Family downsizes to custom 320 sq ft home - very interesting!

**krbshappy71** · 06-02-2011, 10:04 AM

I LOVE IT! I WANT ONE!!

I would not want to have to rent a lot space though. It would be really crowded with my 5 dogs but someday when I just have one little dog I could handle that.

I liked her storage and organizing ideas. Some of the things I saw I would change for my own preferences but over all she did a great job on both the house and the tour/video!! Amazing.

**peanut** · 06-03-2011, 11:36 AM

I dunno. It looks nice. And I say 'bravo!' to them for making it work. But not on the Canadian prairies! You'd go stir crazy by the end of January! Unless you just happened to love cavorting in -30 + temperatures.

But I must admit, the video left me yearning to downsize into a 900-1000 sq. ft. wartime home here. I've been wanting to downsize from our 1500 sq. ft. 2 storey home for some time. DH is holding off. Mostly because I have so many hobbies. He thinks there won't be enough space. But if we had an extra "storage shed" as she calls it

we could do it. Maybe a larger garage with a studio above or beside...

**ErikM02** · 06-03-2011, 06:09 PM

I bet it's pretty easy to keep clean lol

**frugalfriend** · 06-03-2011, 06:42 PM

I saw this the other day and found it fascinating! I couldn't do it, way too much stuff, and would feel claustrophobic. We did stay in a cabin like that once for a night or two when on vacation with one small child. Maybe it was a little bigger than that one. It was fun for a short time, lol!

**Jeanna** · 06-04-2011, 07:40 AM

I think for 2 it would work okay, but with 4 grown people living in our house there is no way we could go that small. The house we live in is around 1800 and with some decluttering (which I am working on) I think we could go down to about 1/2 this size and still be okay with all 4. But that is about as small as I would want to go with all of us. Now when the kids move out I would like to go to about 500-600 square feet. It would just be easier to manage as we get older.

**forHISglory** · 06-04-2011, 09:07 AM

Would I? Could I? Um... yes, I could (but grudgingly), and yes, I would (if push comes to shove). But I prefer something larger.

But I love their attitude and philosophy. It's sort of like living in a camper with a loft.

**Missourimom** · 06-04-2011, 10:09 AM

Thank you for sharing the video, it really was interesting. I personally could live in a house that small and enjoy it (as long as I had a large enough yard for all of my flowers,) but my husband would never go for it. The only problem I had was the cramped little box her son sleeps in and the lack of privacy in the bathroom.

**sprouter** · 06-04-2011, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

There are some really good ideas here. Impressive use of space but she mentioned having a storage unit and I feel like that's sorta cheating on the idea of living with only 320 square feet.

Yeah, the storage option nullifies quite a bit of what they're saying about how well they adapt. Also, they admit that they spend most of their time in the adjoining trailer where their work is, and they also can step outside into a huge wide-open piece of land, so they're not being forced to stay inside.

Still, I find it very cute and cozy, and they have definitely planned it very well.

I myself live in a 230-sq ft studio apartment, and while that's not too difficult for a single person to adapt to, and I planned the layout well when I moved in, still it sometimes feels a bit claustrophobic. For one thing, I can't entertain here, certainly not more than one or two other people, and I lack a regular-size table on which to eat dinner and do crafts.

**flashyMcGee** · 06-04-2011, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Missourimom

Thank you for sharing the video, it really was interesting. I personally could live in a house that small and enjoy it (as long as I had a large enough yard for all of my flowers,) but my husband would never go for it. The only problem I had was the cramped little box her son sleeps in and the lack of privacy in the bathroom.

I wonder how he gets up there? A ladder?
I think she lost me when she showed the closet and said she had too many clothes.

**dinah** · 06-04-2011, 02:12 PM

i found the video inspirational....and yet claustraphobic. 320 square feet does seem awfully small for 3 grown people (their teen was the same size as the dad). it does give you pause to think about how much space you really need. i would need an actual bathroom...not one in a hallway. lol

**peanut** · 06-04-2011, 02:15 PM

Actually, our clothes closet is perhaps twice that size...about 5' for the two of us, and we do have too many clothes! But that's because we don't do smart shopping and make things mix and match as much as we could. If we did that, we could get rid of half the stuff in the closet. I'm working on that right now.

But yeah, that closet was kinda small...

What got me was their socks took up an entire drawer! In our dresser DH gets the top drawer (cuz he's tall), I get the bottom drawer (cuz I'm short), and we share the middle drawer. I also have two small drawers (about 7.5" wide and 14" deep) in the vanity: one for socks, pantyhose & handkerchiefs, and the other for underclothes. Our dresser is about the size of hers. So I'm wondering, why all the socks?!

**dancemommy** · 06-04-2011, 03:53 PM

Couldn't and wouldn't. But it if they are happy more power to them! I absolutely could not live without a bathroom door- there are some things I just don't want to know about those I live with...we lived in 1200 square feet with 5 of us and I couldn't stand it. We also ran a business out of it and it was sooo cramped. Our house now is about 2800 and I could use a little more space for the kids to RUN when it is cold out.

**Libby** · 06-05-2011, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Josephhgoins

hmmm, 350 square foot and laid out much better than my 750!

Totally agree. Much larger houses have layouts where I consider them as not flowing or making any sense. This tiny lil thing is laid out perfectly!

Originally Posted by wunsagin

Interesting! That would be perfect as a MIL suite

That is what I was thinking too - great for one person, possibly two but thats it.

Originally Posted by peanut

So I'm wondering, why all the socks?!

Three people's socks and one is a child, I think thats a pretty small drawer for all three of them to be honest. My socks take up an entire drawer here *blushes*

If I had to pare down, I'd do it. But I would like a square vs a rectangle

And the bathroom to be an actual room or at least have a proper WC for each the toilet and shower with some sort of ventilation. The sink being out in the open, I like.

Interesting way to live and/or desire to live...simply.