After One Year of Living Small My Five Favorite Things About My Tiny House

A year ago, I finished my tiny house. I threw a party, drank more than a few glasses of wine to celebrate, took dozens of pictures, and then moved her to where she is now. Her official proper name is “Joy” and the happiness she has brought me over the past 12 months is pretty difficult to describe. She has so many admirable attributes and has provided an endless source of inspiration for creative writing.

But, there are definitely a few things about her that truly stand out as the best of the best.

1. My Living Room

At the end of a long day at work it is soooo relaxing to fall into my comfy living room chair, put my feet up on the ottoman, bury myself under a warm fuzzy blanket, and watch Netflix. There are so many compromises that tiny house occupants make but having a “proper” living room with “regular” chairs wasn’t one that I was willing to make for myself. And, when I need to work on my computer or have guests over for dinner, my living room easily and quickly converts into a dining room with the addition of a break-down table that lives next to the refrigerator when not in use.

2. The Large Garbage Can

I know it sounds odd but controlling clutter and waste is a HUGE issue in tiny houses. Maybe it goes without saying but having space for everything you need, and having everything in its place is a key to sanity in such a small dwelling. My kitchen garbage can is pretty big and sits conveniently under the countertop, behind a curtain, adjacent to the kitchen sink. It is very easy to access when I need it and when I’m cooking I pull the curtain back. It is also the only one in the house so the “chore” of emptying the garbage is really not that big of a deal. I use it every day, as you might imagine, and I’m so glad that I designed the space so I’m not tripping over it in the middle of the kitchen floor or having to empty it often.

3. My Composting Toilet

I originally designed my house with the kitchen at one end of the house and the bathroom at the other end. I did NOT want the smell from the bathroom to come anywhere NEAR the kitchen. And, while I do not regret the split layout, there really is no toilet smell emanating from my bathroom. Ever. One of my favorite things to show off during a tour with guests is the toilet. No joke. I open the hatch and ask them if they smell anything. They don’t and they’re as surprised by that discovery as I was when I first used my Nature’s Head toilet. It’s amazing. It truly is.

4. The Propane Water Heater

Early in my planning process I decided that I wanted to use as little electricity as possible, in order to draw as little as possible from my landlord/ hosts, and that meant I would need to have all propane heating appliances. I love my propane stove, oven, and furnace but above and beyond them all is my super reliable, externally mounted / vented, Rheem, on demand, hot water heater. I had it professionally installed, have moved the house twice since then and every time I turn on the shower or need to wash dishes I have hot water. I haven’t touched the unit in a year. It works like it’s supposed to every time. I come from a huge family and have always been pretty frugal with my time in the shower to save money. I have never had the luxury of taking long, hot, showers. But I do now. And, it’s a luxury I don’t take for granted.

5. My Landlords

I rent the space for my tiny house from some neighbors who have a large plot of land that used to operate as a Christmas Tree Farm. What I pay for rent includes water, electricity, wifi, and the space itself. So far, I have been living in my tiny house part time for the majority of the past year. Starting next month, however, I’ll be moving in and living there full time. So this week the landlords and I negotiated a new rent amount of $75.00 per month. Yes. $75. That is not a typo.

 

By far the BEST part of living in my tiny house is how amazingly affordable it is!

MJ Boyle is a proud and outgoing single mom of two college aged children, published author, accomplished speaker, patented inventor, creative blogger, craigslist stalker, and enthusiastic Glamper; as well a passionate tiny house enthusiast, designer, and builder.