Tiny House Blog

Trekker Trailers in central Florida has been building vintage and retro style teardrop trailers for over four years, but the company’s owner, Andrew, wanted to take his love of simple, tiny living to the next level and built a 70 square foot house on wheels that was recently sold to a 17-year-old student. His mother is also thinking of getting a tiny house.

“I have always loved campers and simple tiny living,” Andrew said. “I’ve been building teardrop campers for 4 years now, have restored many historic homes in my area, and have a love for form, function, and art. It seemed like a good fit for my talents to build a tiny house. Though my wife and I intend to retire in a tiny house, this one was built to sell so I tried to appeal to the lovers of the craft.

Watch a walk-through of the Trekker Trailer tiny house on the company’s Facebook page.

The Tiffany blue house is built with high quality materials like Galvalume roofing, cypress interior and exterior trim and some interesting and unique storage and space-saving details. The small living room couch (with a lovely skylight above it) has storage behind and underneath the seat and what Andrew calls a “hybrid Murphy bed” folds down from the back wall. The bed can be adjusted to sleep one or two people. The kitchen contains a sink, refrigerator, microwave and a slide-out pantry. The wet bath has fiberglass flooring and a composting toilet that can use BioBags. The water heater is a propane powered heater that is mounted on an exterior wall near the deck. Continue Reading »

I designed it to be a no-compromise Tiny House. I wanted to make a Tiny House that avoided many of the issues typically associated with them. I wanted high ceilings, so it has 8-10 foot ceilings throughout. I wanted plenty of space, so I maxed out the dimensions allowed for a trailer and then nearly doubled the square footage by installing a large retractable deck and awning. I wanted plenty of storage, so I installed a closet, 64 cubic feet of storage and a large modular shelving system. I wanted plenty of workspace, so I gave it an 8 foot desk and plenty of outlets. And I wanted it to perform like an ordinary house, so it has heating and cooling, full insulation, standard house wiring, an instant hot water heater and a large kitchen. In addition, I did not want to have to climb into a cramped loft to sleep, so the sofa slides out from under the kitchen and becomes the bed.

What I have created is, what I think, the least compromising Tiny House I’ve seen. I planned on living in it, however, I have moved to New York City and no longer can.

Please check out my listing at http://tinyhouselistings.com/modern-tiny-house-7/

Continue Reading »

I featured Ella back a few months as she was in the process of building her tiny home. Ella just sent me an update and tells me the house is completed. Ella says: “My house in FINALLY done! It’s been a little over a year since I started and it’s so exciting to see a house instead of a bunch of scattered projects.”

Ella has moved just about everything into her tiny house and says it still feels airy and has surplus storage. She is surprised by that as she expected to have every nook and cranny filled to the brim with things she could not part with.

Ella is enjoying living in her tiny home and it feels very natural. She loves that everything is close at hand and it makes life easier by being this way.

She has two kittens that have joined her in her tiny house arrangement and they are adjusting too. Learning to climb the ladder and finding their special places. Continue Reading »

I’m excited to offer a book giveaway of Derek “Deek” Diedricksen new updated Humble Homes, Simple Shacks Book. It is a great book and I’ve enjoyed checking it out recently and am excited to be offering it to you here.

The details are below on how you can win your free copy. I will be giving three copies to Tiny House Blog readers and you might just be one. Derek the author of this fantastic book and I will be the judges.

I will email the winners to get your address and mail your copy to you after the selection is made. I will also post an update so everyone knows who won along with their tip. I’ll turn it over to Deek to tell you what is new with this book and how to enter for your chance to win.

Hey Kent,

Here are a few copies of the new edition of “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks“, as promised, to give away to your readers. The book is up on Amazon.com for only $11.25 right now. I suggest you determine the winners through bouts of ultimate fighting, which we can then film for youtube. No, not really, but I have an idea I’ll recommend in a minute….

The new edition is being put out through The Lyons Press (home to work from David and Jeanie Stiles, Shay Solomon, and so on), and has quite a few new aspects to it as compared to the old hand assembled versions out there. PS- if any of you own the green cover version of the old book (only about 30 were made), some wacko bought one off some online seller for almost $100 not that long ago- yeah, stupid, I know….

Anyway, the new, expanded version of the book has….

• 14 New full page cabin designs/small living sketches
• A new 16 page color insert photo section showing some of the things I’ve designed and built, in addition to almost 40 cabins, shacks, and tiny houses that others have completed. A decent chunk of these are photos I’ve personally taken too- so there are a few things no one has seen, blog-wise, before.
• A new chapter called “Tricks Of The Trade” where I interviewed the likes of Lloyd Kahn, Jay Shafer, Mimi Zeiger, Michael Tougias, Cathy Johnson, Alex Pino, Gregory Paul Johnson, Dee Williams, Colin Beavan, Duo Dickinson, Tammy Strobel, and Alex Johnson, for their own tips and ideas on designing with space efficiency, minimalization, and storage in mind.
• Many other new sketches to accompany the text sections
• An intro/foreword written by Author/Architects David and Jeanie Stiles (one of my favorites/influences) Continue Reading »

Guest Post by Martha Keagan

Many will agree that disorganization is a pet peeve; for some, a cluttered space means a cluttered brain. Disorganization can be overwhelming, chaotic, unattractive and highly distracting, but unfortunately this feeling is common, especially for those living in a small spaces or tiny apartments. Oftentimes, people feel compelled to hold onto certain things without even having the space, meaning the “stuff” ends up in heaps and disorganization becomes the theme. Of course the opposite is true for minimalists who enjoy living in limited living space specifically because it keeps hoarding under control. An organized home seems lighter and fresh. There are several easy tips you can utilize for organizing your apartment, office or any other small space—even your car! Then, once the disorganized becomes organized, the hard part is keeping it that way.

Learning to Let Go

The first step to organizing a small space is simply letting go. You may have some hoarding tendencies that you’ve allowed to become a bad habit, but for some people, hoarding is a chronic and disabling disorder that may require the assistance of a trained professional. No matter what your circumstance, the first step to organizing is separating “need” from “do not need.” The task of letting go may feel easier with friends or family to help, as identifying which items are needs and which are not is more effective when you have no emotional attachment to the items.

Assign Storage Areas in Every Room

Once you have freed your space from the stuff you do not need, the next step is to assign storage areas in each room. Instead of throwing things “wherever,” there should be a specific places for items like mail, shoes, coats, books and toiletries. Inspired by the demand for clutter free, manufacturers have all types of furniture and storage units for different rooms in the house, many specifically for organizing small spaces. Purchasing coffee tables with inner storage, decorative baskets and stylish wall shelving are all easy ways to store your items in an aesthetically-pleasing fashion.

House Goods in a Garage Storage Unit

Some people may have garage storage units either attached or detached from their living space. These units are typically available for an additional fee and are helpful for those who have items not needed on an everyday basis, but still necessary to keep. Objects like bikes, out of season clothing and large furniture can fit in the garage storage area and free up space inside the home.

Clear Storage Options

Clutter busters that include clear plastic bins, vacuumed storage bags, vinyl shoe racks and glass wide mouth bottles (perfect for items like crafts, food, bedding, toiletries, jewelry, etc.) are perfect for all kinds of items and might even add a bit of décor to the space. Typically, these options fit compactly under kitchen cabinets, beds or on the top of certain furniture. You may want to store and label items for quick and chaos free locating.??

Big Storage Spaces in Tiny Living Areas

Many small studios and apartments for rent are equipped with large storage areas, like walk-in closets, large kitchen cabinets and extra bathroom space. Using these key storage areas wisely will help you maintain organization. With deep cabinets, the trick is to store the items you use less in the back while keeping the everyday items in the front and in the case of a walk-in closet: plastic storage bins can help keep your stuff off the floor.??

Go Digital

Technology has made it possible for us to read books and magazines without needing a bookshelf, not to mention daily calendars, to do lists, and appointments. Going digital is a great way to keep organized, because doing so can cut down on paper waste drastically and uphold a clean and tidy home.

Clean and Re-organize Often

It is so easy to fall back into the un-pleasantries of disorganized living, especially when the living space is on the small side. Re-evaluating accumulated stuff and getting rid of the items that you do not use or need is highly recommended for keeping tiny areas constantly clutter free.

Just because you live in a small apartment doesn’t mean you should force yourself to live uncomfortably; there are plenty of options out there for organizing, all you have to do is find the right one to fit your apartment, your budget and your stuff.

This guest post was written and provided by Martha Keagan who is a full time mother, freelance writer and part time real estate and local apartments broker.

Houses and apartments come in all shapes and sizes, the smaller the place, the more likely you could use some good space saving ideas. Maybe your living room isn’t as big as you’d like to be, and you want to have plenty of room for seating. You might need to save space in your kitchen so it isn’t cramped for cooking and dishes.

If you don’t have a lot of storage space or simply want to save the space you have, there are a number of fantastic and economical ideas that can both create more space and make the most of what you have, while making sure that your apartment looks spectacular.

1. Saving Space in the Kitchen – The kitchens in apartments are usually smaller than houses, which can make it difficult to deal with if you’re a foodie who loves to cook. Bad part is that once you cook there are dishes, figuring out how to find time and space to wash the dishes can prove to be a huge task at hand. Often, downsizing in the kitchen can be helpful, especially if you’re trying to share space with a dining room. For instance, you can set up a small, cozy bistro area, rather than an actual dining room. If you can’t abide by downsizing to a mini-fridge to give yourself more room, then improvise. Cans and smaller boxes can easily be stored in a plastic shoe holder designed to hang on the wall!
2. Lighting Tricks – It might not seem like lighting takes up a lot of space, but if you favor floor and table lamps, it can take up the extra space you have. If you’re allowed, try to use track lighting instead. In addition to making a room look larger, it will free up a surprising amount of space. Closets are one place where you should include lighting, however. That way, you’ll be able to see how much space you do have, so you can utilize it best.
3. Cheat Your Storage Space – One of the hardest things to do in many apartments is find space for storage. You just need to cheat what you’ve got. In addition to utilizing closet space, some things can be stored under your bed, your couch, and your chairs. You can also assign bureau drawers as storage spaces.
4. Shelving – Shelving can be your best friend. Bookshelves may be too bulky, but free floating shelves are ideal. They can hold books, figurines, knick-knacks, and pretty much anything else. They can also be quite attractive, especially “invisible shelves” made of glass.
5. Smart Furniture - The kind of furniture you use to furnish your apartment matters as well. For instance, you might have an armoire. This is a large piece of furniture, true, but it is also versatile. It has plenty of room for storage, but it can go almost anywhere in your home. Furniture that can double as something else, such as an ottoman that contains a storage unit in the middle, is always a good idea.
6. Create Versatile Rooms – You want to use every inch of space you have. Your living room can double as a family room and entertainment area, if you make good use of a wall unit. Your television, stereo, video games, and so on, can go into the unit, leaving plenty of room for seating. As briefly mentioned, you can also find a way to combine your kitchen and dining room in a charming but economic way as well.
7. Cutting Clutter – The fact remains that there are some items you might not be able to make room for in a small apartment. If you cannot store and have not used it in a year, cut ties. That’s the hard, fast rule for getting rid of things when your space is limited. By cutting out the erroneous, unnecessary items in your life, you will be surprised at how much space is left over.

As you can see, there are many ways to save space in even the smallest houses or apartments. These tips work well for small homes as well. You don’t have to be a slave to space. There are easy, clever ways both to save the space you have and make use of storage options you may not realize you had. Hopefully, now you have some redecorating ideas that will help you take the steps necessary to make your cozy apartment a roomy home.

This post was written and provided by Martha Keagan who is a freelance writer and full time mother. She is currently living in a small two bedroom apartment in Kansas City and is constantly finding new ways to pack more things in her home.