In the Netherlands, tiny houses were not just for young people in the past, but for working-class families in general. They were made of brick rather than wood, though. When they're still standing, they're used as single-person housing. We don't live in huge villas/barns like Americans do, but the trend is the same.
My grandfather once came home to find his neighbors sitting at the dinner table. Grandma had decided to move next door, and that took only an afternoon.
When I was a kid, our neighbors liked to remind my parents that they lived in a former chicken shed. It was turned into a house in the 1950s, and the whole family helped to add an extension when I was born in 1971. The yard was covered with random slabs of stone from demolished buildings, we had a big vegetable garden, a flower garden, a chicken shed, a boathouse and a garage turned into a tool shed. We had everything we could wish for. Some of my friends who lived in bigger houses were jealous of me because they had to share their bedroom with a brother and I didn't.
Once I had breakfast in someone's living room that was the size of a ballroom. I felt lost there. It was mostly empty, useless unless you wanted to have a big cocktail party. And I knew that he was rich, but struggling to pay his mortgage after buying at the top of the market just before the 2008 crisis.
Excellent post, very well explained and with interesting historical data. I believe that it is not necessary that the size of a house be so large. Many times it is exaggerated with space and at the end there are parts of a house that are not used. This contributes to the purchase of more and more things that will not be used over time. The idea must be to economize and know how to adapt. Greetings.
I really like the house trend here, they are so practical and innovative in design and what a way to start out for younger folks without going into debt for 200grand.
great job sir!thank you @shayne for an impressive and well researched post!
I think they are a good option, especially for young people and retirees.
The way I see it, the more options people have the greater ability they have to be self-reliant. Being self-reliant is important for Freedom and Happiness in my opinion.
Brilliant! Such an informative and well thought out post. Great examples of different tiny homes. A tiny home is almost the best of both worlds. Minimalism with comfort and improved designs to cater for individual requirements
I think the cheaper ones are a great idea. I also think the expensive ones are ridiculous!
When you factor in house payments, insurance, construction materials and labor, maintenance, etc something like 25-30% of all economic activity goes to housing. Why are we spending so much money on shelter when everything should be getting cheaper as efficiencies and technology improve?
It's the same reason we have vast, sterile lawns that aren't used and drive 80k USD pickup trucks: status.
Great post, I can't disagree, I love simplicity and efficiency - but I can't help myself. I really can't help myself, must post a South Park link...
BTW - I posted a link that was supposed to start that at 26 seconds in - but apparently that doesn't work here, but it is relevant starting at that point.
I did live in what qualifies as a tiny home for a couple of years. It was a fishing shack built in 1961, it was either a no bedroom or a two bedroom depending on how you looked at it. There was a partition between the living room and bedroom area, but not really a wall, and the old screened in porch was my office. Way more than enough for just me, I actually had a roommate there for a while, he moved in until getting on his feet. Wasn't bad, we worked at the same place, lived at the same place, but since we had different shifts we rarely saw each other much. He slept in the dining area, I just was careful to be quiet when I came and went not to wake him up. He did the same.
I had to move out when Hurricane Ike deposited 4 1/2 feet of ocean in the thing. Been there since 1961 and not until Ike did it take in water according to my neighbor.
In the Netherlands, tiny houses were not just for young people in the past, but for working-class families in general. They were made of brick rather than wood, though. When they're still standing, they're used as single-person housing. We don't live in huge villas/barns like Americans do, but the trend is the same.
My grandfather once came home to find his neighbors sitting at the dinner table. Grandma had decided to move next door, and that took only an afternoon.
When I was a kid, our neighbors liked to remind my parents that they lived in a former chicken shed. It was turned into a house in the 1950s, and the whole family helped to add an extension when I was born in 1971. The yard was covered with random slabs of stone from demolished buildings, we had a big vegetable garden, a flower garden, a chicken shed, a boathouse and a garage turned into a tool shed. We had everything we could wish for. Some of my friends who lived in bigger houses were jealous of me because they had to share their bedroom with a brother and I didn't.
Once I had breakfast in someone's living room that was the size of a ballroom. I felt lost there. It was mostly empty, useless unless you wanted to have a big cocktail party. And I knew that he was rich, but struggling to pay his mortgage after buying at the top of the market just before the 2008 crisis.
Excellent post, very well explained and with interesting historical data. I believe that it is not necessary that the size of a house be so large. Many times it is exaggerated with space and at the end there are parts of a house that are not used. This contributes to the purchase of more and more things that will not be used over time. The idea must be to economize and know how to adapt. Greetings.
I really like the house trend here, they are so practical and innovative in design and what a way to start out for younger folks without going into debt for 200grand.
great job sir!thank you @shayne for an impressive and well researched post!
I think they are a good option, especially for young people and retirees.
The way I see it, the more options people have the greater ability they have to be self-reliant. Being self-reliant is important for Freedom and Happiness in my opinion.
Brilliant! Such an informative and well thought out post. Great examples of different tiny homes. A tiny home is almost the best of both worlds. Minimalism with comfort and improved designs to cater for individual requirements
I think the cheaper ones are a great idea. I also think the expensive ones are ridiculous!
When you factor in house payments, insurance, construction materials and labor, maintenance, etc something like 25-30% of all economic activity goes to housing. Why are we spending so much money on shelter when everything should be getting cheaper as efficiencies and technology improve?
It's the same reason we have vast, sterile lawns that aren't used and drive 80k USD pickup trucks: status.
Great post, I can't disagree, I love simplicity and efficiency - but I can't help myself. I really can't help myself, must post a South Park link...
BTW - I posted a link that was supposed to start that at 26 seconds in - but apparently that doesn't work here, but it is relevant starting at that point.
I did live in what qualifies as a tiny home for a couple of years. It was a fishing shack built in 1961, it was either a no bedroom or a two bedroom depending on how you looked at it. There was a partition between the living room and bedroom area, but not really a wall, and the old screened in porch was my office. Way more than enough for just me, I actually had a roommate there for a while, he moved in until getting on his feet. Wasn't bad, we worked at the same place, lived at the same place, but since we had different shifts we rarely saw each other much. He slept in the dining area, I just was careful to be quiet when I came and went not to wake him up. He did the same.
I had to move out when Hurricane Ike deposited 4 1/2 feet of ocean in the thing. Been there since 1961 and not until Ike did it take in water according to my neighbor.
Good article, love the tiny house movement