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Aug 10adventures in tiny living
I didn’t know that our quest to spend some time living in a tiny house would cause such a stir amongst friends and family! Is it because you’re shocked? Or impressed? Or can’t quite figure out our motives?
My sabbatical this year has gifted me with a lot of time to read and think. A topic that captured my attention early in 2010 was the minimalist living trend. A bunch of intelligent, thought-provoking writers have given up their cars, given away most of their stuff, and moved into smaller homes. They write of being freed from many things – location dependence, a house full of stuff they don’t use or want, being tied into the consumptive lifestyle. They are able to move with families to exciting places, they value travel and experience over nice cars and the latest gadgetry. They’re digitizing their files and throwing shredding parties to celebrate freedom from file cabinets. Some people go as far as paring down their stuff to a mere 50 or 100 things (cheating with a wink on the count of underwear, books, and shared toiletries).
When we left Massachusetts in December 2009, we wanted to be ready for an international flight to wherever Ali could get a job offer. Our dreams of Europe have since been postponed, but it was a wonderful exercise in paring down what we view as necessary to life. When we drove over to California we had only a VW Golf’s worth of items with us. It was very easy to keep most life debris packed up for most of this year, as we were living with Ali’s family and didn’t have to think about kitchen utensils, laundry, linens, or fending off the elements. (Full disclosure: We still have a 5×10′ storage unit with a couch, a bed, clothing, books, and my office back in MA.)
Getting down to “essentials” has been enlightening. I really missed a few things left behind (the Vitamix, tennis shoes, and… perfume?!) but for the most part we don’t think about what we don’t have available. To me, the most surprising reality is that we have more than enough, even with our small carload of what we thought were essentials. I’m hoping that I will be able to give away most of our things from the storage unit and digitize my office when we settle in the next semi-permanent location.
I know this paring down is not appealing to most people. I mean, it sounds good on paper but no way are most going to give up their dvd collection and digital toys to live with only three pairs of shoes and two towels. And I KNOW that while most people with kids would love to have a less-cluttered house, the inflow of grandparent gifts and shiny plastic things is not going to seem like an easy tiger to tame. Ali and I are young, childless, and location unsettled which makes it exciting and adventurous to choose this lifestyle for the time being.
In July, Ali was interviewing with a promising company here in Portland and the job seemed to be a great fit. In my brain, he had the job and we had already moved out of the in-laws’ house and were growing our own heirloom tomatoes in Portland. I was no doubt projecting and he didn’t end up getting a job offer, but a quick craigslist search had turned up a charming short-term living option that happened to be ready for us on August 1. I googled one word (“garden”) in the temporary housing section and found the garden cottages. Sometimes you see something and you know it was just meant to be. My heart and brain were both in sync and I woke up my dozing husband to tell him to pack his bags because we were going to move to Oregon.
Here’s our cottage! [link] It’s only 364 square feet and somehow it doesn’t feel cramped or small. It’s about six times more beautiful than any of the pictures show and it is surrounded by gardens. Every inch was designed artfully and purposefully, using salvaged materials (the shtick) and with an eye to leaving a small ecological footprint.
Since moving in last week we’ve had overnight guests, started tending the back garden, harvesting strawberries and roses, fixed up an old bike, and bought tamales off a toothless lady selling door to door. We’ve filled the efficiency fridge with vegetables from the farmers market and cooked delicious food on our two burners.
We’re located across the street from a punk house, and around the corner from a charming shopping district and one of the best music venues in the city. We’ve observed a new mural being painted start to finish on the side of a local business. We love the neighborhood!
Since we have been talking about our own adventures in tiny living, our friends and acquaintances have been sharing links to other exercises in tiny living. It’s fun to learn about other small house projects.
Syann sent this NPR link to a story on small houses in Japan. Neat! (link: Living Large in Really Tiny Houses)
Peicha shared this link to space-savvy furniture. I think it’s mostly custom-made space saving furniture made in Italy (link: Resource Furniture)
Tammy reminded me about this story on this crazy Hong Kong apartment (link: Tiny Apartment Transforms into 24 Rooms)
Jane sent me on a search for LumenHaus (link), the small solar-powered house that won Virginia Tech students big prizes in Europe.
PBS story (link: Living large: A look inside the tiny house movement)
If you’re still looking for more glimpses into the cleverness of living in a small space, go on youtube and search “tiny houses.”
August 9th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Love it, Rachel and Ali! I think you have sort of been this way for a long time, don’t you think? This is just moving into the house…..that reflects who you are!
August 9th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Awww, Rachel, that is pure wisdom to me. I am inspired! Love you!
August 11th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Anni and mums, thanks for your comments. I like feedback!
August 11th, 2010 at 10:26 am
rachel rachel rachel!
it is SO FUN to see where your life WAS,
where it IS, and where it’s GOING.
you and ali seem to be living the dream.
this cottage is too adorable,
i might cry.
can i request a full tour
via photos or video?
im so curious to see the inside.
blessings on your tiny living adventure.
August 11th, 2010 at 11:41 am
I want one!!! Of course, I would design mine with a full-size kitchen and a living/dining room large enough to have an indoor party and a piano for David. I’ve always wondered why people like to have such large bedrooms…you really only need space for a bed and closet! Is there a washer/dryer in yours, or do you go to a laundromat? The lady in the video probably does hers in the sink…
August 11th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Here’s another interesting link that references tiny house living, but is really about how happiness is related to the way you spend your money (rather than the amount of money you make): http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/business/08consume.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
August 11th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Bethany, you guys should make time for a visit in the next month! Take a full tour in person. We really do have plenty of room for guests, surprisingly.
Rachel B, hi cousin! A local Portlander whose writing I love, Tammy, is the one featured in that article! I’m so glad she is getting some press. And, the magic is that we DO have laundry in house… so nice.
August 12th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Hi Rachel!
My good friend Rachel B turned me on to your website. I’ve been quite obsessed with tiny houses for a good year now, and it’s awesome to read about people moving into small, well-designed quarters. I’m sorry to hear that moving to Europe didn’t really work out (another dream of mine!), but PDX isn’t shabby at all? I would move there from Austin in a heartbeat (if there were jobs). And great photos!
September 8th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Love it Rachel, it looks warm and cozy! Happy to hear form you and Ali. Blessings!
September 9th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Love it! Thanks, Rachel!