Comments on: Our Tiny House Experiment

By: Living Tiny With Kids

Living Tiny With Kids — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:05:43 +0000

[...] You can read the rest of Derek and his family’s story here. [...]

By: BiddyP

BiddyP — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:10:35 +0000

We just bought a camper trailer today. We will be moving into it with our three sons, two cats and a dog as soon as we get the permits and utilities out at our rural acreage. I am excited, a little scared, and hopeful. I do not want a mortgage anymore and all we choose to afford is a camper trailer. But kudos to you brave souls who really roughed it. Our camper will have heat and a/c, and a water heater, sleeping areas with sliding doors, etc. Its not as brave as you guys, but I am still scared of the unknown we’re about to step into. Here’s hoping!

By: Derek Markham

Derek Markham — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:27:56 +0000

Honestly, sometimes I miss it, but if I did it again I would probably invest in building a tiny house, with much better insulation and a more thought out design. Trailer Life gets old in the middle of winter or the heat of summer.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:20:04 +0000

This is a funny page to stumble upon, as we are in a similar situation. My husband and I have a 2 year old son and have been in a 8×20′ RV for 2.5 years now. We are starting to feel seriously squished…would you go back to the trailer now that you’ve been in a house?

By: 10 Ways to Create Media That Matters / Justin Kownacki

10 Ways to Create Media That Matters / Justin Kownacki — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:31:40 +0000

[...] the ways in which we can use shared media to break down barriers, explain ourselves and find common ground with everyone around us is forever [...]

By: Sarah Lozanova

Sarah Lozanova — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:07:42 +0000

What a crash course in voluntary simplicity! I want to live in a yurt with my husband and two kids…perhaps only for a year or two.

By: fitness girl

fitness girl — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 05:51:38 +0000

Wow,,awesome!Living in a cheap way is great.Save a lot of expenses less household chores and less bills-never get disappointed of what you are right now! God always love us.

By: Ginny

Ginny — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 03:36:31 +0000

Wow, that was really roughing it!

My husband bought 30 acres of undeveloped property right before we were married and we liked to go out on the weekends and cut down trees and have fun. We eventually added a travel trailer, and then built a barn with living quarters. I still think fondly of those days camping out under the trees, but I don’t think I would give up my a/c and hot water for anything now!

By: Derek Markham

Derek Markham — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:27:00 +0000

Absolutely! You can reach me at derek (at) naturalpapa.com

Cheers!

By: JorgandOlif

JorgandOlif — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:13:00 +0000

I love this story! Thanks for sharing!

We bought a wood a few years’ back. We live in London and we were just so fed up with being away from the countryside. I used to obsess about moving out, but I also knew (from my childhood) that the countryside can be a lonely place (especially as I don’t drive!) and so many of our friends live near us in London, we’re very lucky.

So we bought the wood. And we go there for long camping holidays without any running water or cooking facilities. It is BRILLIANT. And what’s really great is how much my family have got into it too — having thought I was insane!

Our plot of woodland is within a much larger wood, and there are lots of others like us who just visit for weekends and holidays. But there is a family that lives there too. They are the nicest, happiest family I think I know. They used to live in a tiny caravan with three children in the middle of the wood. Now, they live outside the wood (much safer away from the trees) in an old stable yard. They have a static caravan and a horse box, where two of the children and their new baby) also sleep.

I’m not sure I could do it, but I love that they do — and love spending time with such amazing people.

PS. I’d love to write about you on http://jorgandolif.com/. Would you be interested in an interview?

By: barefootmamma

barefootmamma — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:29:06 +0000

Oh I was so glad to read your story. I have also been wanting to live a more simple life. So after school got out last year my husband, 4 children under 10 and one mid size dog moved into a camper that looks like it is set up very similar to yours. Althou we stayed in a camp ground and used the sewer and water system that was in place. It was tight but good. By mid summer we were offered the use of a 35′ fifth wheel and we jumped on it. It was so nice to have a little extra space and a private bedroom. The kids slept on a hide a bed in the living room and another coutch. It worked out great. But as school was about to start my husband and our family and friends thought we needed a house. So here we are just moved in last week and are paying 1100 a month not to mention the 180 gas/electric bill. Lets just say I am less then excited. I miss my little camperr that love grew so strong in. Now it seems that everyone has there own space and are taking full advantage of not being together. I love the song by alen jackson love grows best in little houses. It is so true and when us americans start putting that into play again we will be better off as a country. Thank you thank you for letting me know I am not the only one out there with children willing to do a little extra for the sake of family and well if the savings comes along then thats just an extra bonus.

By: load shedding

load shedding — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:28:38 +0000

We should all learn to live with less stuff, interesting article.

By: SenseiMattKlein

SenseiMattKlein — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:33:43 +0000

Like the idea of saving rent. Most of have so much clutter, if we could get rid of it we could live in a much smaller place. It gives me inspiration to try after reading your story.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:29:56 +0000

Amazing you were able live in the travel trailer for 6 years. We are currently working towards getting into a fifth wheel camper with 2 dogs and a cat. It’s all about simplifying and loosing the mortgage, and therefore loosing the extra added stress. It’s nice to know there are others out there with the same ideas. I’m Not Crazy!!!
Thanks for all the info.

Mandy

By: Betty

Betty — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:11:28 +0000

Wow, amazing. You’re a brave family!

By: Eleanor Nurallah Briseno

Eleanor Nurallah Briseno — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:33:45 +0000

FOUND YOUR ARTICLE on Earth day, Every day posted on Care2 then got connected to You Tube Bike Extravaganza & Tiny House blog. I’m a 68yr old retired Waldorf Teacher living in Gainesville,Fl. “Communal style” sharing my home with others. I’m so inspired by folks like you & support your taking these creative steps to reteach us how essential it is relating to life as responsible for all aspects of our footprint & our healthy attitudes. Keep lifting us up, your wonderful self-sustainable happiness is catching! Thanks & good LUCK! Nurallah

By: Derek Markham

Derek Markham — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:37:28 +0000

Best of luck to you on your transition! And you’re right, I think. We don’t ever have anything come our way that we can’t handle (and get stronger as we do handle it). Cheers!

By: aarontfan

aarontfan — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:36:51 +0000

We are moving back into our travel trailer next weekend. We have two kids and two dogs. We did it for six months previously because we moved to a new place and wanted to save some money but this time it is out of financial necessity. It is going to take a while to adjust but we were so much stronger when we did it last time. I keep telling myself that God never gives us anything we can’t handle. I have to believe that to keep myself going!

By: Nexyoo

Nexyoo — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:48:08 +0000

I love the last picture of the kids. It looks cozy, and like it was a lot of fun (at least some of the time ).

By: Serge

Serge — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:00:13 +0000

waw! 6 years, that’s a lot… but while I was reading this story I was actually thinking that probably most people on our planet don’t get even that utilities…