More thoughts on small-scale living

We took a very mini vacation this week (the main reason I haven't posted recently), going up to New Braunfels for a one night stay in a cottage at Hill Country RV Resort & Cabins.

This picture (credit their website) is of the cabin we stayed in, a model called Hunter.  To call it a cabin is perhaps a bit of a misnomer--it's clearly a modular home rather than something site-built.  But that's fine.  It is a very nice little place (albeit lacking the promised ceiling fan), comfortable and--at $85/night on the off season--a great price for six people.  My only issue the whole time was that my desire to sit out on the front porch and enjoy the weather was thwarted by someone outside smoking a cigarette.

This isn't really meant to be a review, though.  The little cottage, according to the website, is 300 sq ft on the bottom, with a loft that is perhaps 100sq ft (but probably smaller)--enough room for two twin mattresses and about a foot of extra space.  It is absolutely a marvel of compact design.  So I had the thought, and I told Erik, "Hey, I could live here!"

Unfortunately, I almost immediately realized that wasn't quite true--at the very least, I'd need exterior washer/dryer hookups and a storage shed for guns and out-of-season clothes.  But it actually comes really close to my ideal.

More pictures after the break...

This is a photo of the three older girls in the loft:

Not the best quality picture, but it gives you a pretty good idea of scale.  (And the safety, which I was a bit worried about beforehand.)  We have a bit of an odd setup here at home--the girls actually share a room and a big queen-sized bed right now.  (Tried breaking Bobbie out into her own room when we first moved, but she was having nothing of it.)  So  an old-fashioned loft sleeping area wouldn't be too far out of the norm.

Here's another shot of the loft.  This is a definite kids-only space, as you can see not even Bobbie can stand up straight, and she's a bit over 4 feet tall.  So its utility for teenagers is perhaps questionable.

This is the view from the main living area.  I'm sitting on the bed (which was decidedly not queen-sized by the way; it's maybe a full).  You can see the couch, dining table, kitchenette, and hall to the bathroom.  Between the fridge and the bathroom is an alcove hosting the microwave and a small cabinet where the kitchen stuff was; above it were extra blankets.  There is a small staircase that leads to the loft.

Of course, living someplace like this, you would not be able to own a lot of stuff.  That actually doesn't bother me too much.  Less stuff owned = less stuff to clean.  I suspect my interest in such a small space is directly related to how much I hate having to clean my kitchen. 

I'll admit to giving this a great deal of thought.  Could we make it work?   Short term, definitely.  Long term, probably, but it would take some dedication.  I wouldn't have any real interest in living in a little cabin like this in the middle of an RV/trailer park like this one, but on about five acres or so?  Totally doable.  Better yet, I'm finding plenty of options with slightly larger floorplans (including a separate bedroom downstairs).

I know it places me decidedly outside the norm to lust after tiny houses when most people in this country are looking for bigger and bigger ones.  But I like the efficient use of space, and I've always been a bit confused by ginormous houses that allow you to pretty much never see your family.  I rather like my family, at least my immediate family.