Welcome to Obamaville

[Conan71]

I think I just felt a tingle go up my leg!!!

[patric]

Hey!  Look at what Obama did for us.

Report Shows 288,000 New Jobs In June

Is that just for listening to phone calls?

 

[Gaspar]

Is that just for listening to phone calls?

 

Entire payroll of the Truth Team and Attack Watch combined!

[guido911]

Not sure if this fits in this thread, but makes one think if this will be the new American dream.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2716297/Have-house-travel-Inside-Tiny-House-Movement-growing-number-Americans-rejecting-traditional-idea-home-living-simpler-cheaper-lives-result.html

[Conan71]

Not sure if this fits in this thread, but makes one think if this will be the new American dream.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2716297/Have-house-travel-Inside-Tiny-House-Movement-growing-number-Americans-rejecting-traditional-idea-home-living-simpler-cheaper-lives-result.html

It fits with the Nobama economy.  People can’t afford as much stuff when they live on the government dole or when they refuse to up their job skills instead of demanding $15 an hour for a pud job.

Seriously though, one of our more free-spirited friends is in the process of building a yurt off the grid near Durango to live in while she goes back to grad school there.  So far, it’s not been all rainbows and unicorns.

[Red Arrow]

These tiny homes on wheels have a strong resemblance to "Mobile Homes".  Trailer park?  When I was a kid, we had a summer place that included a 8' x 37' "tiny home".  It had a living/dining area, kitchen, bath, and 2 bedroom areas.

[Conan71]

These tiny homes on wheels have a strong resemblance to "Mobile Homes".  Trailer park?  When I was a kid, we had a summer place that included a 8' x 37' "tiny home".  It had a living/dining area, kitchen, bath, and 2 bedroom areas.

I’ve thought that before.  I think I’d rather start with an old Spartan or Airstream and go from there.  And within a week I’d be completely homicidal from not having enough space for all my stuff and being in a 16 x 8 utility trailer framework with my wife, dog, and four cats.

[heironymouspasparagus]

These tiny homes on wheels have a strong resemblance to "Mobile Homes".  Trailer park?  When I was a kid, we had a summer place that included a 8' x 37' "tiny home".  It had a living/dining area, kitchen, bath, and 2 bedroom areas.

Travel trailer.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I’ve thought that before.  I think I’d rather start with an old Spartan or Airstream and go from there.  And within a week I’d be completely homicidal from not having enough space for all my stuff and being in a 16 x 8 utility trailer framework with my wife, dog, and four cats.

Click Enter....
http://www.vintage-vacations.com/

Click Next at bottom of page....
http://www.vintage-vacations.com/46_manor_frnt_kit.htm

As made in Tulsa....
http://www.spartantrailer.com/



What you are really saying is you have too much stuff!  I bet you have a mini-storage, too!

[Conan71]

Click Enter....
http://www.vintage-vacations.com/

Click Next at bottom of page....
http://www.vintage-vacations.com/46_manor_frnt_kit.htm

As made in Tulsa....
http://www.spartantrailer.com/



What you are really saying is you have too much stuff!  I bet you have a mini-storage, too!

We had a 10 x 20 mini storage when MC first moved to Tulsa.  We combined two 1400 Sq. Ft. houses into one, basically.  And no garage to boot.  That lasted about 9 months, then we had the 10 x 30 shed built.  That lasted about a year and a half, then we bought a larger house with an oversized garage and took the 10 x 30 shed with us.  So yes, you could say we have too much stuff.  My storage shed is larger than these mini houses.  

But, we do actually use our garage for it’s intended purpose: parking the cars and motorcycles.  We have a room in the house dedicated to the bicycles and other assorted torture devices designed to keep us fit.

I’m working on paring stuff down, it’s not like we have clutter.  I’ve got a pretty good collection of vintage Harley parts which is a long story as to how that came to be.  Also family archive stuff I just need to scan, put into electronic format, and toss the hard-copies.  Our intent is to get to the point we  have the most boring estate sale ever when we are gone.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Not sure if this fits in this thread, but makes one think if this will be the new American dream.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2716297/Have-house-travel-Inside-Tiny-House-Movement-growing-number-Americans-rejecting-traditional-idea-home-living-simpler-cheaper-lives-result.html

Goes to a recognition that volume is not a "feature" in housing.  Quality, ease of use, proper design to purpose, and just about everything else before volume for volume's sake.  It's the bill of goods I have mentioned before about the collusion between realtors, builders, and property tax authorities that have sold so many on the idea that square footage means quality of life.  Housing that must have minimum square footage...

Your and Conan's obvious disdain for those who don't buy into it just proves how successful that sales job has been.

I and most of my friends near my age have figured out that a 2,000 + sq ft house is an albatross that only brings large unnecessary costs in time and/or money for upkeep, maintenance, ongoing work in general for no added value.  Even if there are kids around!  The bigger places allow a separation of family that is not healthy - mentally, emotionally, or physically!  If this economy has even just a 50% rate of baby boomers wanting to get out of their McMansions, what do you suppose that is gonna do to housing in this country?  Pretty much what we are seeing - slower building.  Or worse.


If I had the resources to do so, I would be building a 640 acre housing area (or several/bigger) with cottage style homes, smaller lots (less yard upkeep), and better (bigger??) common areas - park like stuff.  Very upscale interiors, exteriors, features, but no housing unit over 1,000 sq ft.  Most in the 700 to 900 sq ft range.  Limited occupancy rates.  Selling for premium prices to keep the "riff-raff" out.   AKA Richard O'Brien...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAzXn2Cg-38

I have half a dozen people I know who would buy in today.  And I guarantee there are thousands more in Tulsa area who would love to have that available.

[heironymouspasparagus]

We had a 10 x 20 mini storage when MC first moved to Tulsa.  We combined two 1400 Sq. Ft. houses into one, basically.  And no garage to boot.  That lasted about 9 months, then we had the 10 x 30 shed built.  That lasted about a year and a half, then we bought a larger house with an oversized garage and took the 10 x 30 shed with us.  So yes, you could say we have too much stuff.  My storage shed is larger than these mini houses.  

But, we do actually use our garage for it’s intended purpose: parking the cars and motorcycles.  We have a room in the house dedicated to the bicycles and other assorted torture devices designed to keep us fit.

I’m working on paring stuff down, it’s not like we have clutter.  I’ve got a pretty good collection of vintage Harley parts which is a long story as to how that came to be.  Also family archive stuff I just need to scan, put into electronic format, and toss the hard-copies.  Our intent is to get to the point we  have the most boring estate sale ever when we are gone.

You are exactly like the vast majority of suburbanites, then.  I have that mini-storage thing, too.  (Am recovering "hoarder"....)  The house is only 1048 sq ft (30+ years) where there have been 4 kids raised (mostly girls), 3 grandkids raised (mostly boys), and 1 great grand for about a year....   Would love to have more than one bathroom!!!


If you achieve your goal of boring estate sale, then you could easily fit inside one of those Spartans at the links....  Might need a cargo trailer for bikes, etc.  

I am not suggesting that everyone do the travel trailer thing - I have done that as near full timer for 9 years, combined with house (previous posts touch on how much travel I do) - it is an interesting lifestyle, but there are disadvantages.  If you ever get a travel trailer for vacation use, I can probably answer about any question you might have about the care and feeding of that thing....

[guido911]

I do think it is really interesting how space saving has taken off so to speak. Making the most out of a small area, dual purposing and the like. I am with Conan, though, I would lose it if I were confined to a small area like that--especially by choice.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I do think it is really interesting how space saving has taken off so to speak. Making the most out of a small area, dual purposing and the like. I am with Conan, though, I would lose it if I were confined to a small area like that--especially by choice.

Am getting ready to build another house.  Limited to about the same 1,000 sq ft.  Will rearrange for some serious livability considerations - the second bath mentioned above!!  Two bedroom limit.  Other than that, won't change too much - maybe add a pantry and very definitely bring the laundry inside from the garage!!  If we have visitors, they will get to stay in a spare travel trailer I have - will NOT provide any encouragement to drag out overnight visits!

The tiniest are too tiny for me...I like a 30 + ft 5th wheel for temp use - and camping!  Love camping, even after all these years - since I was about 5.

The big office/workshop/garage/hobby building will be in the 50' x 70' barn I will build!!  With 19' inside clearance for large trailers, rv's, project work.  Maybe a small geodesic dome on the side for meditation room....

[rebound]

Am getting ready to build another house....

When we were building our house, I took a lot of ideas from the book "the not so big house".  I would still probably end up  being bigger than what you are planning, but there is some good reference stuff there:

http://www.notsobighouse.com/