STUCK

Another tiny house option that I want to quickly jot down. http://tkithouse.com

It seems like we may be leaning toward buying a small house 1200 feet or less on some property. Ideally we would like 3-10 acres and then paying it all off as quickly as possible and then moving forward with our tiny house plans. So far we are having a problem finding land BUT we also have not seriously looked much yet as we are waiting for the official nod from my husband's work about his (hopefully) upcoming promotion.

Mostly what I've liked about this shift to thinking tiny is my ability to think minimally about everything.  It's a change I can't wait to make.

I wish I could start getting rid of things around here but I can't seem to devise a plan for organizing things I plan to sell in one pile. The garage is a huge mess and there's really not a planning spot there. I'd like to start de-cluttering NOW. It's such a huge job though. I want to just give it away or donate it because selling it sounds like a huge pain in the ass BUT we sure could use a little extra income. Decisions, decisions...

Family #1 or #2?

Two people in similar financial situations can arrive at two very different solutions. Putting the words financial and situation together can give you enough idea that this is going no place good.

Family #1 decides to pay thousands of dollars for more education so they can get a better job so they can make more money and pay off that debt plus the debt they've already accumulated.

Family #2 decides to minimize their life. Smaller property, grow a garden to reduce their grocery bill, harness solar power and rain water, buy less, consume less, reuse more..only buy used items and always think if we could live without it. Get rid of anything that hasn't been used in a year.

Dreams

Taylor your life to fit your dreams, not your dreams to fit your life. -Ginger

I just quoted myself, ha. I was trying to help Foy think what his dream is. I told him if he won the lottery, what would he do with it? That's a dream, right? And then, let's do it. No matter what it is. And he said…


…

To build a house on his parent's land.

Who am I to think his dreams are not big enough or important enough?

What are my dreams? I would travel. In the continental US and eventually beyond. How can I realize that dream?

What is in a dream? What do people dream? Is a dream the same as a passion?

I have many questions but mostly I've been thinking about what my dream life is. Since everything suddenly seems possible, what is my dream? Are dreams like goals? What would make me really happy right now?

At this exact moment I am pretty happy...

What if in making myself happy I have to make someone else unhappy? Obviously I have children to think of. I have a husband who may have different goals. His dreams must be considered as well. So do I give up some of my dreams for children and husband? Did I forfeit something I didn't know I had before I had it to give away?

Traveling makes me happy. Traveling takes money. My husband would probably like to not work so hard. Maybe I should ask him his dreams and we can both work on capturing them.

Fostering

I've found myself with fostering. It's been a rewarding and enriching experience for the whole family. It makes me feel fuzzy inside and I've really stepped outside my comfort zone with it.

I never had animals as a child and really don't know a lot about them. I've been forced to learn, interact, and read them. Much like parenting I've tried to take little from books and base my actions on feelings of compassion or understanding. When I followed others instructions in my parenting it failed me. I have learned instincts are much more reliable.

We have went from puppies, to kittens, and now a Mom and kittens.

We foster for the Humane Society right now.

More Tiny House Talk (I know, I know…)

The kids seem ok with the idea. The younger ones want to make sure they have continued access to mine craft. ;) Cash is concerned with a lack of space for his personal things (like 5 guitars) and being so rural he won't have anything to do or anyone to talk to. I told him we can still do this near a town and still be 'rural'.

I plan for at least an acre which should have room for a sizable, perfect for me size garden, and maybe some chickens, goats…maybe a pig or cow. The sky (and the land) is the limit, right?

We were looking to be near Kenedy where Foy will work and with us just needing land now it becomes a little more possible to get closer BUT I don't want to be TOO far from civilization. As much I would like my little humble abode, I don't want to feel too out of the loop.

The good thing about this size house is also that they can be moved. Should we get a transfer or just decide to move, we can! Our house can move with us.

Fortune Cookie Advice

I'm going to gather some thoughts here about my tiny house. Today I got this fortune in my cookie and it feels like a sign. Like a real legit sign or I'm taking it as such. One day I hope to look back on this fortune cookie moment and see it as the moment when I knew I was going to do it and it was all going to work out. That I would be happier with simplicity.

Here is a link with several links to tiny house options. 

Here is my favorite builder right now because he's original, builds with upcycled material, and thinks about sustainability. Plus he's practically in my back yard. My one concern is his style is not modern AT ALL and Foy is attracted to the sleek lines and simplicity of a modern style tiny house. He also likes all the hidden spaces or things with dual uses. 

This is more along the lines of the modern lines he might like but they are pre-fab and set in stone. There is no originality plus they are price-y and a bit smaller than I was thinking. 

Here is another option on that same link with several options. These are also prefab and lacking in originality though. :/ 

What has been to forefront of my thoughts about moving forward with this has been 1. Why are we doing this? 2. What do I NEED? 3. What is going to make us fail?

1. I think (to me) the reasons for living tiny is (listed from most important though they are all good reasons): money (being free of debt, having more free money for other things), putting people before things (do we need this room), I hate cleaning (less to have, less to clean, less to spend money on, less to maintain), going green (compost toilets, solar energy, growing our own foods, sustainability), and going off the grid has it's perks if we could manage it. 

2. I'm going to need internet and my electronic devices (phone calls, texts) but I can live without tv. I need air conditioning, electricity, a way to bath/shower, toilet and some form of running water. I'd really like to have my own room even if it just consists of a bed..and I'd like a door. 

3. We moved out of the RV because the RV park was being ridiculous about the kids going outside alone and about rules (like you couldn't put your swimsuit on the back of the RV). And air conditioning. Our poor air conditioner was working overtime and barely working. Also being cooped up with Ezra for a long time was basically hell. He hated the RV. I plan on lots of time outdoors one way or another. I guess we'll see…

Most of all I'd like to give myself a break and say if we do this as long as we can sell it even if it's in a few years we basically didn't lose our money and hey, we tried it.

I just want to try it...