Tiny House

[Ciao Mickey]

If there is one show that makes me yell at the tv it’s this show!

Many of the people on are so unrealistic in what they expect to get in a tiny house.

The last episode I watched the man wanted a fireplace!

Many of the people who are on the show are so unrealistic with what they can fit in a small space. They want a tiny house that they can move around but they also want a king size bed, a bathtub, full size appliances and a non-composting toilet in it.

I’m yelling at the tv that’s it’s an oversized walk-in closet and not a TARDIS for goodness sakes! My husband thinks that I and the people on the show are crazy (especially when it’s a family of 5 or 6 plus 2 dogs looking to fit into one).

So what show annoys the heck out of you? Do people really live in these tiny houses? I don’t get it, if they want to move them around why don’t they just purchase a trailer?

 

[teller80]

Haha I so agree with you. It should be made into a drinking game or make bingo cards for all the same things they say. They need to make a show "Tiny House: Where are they now?". Along with a follow up show for Hoarders.

 

[indimom]

I don't believe for a second that 99% of those people live in their tiny home for more than a year, especially those with more people and pets. It's got to be terrible inconvenient on so many levels: the main one being the lack of closets/storage. Where do they keep cleaning supplies and a vacuum? A winter coat and boots? Food? Pots and Pans? They have enough storage for maybe ONE of those options, but not all of them...

And I really don't get the "movement" anyway. There are tons of inexpensive "small" homes on the market 800-1200sf or whatever for as little or less than what they are paying for their upscale microhome, and they come with indoor plumbing and closets!

The only episodes that make sense for me are people who travel regularly for their job, it might be easier to live at campgrounds in your own space, but I still think a camper would be more cost-effective and useful.

 

[tvguy]

The RVing shows are just as good. But Motor Homes these days have full size appliances, and fireplaces AND storage and are a whole lot easier to move around than a Tiny Home.

 

[clutter]

I saw one episode only. It was enough to convince me that it would never work - except maybe for a weekend home. The newly blended family had 5 kids. One girl and four boys. Teenagers. And a dorm size fridge.

 

[ronandannette]

Haha I so agree with you. It should be made into a drinking game or make bingo cards for all the same things they say. They need to make a show "Tiny House: Where are they now?". Along with a follow up show for Hoarders.

Totally. It's hard to believe that any of those people really sustain the improvements, at least not without constant supervision and support. Heck, I have the best of intentions myself and sometimes enlist help for things as simple as cleaning off my desk or straightening out the pantry. Within a very short time it all falls back.

I saw one episode only. It was enough to convince me that it would never work - except maybe for a weekend home. The newly blended family had 5 kids. One girl and four boys. Teenagers. And a dorm size fridge.

Tiny House is one of DH's shows and while I've seen it, I confess to never really paying much attention while it's on. What exactly IS the motivation for people to want to live in these conditions? It can't be just money - some of the most seem darned expensive. Portability? Hardly. As PP's have mentioned, RV's or mobile homes would cover that much more efficiently. Comfort and ease of care? That's also a "no" as trying to maintain a small space with too much stuff crammed in is harder than looking after a larger one. I'm just really not getting this at all.

 

[RedAngie]

I don't believe that any of those larger families actually live in the tiny houses. It's a staged entertainment show, just like everything else on HGTV.

And even for a couple, I doubt the tiny house is really their full time home.

In about 5 years, all those $50k tiny houses will be selling at a 75% discount when the trendiness wears off.

 

[pryncess527]

Haha I so agree with you. It should be made into a drinking game or make bingo cards for all the same things they say. They need to make a show "Tiny House: Where are they now?". Along with a follow up show for Hoarders.

Yes! I'd love a follow up show.

What exactly IS the motivation for people to want to live in these conditions? It can't be just money - some of the most seem darned expensive. Portability? Hardly. As PP's have mentioned, RV's or mobile homes would cover that much more efficiently. Comfort and ease of care? That's also a "no" as trying to maintain a small space with too much stuff crammed in is harder than looking after a larger one. I'm just really not getting this at all.

I've thought they'd be a fun alternative to an RV. DH and I *think* we would enjoy a portable one for vacations, but I can't fathom living in it all the time. It just seems like it'd be more customizable and home-ier than an RV. And given how expensive RVs are, it might even be cheaper.

 

[Hikergirl]

If there is one show that makes me yell at the tv it’s this show!

Many of the people on are so unrealistic in what they expect to get in a tiny house.

The last episode I watched the man wanted a fireplace!

Many of the people who are on the show are so unrealistic with what they can fit in a small space. They want a tiny house that they can move around but they also want a king size bed, a bathtub, full size appliances and a non-composting toilet in it.

I’m yelling at the tv that’s it’s an oversized walk-in closet and not a TARDIS for goodness sakes! My husband thinks that I and the people on the show are crazy (especially when it’s a family of 5 or 6 plus 2 dogs looking to fit into one).

So what show annoys the heck out of you? Do people really live in these tiny houses? I don’t get it, if they want to move them around why don’t they just purchase a trailer?

I would love to live in a tiny house someday (to stay put), but not with my family. I don't know what it is about them, but I love them. We rent a "mobile" cottage when we go to the beach in MA. It is in a campground so it is stationary but it is on wheels and can be moved. It also has a regular toilet and a tub
I wish I had my own. I think dh would be OK with it, but he would need a garage/work space/office as a separate building LOL.

Anyway I get what you are saying, I feel the same when I watch house hunting shows where people have a tiny budget and want everything upgraded and high-end and move in ready.

 

[duketennisgal]

I think I could do it with my SO, but I am so confused about the ones that do it with kids. EVERY single time I see the show and it's a family with 2 kids or something like that and they have two lofts, the first thing that comes to mind is how do the parents have "alone" time if you know what I mean....

 

[PattnFmly]

I watch it sometimes to get storage ideas. Ideas, mine you, for my regular sized house! I could not live in something that small. I do not want to climb out of the loft overnight every time I need the bathroom, nor do I want to have to pull my bed out of the wall every night to sleep. Count me as one who would rather get a trailer .. and use it for vacations and weekends!

 

[gotomu212]

I think, like all reality shows, they find the most extreme examples for the show. I have a friend who has been living in a tiny house for almost 5 years and he really loves it. It was a real personal experience for him to design, plan, and build it. That said he probably owns

 

[Tinkerbell58]

There are also potential buyers who walk in a tiny home and complain it's too small. What did they expect?

 

[Simba's Mom]

There are also potential buyers who walk in a tiny home and complain it's too small. What did they expect?

Yes, or the ones who want a tiny home but "It has to have a full-size kitchen" or "It has to have a big bathroom"/ must have a dishwaher, etc. Frankly, if it's just one person (especially the one I saw recently who'd been homeless before) or a young couple, I say "Go for it!" But families with children and maybe pets? Definitely not! It seems like too often I see families where Mom and Dad think the togetherness would be great but when you see the looks on the kids faces, they're like "No way!"

 

[ols386]

I wouldn't want a tiny house. Seems like it would be difficult to move it.

 

[katie111]

I love the ones where people say "I like it but it's just too much space". And it's like 150 sq ft for 4 people. How can a tiny home ever be "too big"? They'll have a living room bug enough for a loveseat & say it'll be great to all hang out in. How would they all hang out there? Hanging from the ceiling?

The worst episode I saw was a family of six and the parents would try shaking the bed in every house to see if they would have privacy. It was so gross. They ended up in a mobile home with 3 of their kids squished into a room the size of a small closet. And they talked about how their kids loved having friends sleep over. Where the hell did the friends sleep? In the parents room while they were getting busy?

And who wants to live full time in a campground? Just seems so weird.

I would love a "where are they now?" for this show. My family would last about 8 minutes before we'd all kill each other.

 

[Disney Ella]

I'm interested in all the little details, like can you use two appliances at once, does the tiny house stay warm in the winter and the truth about the composting toilets all the tiny house owners claim to love. I read an article about a tiny house community that disbanded partially because of the owners blamed each other for the stinky deposits from the composting toilets (mostly from the urine, I think). Unless you had a gigantic property, wouldn't you eventually run out of places to dump the compost?

I can see myself getting up to go the bathroom in the middle of the night, forgetting about the ladder and falling from the loft. As others have said, there are plenty of small permanent houses available if you don't want a huge house. If you actually do plan to travel, I don't see how the drywall and other parts of the house would hold up to bumps and wear and tear. RVs are designed to handle that; tiny houses aren't.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

My wife was watching last night. I rolled my eyes and walked away when the tiny house one couple was considering had a price tag of $115,000.

 

[Hikergirl]

I'm interested in all the little details, like can you use two appliances at once, does the tiny house stay warm in the winter and the truth about the composting toilets all the tiny house owners claim to love. I read an article about a tiny house community that disbanded partially because of the owners blamed each other for the stinky deposits from the composting toilets (mostly from the urine, I think). Unless you had a gigantic property, wouldn't you eventually run out of places to dump the compost?

If a composting toilet is used correctly there wouldn't be any odor other than an "earthy" one. They key is to separate the urine from the solids, if that doesn't happen then there will be an odor. Really its the men, it is better for them to sit instead of stand because the front of the bowl has a separator that diverts the liquid into its own tank. That needs to be emptied by just pouring out.
You also would need an outdoor composting bin to "finish the job" if you are using the toilet full time for a family.
The resulting compost can go anywhere, so you don't need a very large property to dump it, it can go in your garden, or around trees or even in piles. It is like rich soil at that point.

I have done my fair share of reading on the subject of toilets because dh and I have some remote land without septic. I opted out of a composting toilet because I just didn't want to deal with it, but it is possible for it to work for people who are willing.

 

[Disney Ella]

If a composting toilet is used correctly there wouldn't be any odor other than an "earthy" one. They key is to separate the urine from the solids, if that doesn't happen then there will be an odor. Really its the men, it is better for them to sit instead of stand because the front of the bowl has a separator that diverts the liquid into its own tank. That needs to be emptied by just pouring out.
You also would need an outdoor composting bin to "finish the job" if you are using the toilet full time for a family.
The resulting compost can go anywhere, so you don't need a very large property to dump it, it can go in your garden, or around trees or even in piles. It is like rich soil at that point.

I have done my fair share of reading on the subject of toilets because dh and I have some remote land without septic. I opted out of a composting toilet because I just didn't want to deal with it, but it is possible for it to work for people who are willing.

I think that the problem with the community I read about is that one group was accusing the other group of handling the whole composting thing incorrectly, which caused the problem. Composting toilets certainly sound like a better option an outhouse for a remote area, as long as you're willing to put the time into preventing problems.