need them to see their own videos before they post and get some feedback before they post em? But keep posting them, maybe some better editing too
+Saucy Chica I completely understand the difficulty of speaking in front of a large crowd when you are uncomfortable, but now we are requiring High School & University students to take public speaking classes in order to graduate. Some people are naturally uncomfortable and that's fine, but if they know that's the case and they are going to be giving a big presentation then there is a LOT of help available via the internet or even hiring a professional speech coach. I love the tiny house movement and all of the amazing things they did for their lives while there were in the tiny house but unfortunately I feel that some of their message may have been lost due to their issues on stage. They seem like lovely and sweet people and I really wish that TEDx would have helped them prepare and get over their ticks because they have a very important story to tell. All the best!
I applaud this young couple! They really are at the forefront of environmental conservation, paving a way for others to live better lives with Mother Earth...brilliant!
Thankyou for standing up and telling us about your tiny house and sorry you had to read the awful comments here from people who are unaware of the fact that millions of people worldwide have babies, live, function and survive in small spaces, with less stuff, and without washing machines and public speaking skills. I found your talk inspiring and thought provoking, and I found many of the comments revealing about a society that are nasty, critical, judgemental and mean.
I would've saved so much money if I'd known about minimalism/tiny houses at this couple's age. Not that I necessarily would've chosen a tiny house, but I would have gotten out of that idea that a big house meant that "we have arrived." What a big house REALLY meant, after I got married and had a baby, was a lot of house to clean/maintain while taking care of a baby who seemed to never want to sleep!
I have been watching so many ted talks based on minimalism and it all started from watching minimalism documentary on netflix. I am proud to say I have finally donated almost 70% of my closet and it does feel liberating.
DiscoverMyself what is the name of that documentary:?
Awesome! I'm still living in a student sized appartement. I looked at it in the past and thought, why don't i just stay right here. It's a bit of a wonky space but it suits me fine. I'm amazed at how i'm still able to improve the flow every day. I won't pay for anything i don't need and then end up as one of those people constantly excusing the mess and never being happy with what they have, eternally 'decluttering'. I have this space, this is the maximum amount of stuff i can have in it. End of story. So liberating. Happy travels!
I noticed living in a smaller home somehow my family actually grew closer. We spent more time together. There should be a balance, not big and not too small. If i is too big there will be more maintenance to do and sometimes there is not enough time to dedicate to it's maintenance and then you have too small, not practical and now you wish you had a little more elbow room. So it all comes down to balance. I think most people do have too much. Too much house. or too many little things or too many activities. my home was 650sqft. I did need a little more elbow room and I would be perfectly content with 900-1000 sqft. I was also forced to cut down on unecessary things. This made a huge difference in my peace of mind. less stuff less things to worry about or meddle with.
Love the bee hives outside! This is not something that would normally be accommodated in a trailer park; while trailer parks are still more affordable and often more efficient than larger residences, for people with a vision like them they need a separate space for the other parts of their lives that extend outside as part of their sustainability. It's nice to know they can always expand or move on to another space and sell this to another person with sustainable house goals.
We resonated with the quote "...there's a certain reluctance of our generation to settle down." We definitely fall into that category, and that's why we are in the process of building our own Tiny House in Cleveland, Ohio. Loved your message; it is very worth spreading.
+The Tiny Things In life Congrats, that's super awesome! My family is still in the early planning stages but it's such an amazing movement. It gives young couples and even older people a lot more options for freedom from huge monthly bills and debt. Good luck with everything and enjoy yourselves!
I love the stairs! Beautiful home! I'm going to be starting my tinyhouse in a few months! =)
Any update?
LOL "hurry.. hurry" 14:13
Lol😂
There have been people in the US living in trailers and small spaces forever. I personallyhave been living in just over 100sq for over a decade.
The cost of homes is so high today its just not feasible and more important worth the effort and cost for a home.
We need "trailer parks" that are updated and nice- think more like marina rather then run down property and broken cars.
The big question is- Would you choose to live simply by choice- even if you have the financial ability to live bigger.
Live simply so others may simply live" Gandhi
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Amazing advice.. makes me want to have a tiny house.. enwgry conserving as well as modern
Awesome! Thanks for sharing! Love it! I'm getting one!
Its interesting to note, how simplified life can be if we start downsizing. More healthy, happy and financially stable. Tiny homes doesn't have to be Tiny rather with one's Wants and Needs you can decide how to plan out your dream.
Iam really happy for both of you, u are great,
Thats awesome! I would like to get to that place mentally so I can do it physically! 🤙🏼
I’m all for simple living! Agree so much with what you say! 😍
Inspiring!
I relly love this idea/or mindset😇🤩
did she say hurry hurry at 14 min hahahahaha?
HAHAHAHAHAHAH that was awkward.. :D
i was working far from my home town for 20 years when i returned i was a little shocked how small the house i grew up in it seemed much bigger when i was young
"Tiny" homes weren't so chic when they were called "trailers" as those found in trailer parks.
poor people have lived in caravans for ages. This is a celebration of poverty. In the 50's a man's salary could cover a big house, a stay at home wife, and money left over for vacations. Today's workers have to choose to be "house poor" or to not have a decent house at all and that is with two incomes.
still bigger than my inner city apartment... damn
We're adaptable to just about anything. Look at those "friends" we all have who stay in beyond-hell marriages !
I wish I could move my trailer around that easily, mine only cost $16,000 as well but it's bigger.
Unfortunately most Americans have bought into the material mental matrix. That someone driving a ford escort that running well and paid for is less worthy than someone that's driving a 2016 BMW.
BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT ❤
I LOVE THIS!
For all the tiny house owners, I have a practical question, do you have an "address'? Most of the legal paperwork ,like drivers' license, utilities, bank account.... etc, requires that you need a physical address. Especially when you are on the move, how do you deal with the 'address' ? Or you only have a PO Box??? Would that be legit??
They probably do what college students do and use their parents address as their “permanent” address.
How much does the tiny home weigh ? What kind of truck do u use to tow it ? Miles per gallon when towing ? Have you added electric brakes to the tiny home ?
Not sure you will get an answer to your good questions from the people at TED, or the presenters. I will offer my thoughts for you.
Weight. Depends on size, construction materials and contents. However, for the typical 'tiny home' you would d be looking at 10,000 lbs to 16,000 lbs. A standard 3/4 ton truck would suffice.
Mine will be 8x28' and be near 16,000 lbs.
Many tiny home dwellers don't regularly travel with them. The trailer is about having the freedom to move when you like. In some cases, moving with in the property you are on to maximise using the environment for energy harvesting and/or passive air & light control. Such as when the season change.
Many will not even own the vehicle that may use them., rather, they will rent or borrow on the occasion it is needed.
-MPG will be dependent on many factors. Is nearly moot though, especially if not always on the move and considering one would not have rent/mortgage and probably be debt free, as the majority of tiny home dwellers are. I can rent a truck for less than $30 a day, insured and just add the cost of fuel. Sort of become irrelevant-- if not always on the move. Though the average Canadian (I'm Canadian, so I'll speak to that statistic) owns 4-6 homes in there life and will move more than that. That is near my situation and I'm just middle aged! Each move has cost $1000-$5500 dollars. When one calculates the 20-40 year perspective of shelter and moving costs, and volatile housing markets that may lead to a loss every move... having one home on a trailer is far less costly.
-Electric breaks are required for various transport laws and are just good sense.
Robert thanks for ur very helpful reply! Looking at doing this and the info helps. Is it safe to assume u might be going with 2x 10,000 pound axles to support the weight of ur 16,000 pound tiny home with a good margin of safety ? Are u getting a pre-made trailer or having one welded up for ur exact size and weight carrying requirements?
The trailer will be custom made from engineer drawings.
Ours will have three axles. Each rated at 7,000 lbs.
The trailer accounts for about 1/5 the cost.
Custom and the costs associated are essential in our home design.
Robert Leonardo Yeah, and besides the cost of each move, each time you buy and sell a house, you pay thousands of dollars in closing costs and fees, plus the realtor gets a hefty percentage. That's like throwing money away, In that sense, a tiny home makes better sense, but few can live that sparingly.
MinnesotaMichele few CHOOSE to live sparingly. Until forced to by economic downfall.
A trend of rethinking is happening though. Our survey here, www.tinyhomealliance.ca shows the the beginning of change in my country.
Where does the baby go?
Where does the baby go?
DrAwer
That was awkward around 9:56, they are not great speakers and don't seem well prepared, however the content was great!
did you catch what she sighed/whispered?
I don't know, she was giving him his lines or something right???
+kc4ril "you already did that"
choked
***** oh, yeah that was pretty rough, it didn't go over very well.
where does baby (future teenager) sleep?
+Catlover2015 xdont have kids or use extra money to expand.
+Catlover2015 probebly in thier own tiny home
They may build his own space when he need it
Living in a giant house can for sure drive you over the edge . I Know first hand. And it's not actually giant.
Once the baby is born they will need more space.
Like the stairs that double as dresser draws. Do you still have to be hooked up to public utilities ? The composting toilet ; do you have to mess with that (a lot ? ) ; empty it ; clean it , etc., ? What do you do with the composted poop ? Ok you answered the utility question ; batteries / generator ; do you also have a solar panel ? Ok ; composting toilet ; wood shavings ; '...it's in there waiting to be used for composting your garden later..." ; how much later. What do you do with it if your don't have a garden ? Do you collect rainwater ? Go to the gym to shower; to the laundromat to do laundry; to the library to........ read ; get accosted by vagrants and just get away from it all ? I like being at home to much to hassle with having to run all over town to get the necessities done. The lack of home maintenance ; mowing ; snow removal; etc; is very appealing. : Yeah ; if you are going to travel ( a lot) ; you are hardly ever in the tiny house; I'm not sure if it's worth even having a house if you aren't going to live in it that much in fact ; it's just another anchor holding you down. It might be cheaper ; instead of seeing all the sites in the U.S., that actually cost you money to go to and don't give you back anything ;except in memories ; would be to travel to places where living; renting ; eating etc are cheap ; (Panama for example; Mexico; Philippines; Thailand) . I haven't figured it out yet but if you live outside the U.S., for 6 mo or more I think you pay less taxes. It would mean arranging your life around cheap travel opportunity but........ I guess you have chosen the mid range between actually giving up a home base and taking off completely and having a traditional space. Children , family etc would make that decision for you. Without those things holding you back ;you might be able to go to more interesting places; Europe, for example ; who doesn't want to travel Europe ? I guess it comes down to determining how much you really need .
I don't know if I could live 'tiny' . If I did I think I'd go for a more astere home without the frills. The fancy wood paneling is nice but not necessary. Instead of a second story I'd rather have a double space one story ; the size of a double wide trailer house; then I'd wonder how a tiny home (x2) would compare to a double wide. Then if you had two ; it would cost more to move it. You still have the problem of having a property to park it on. Do you rent it, buy it , borrow the property ? Seems that if you are going to have to have a property you may as well build a small house (on a slab ; with a storm shelter which would be more $$) . It's nice to have the flexibility of being able to move the tiny house when you want to ; to another location or city or whatever ; how much does it cost to do that ? I don't know ; it just seems like a lot to pay for what you get. Seems like you could build a small house (very minimal with your own design ; if just one person; you don't need all the walls and rooms of a traditional house; basically you just need the bathroom to have walls ; esp if you live alone). The utility issues ; is an issue ; the less you have to mess with something ; the better. You also have to spend extra money on the generator (gas for that when needed). Spend a lot in gas having to go do things outside the home ; like laundry etc. ; ok , if you are going to be out anyway ; not so good when you have to make special trips ; esp if you live in the country. No garage for your vehicles ; I've found that having a good garage has extended the life of my vehicle. Of course, it costs more for the house to have a garage but it also saves the auto ; it sort of balances out.
Your statement of, "I guess it comes down to determining how much you really need ." is exactly it.
Humans need very little to live happy and healthy. In fact there is much research and social/cultural studies that shows less equates to more internal happiness and life satisfaction as those with less possessions are dealing with less stresses.
Often, our wants cloud the true values of the heart often. The whole "American Dream" thing is revealed to be grasping at smoke for a huge amount of the North American population. Yet, it is that vary pursuit that drives economics, so an alternate (minimalist) lifestyle that tiny house living can bring is difficult for some to grasp.
I have chosen the venture of building and owning my own tiny home for MANY reasons, but chief among them is purely economics. The "business of my household", if you will. In a word, sustainability.
When comparing current state (condo mortgage, mortgage interest, maintenance fees and utilities) vs. future state (well made tiny home, mostly off grid with little costs to operate), I will recover $33% of my gross income in 3-4 years. In 5-7 years it will be around 41-50%
That is calculating inflation and alternate expenses of lifestyle elements that living in a tiny house would have. Though, there is very little as it is about harvesting natural energy, using less and yet living more. All that income that is not by default outgoing.... that does open for some greater options in life.
If that was a proposal put to a business for cost reduction where they still have the quality of production and service (or whatever measure of output/investment ratio), few would dismiss it. Somehow, we don't think of ourselves as a business and our own economic structure, yet we are!
Again there are many reasons I am perusing my tiny home but the spark is that I am looking at 'personal life' as business. It is all about income and outgoing. We can't always control the income, but we can do something about the outgoing. We just need to rethink.
My life situation is not as everyone else's, so each must do there own calculations for themselves. However, I am on par for the typical disappearing middle class, both statistically and by grass-roots-struggle-talk that is common around the water cooler!
Robert Leonardo Thank you for taking the time to respond. I commend you on your diligence and commitment to this project. If everything goes well I'll be joining you off the grid soon.
All the best !
Absolutely! And...the 3-8 lb elephant in the room: the imminent baby. That changes *everything* and then some. I commented about the practical concerns with babies, space requirements, smells, crying, need for quiet sleep, all the crap they need. You're crazy if you believe everything will fit in one drawer. If you do you ain't ready for this. No how and no way. A baby will introduce you to a different world of existence. They truly, no shit, change EVERYTHING.
^ Yes; however, people have done it for thousands of years in small spaces and continue to do so today with little risk and failure.
Robert Leonardo
Of course. It goes without mention, Robert. Of course humans have done it since recorded time. That's NOT the point.
I wanted them to talk more about what creative solutions they've made to accommodate the baby. They babbled on and on about everything but a single blithe mention of her pregnancy. Which seems curiously oblivious to practicalities. Maybe if they showed their areas planned to keep the baby, supplies, etc., it's not beyond expectation prospective parents considering a tiny house would be interested.
In essence:
Sounds pretty, guys, so how will it work?
I think this would be far more popular among the 20 to 35 age bracket... after 40 I think the tendency to "enlarge" will reemerge
+plutoplatters true. i want to start on some land with a shipping container and add on as i become more financially able.
if everyone would get behind the tiny home movement relax zoning laws the tiny homes can free up money for investing and saving.
Curious. Where do you go if you're ill and need privacy. What if you simply need to get away from the other person? Arguments happen!
Interesting thanks.
Great speach! But good luck when the baby comes, you'll have a lot more laundry, especially when you use cloth diapers...
that is absolutely true! (we're using cloth diapers, too!) :) but perhaphs they could go diaper free (elimination communication;)
that is absolutely true! (we're using cloth diapers, too!) :) but perhaphs they could go diaper free (elimination communication;)
that is absolutely true! (we're using cloth diapers, too!) :) but perhaphs they could go diaper free (elimination communication;)
If only I wasn't so tall!
It is a bit demotivating that they chose to make a child, it just doesnt fit the sustainability idea behind it.
Ummmmmmm
So if you live in a tiny home you have to borrow things from people that live in a regular size home. Basically treating your friends like a storage unit. Same goes for. The gym and library. They should try living in a tiny home without borrowing from others. What if everyone lived in tiny homes. Where would they borrow things from then? Also, they rely upon a mill to get wood shavings for their toilet. How many beautiful aspen trees had to be cut down/killed for their tiny house? Which means those beautiful trees are no longer there for others to enjoy. This entire thing smacks of self-centeredness.
Cute but silly. These two bought a bunch of new materials, and a giant truck and built a brand new tiny home. Why didn't they just move into a trailer park? They could have saved a bunch of money and they would get to know a lot of people who live on way fewer resources than this couple ever thought possible.
+Beth Donnelly there are some benefits you are ignoring such as moving the house cheaply or not being around people when you dont want to. trailer parks charge you a fee as well/ i dont think they wanted that expense.
They had the pleasure of work equity and control of design to suit their wants and needs.
She's pregnant. They didn't say boo about that and how will they adjust their space. I'd like to see how this works out for them. Handling sleep, requirements for quiet, poop smells that would peel paint, crying, parental sleep deprivation, and jangled nerves are all part of the bargain. I'm not being negative; babies are a fine addition to society. I just know how this shit goes down. They don't seem to know what they're in for. Babies require a lot of stuff, much more than you think.
These two probably think they will bring home the ideal quiet baby that's open to engaging in reasoned, witty repartee, (pre-housebroken) that would be immediately compatible and embrace their evolved ethic. Using disposable diapers? Recyclable, but a freaking arm and leg. So is a diaper service. You gonna wash them yourself? Good luck with that. Stinky, nasty mess that will last exactly *one* week, tops.
There's a *LOT* of stuff nobody's talking about that doesn't mesh with all the idealism and untried practicalities. A baby will catapult you to a whole new level of existence you hadn't counted on, at all.
I wish them all the luck in the world. I just wonder if they thought all this through.
Maybe some babies require less stuff. Lots of babies have so many clothes and toys that they only get to use them once ( if at all ) before they've grown out of them.
Smithpolly Sorry for the wall of text, but:
Y-e-a-h....that's absolutely true! However, clothes and toys aren't the whole picture. Stuff like diapers-where are they gonna go? People with babies don't buy them one bunch at a time, and you better believe they go through a shit-ton (no pun intended). Going out late at night to replenish well and truly sucks. What about baby food, bottles, or if the mother does breast milk, bottles to pump 'n' serve?
Inherently, babies need a LOT of stuff, and even if though you cut the amount of necessities to the bone, even *that* can amount to a surprising amount. The thing is that babies tend to roar through clean clothes and diapers, bibs, food, etc. like nobody's business. You change that bottom A LOT.
I would have been happy if one of the couple had said *anything* remotely addressing preparations and arrangements for the baby, that's all. They didn't seem to be concerned much whether viewers would be interested, as I am, on seeing this work beyond a starry-eyed idealism that doesn't jibe with, well, real life.
Cruithne
Acutally I would say the opposite. Babies inherently need very few things. A few changes of clothes, a box of diapers at a time or 10-20 cloth diapers, or you can do Elimination Communication like many "primitive" peoples do, reducing the amount of diapers further, food, which can be bottles or breast. And if it is breast, all that's needed is the breast and baby. My mother and grandmother never needed bottles, pumps or anything, and probably would choose not to use them even now if they had young babies. A few toys can be helpful, but most things around the house double as toys. If the baby gets taken outside a lot, the need for toys is further reduced. And yes, I have had a baby in the house, so I do know what they're like. For me, a washer would be a necessity, but they could always have a 5 gallon bucket manual washer for emergencies if needed.
Elimination Communication? Is that when the child tells you they gotta shit and you plop them on the nearest wastebasket? ; P (Sorry, couldn't resist.) But you do have a point! It's just that running out of stuff is such a drag, and maybe I've always been able to stock up. I stubbornly assert, as is my original comment, that the couple needed to address the new baby's needs in other than an offhand comment. Maybe they would update the viewers somehow so we could see how they made it work out.
And BTW, thank you all for your comments. I appreciate the novel approaches to child rearing a tiny house would necessitate. Maybe more builders and owners would address the topic, since all the videos of families have older children.
where does one go for a nice, big poo in peace?
''heigth.'' ~? wtf. I'm pissed off already. grrr
Good luck and don't listen to the naysayers :)
I don't like the presentation mode. Most of TED speakers are well prepared, this one is difficult to follow.
I'm a huge lover of the tiny home movement but sadly I was put off by their public speaking skills. They have such a important and positive message to share but I feel like it's was lost in translation a bit. I wish they would have tried to engage with their audience and speak with more enthusiasm. A session with a speech coach would have been invaluable, it's a shame the person running the event didn't make the recommendation or the couple take it upon themselves to seek out the help. They seem like kind people and I wish them well but I hope If they agree to do something like this again in the future they take some time to polish their presentation skills.
+Avivamae Get off your high horse, moron.
+MetusBatboy All over the world we require students to master these skills because they are very important especially in the work place. Sorry but I don't think that two professionally minded adults in their 30's should be exempt from possessing those skills. I totally understand that many people are uncomfortable with public speaking and I feel for them, but when you agree of your own free will to do something like this event you are agreeing to adhere to very specific and rigid social norms and should do your best to deliver your material in the expected and accepted manner. Whoever was in charge of the event could have set them up with a speech coach but it doesn't seem like that happened and I find that to be unprofessional from all the parties involved, especially since people took time out of their lives to be there in person. Those of us watching at home had the luxury of choosing to move on (or not) from the video, the audience members did not. Maybe you're confused but my comment was not an attack, it is simply my opinion and a bit of constructive criticism. They have a great story that many people would enjoy if it was delivered in a more professional manner. Mentioning that I wish someone delivered a presentation differently is not a personal attack, unlike your name calling.
Avivamae Did you really write 33 lines, you insecure moron?
+MetusB Do you see the irony in calling me a moron when you're complaining about reading something longer than your typical 1-2 sentences.
Avivamae Morons like yourself shouldn't use words such as irony. I didn't say anything about reading, moron. Learn to read, moron.
Terrible memorized presentation! Just felt too stiff! Thought TED only selected Good presenters!
This poor couple is so nervous and I feel so sorry for the guy because he is talking like hes on that show on how things are made? The narrator is zombie speaking and no emotion whatsoever and has been talking as though it's the 90's,just feel bad for them, but very informative and genuine, just need them to see their own videos before they post and get some feedback before they post em? But keep posting them, maybe some better editing too
she can keep her baby in the Mason jar drawer
You can't spell 'you're'. Obviously.
Iggytommy b
Tiny house is fine but don’t bring them in to my neighbor that I pay taxes on!
Interesting premise, but still clueless.
Overrated. Lived in an RV myself. Would not recommend.
For me the best is a nice standard size house and keeping things minimal
ye
a fully qualified civil engineer, but he can't pronounce ''height'' properly - wtf?!
I doubt see how that would cause one to mispronounce 'height'.
+Saucy Chica I completely understand the difficulty of speaking in front of a large crowd when you are uncomfortable, but now we are requiring High School & University students to take public speaking classes in order to graduate. Some people are naturally uncomfortable and that's fine, but if they know that's the case and they are going to be giving a big presentation then there is a LOT of help available via the internet or even hiring a professional speech coach. I love the tiny house movement and all of the amazing things they did for their lives while there were in the tiny house but unfortunately I feel that some of their message may have been lost due to their issues on stage. They seem like lovely and sweet people and I really wish that TEDx would have helped them prepare and get over their ticks because they have a very important story to tell. All the best!
after baby is born...
one yearh laterh..
like
are you americans really this greedy.
Interesting thanks.