A Definitive Tiny House Checklist – All You Need to Know About Very Small Homes

When you think about reasons to move to a small house, you will have to consider all the things that come with this choice. Some common staples of modern living will be unavailable and even considered a luxury. So before you make this step, gather all the necessary information. Living in a small house will change your life entirely, but if you are willing to make some sacrifices, you will not only save some money but live a more down-to-earth kind of life.

All You Need to Do Before Moving to a Tiny House

Relocating to the suburbs or an apartment is nothing compared to living in a house of 400 square feet or even less. First you need to figure out if you will be living in the countryside or some trailer park? Will you relocate to a new state or stay in the same city? What will be your work arrangements? Will you sell or rent out your home? You need to answer many questions before deciding to relocate, and once you figure everything out, you have to think about what kind of house you want to live in. Are you going to build one or buy one? There are different kinds of miniature houses you can buy, and before you start your house hunting, check out your options first:

• House on tumbleweed – Some companies build houses on wheels. Inside they have everything you can find in an RV or trailer.
• Trailer or RV – Some people decide to buy an RV and live on the road. Originally designed for camping and road trips, now more and more people decide to live in RVs.
• Underground cottage – If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings, you will love the variety of underground cottages on offer. Contrary to popular belief, these cottages are very comfortable, and they are not dark.
• Cottage on foundations – Classic wooden cottage can be transformed into a small house with everything you need. It is the same with cabins.
• Granny Pods – Usually made for the retirement of older family members in the backyard of your house, these are ever more popular among miniature house lovers.
• Sheds – With some imagination or your contractor, you can easily arrange your shed for living.

Cleanse Your Way Into a New Life

Once you choose how big your new home is going to be and on what location, it is time to downsize. Don’t make common relocation mistake and cling to stuff you don’t need. In this case, you will not have space for them. Sell unwanted items and make a moving cross-country budget with that money. Start creating a list of things you have to bring when relocating to a tiny house.

From kitchen appliances like refrigerators to bathroom items, you will have to get rid of every large item you have. Also, moving your furniture will have to be selective. When it comes to packing your clothing, think about where you can store it, how big your closet is going to be, and bring only things you wear. If you have double sets of pots and pans, bring the ones that are in better condition. A lot of downsizing awaits you, so make sure to start with all arrangements on time and avoid unnecessary relocation stress.

Have Everything You Need In Your Home With This Tiny House Checklist

In order to efficiently move to your new small cabin, there are some things you must buy so you can settle in. As we mentioned earlier, many things will depend on what type of home you buy and where it is going to be located. For starters, is there access to electricity, sewer, and water? Building or parking your home near the sewer is possible but tricky, so having a flush toilet will probably not be an option. Luckily, there are eco-friendly and cheap solutions you can install, and they are called composting toilets. They cost from $500 to upwards of $1,500. The installation is pretty simple, and they are easy to use.

Bathroom Appliances You Have to Buy

Aside from the toilet, which is probably the most important part, you will have to think about buying other useful appliances. You will not have much space in your bathroom so you should consider buying combined dryer and washing machines. All you need to install this machine is access to water, and there is no need for a steam extraction hose because most modern devices have a steam collector in their doors. Also, think about installing some shelves that can go around your toilet and dryer. You will get more space for your cosmetics and other toiletries.

Make a Big Kitchen in Small Space

When it comes to building a kitchen, owners of miniature homes have plenty of options. If you like to cook a lot, we recommend buying a stovetop with propane gas and an oven that can be installed separately. On the other hand, if you don’t cook that much, buy a stovetop with two burners. Also, if you are moving across the country to a colder climate, consider buying a wood stove for cooking. This way you will have an excellent solution for heating and a place where you can cook at the same time.

Buy a small combined refrigerator a little bit smaller than the height of the counter and cabinets. This way, you can install a kitchen counter on top of your refrigerator and save some space. When you start making your new apartment shopping list, put a lot of hooks and shelves there.

Creative Storage Ideas to Think About

One of the best cross country moving tips we can give you when it comes to usage of small space is to be creative and use every inch of a place and make storage wherever you can. There are a lot of creative storage ideas you can implement in a house. For example, shelves and hooks can be placed on every wall you have, and there are so many ways this can come in handy. You can hang your kitchen items, tools, pots and pans, and many other things.

Also, buy under-the-counter shelves where you can store your spices or even some dishes. Install hooks underneath your cabinet and hang your mugs there. Check out this video for more tips on how to store items in a small space.

Can You Build a Tiny House With No Experience? All You Need to Know – From Materials to Building Codes

If you have experience in construction and you are handy with woods and tools, you can build your own house, at least in theory. First, you have to plan how big your house will be and whether it will be on wheels or with foundations. And then there’s the matter of legality. If you wonder whether and why are tiny homes illegal, the good thing is that it’s not so in all states.

Some states have strict building codes when it comes to tiny houses. For example, Kansas is more open to the house on foundation while trailers are not acceptable. So, before you start your building, make sure to check if your state codes allow it. In reality, building a house on wheels is much simpler than making a foundation. But before you start with this process, make a relocation expenses checklist and put there following materials you will need:

• Wood,
• Walls,
• Trailer,
• Lumber,
• Appliances,
• Doors,
• Windows,
• Sheathing for the walls and roof.

How to Build a Tiny House? Step by Step Guide

What to know before building a tiny house? The first thing you need to know is that you can not do some things alone. Raising a roof or installing the water pipes and electricity is better left to the professionals. When you buy all necessary materials and have a house blueprint, contact a tiny house contractor for advice about your next step. Furthermore, there are some things you can do alone if you feel confident and experienced enough. Here are steps to follow:

• Step 1 – the floor – Your trailer will be the foundation of your home. Put waterproof isolation in the empty space of your trailer and then put your sub-floor boards on top of it.
• Step 2 – the sheathing – You can buy premade sheathing for the walls and roof or build your own. You will need beams, screws, and nails for this purpose. Everything should be attached to your subfloor.
• Step 3 – framing – Whether you choose wood or steel framing, you should attach it to the subfloor. Make sure to put isolation in the gaps between construction and walls.
• Step 4 – roof construction – Like walls sheathing, you can buy a finished product or build your own alone.
• Step 5 – electricity and plumbing – When you are done with your walls, make a rough path for cables and plumbing.
• Step 6 – doors and windows – If you measured everything correctly, placing windows and doors will be easy. All you need is polyurethane foam and wood nails.

Consider Renting Storage Before You Settle in

If you still don’t know how big your small place will be and don’t know where to put things you plan to keep, you should consider renting a storage unit. Ask your cross-country movers if they provide storage service. This way, you can safely store your belongings until your house is finished and await for them once everything is ready. Go on your mover’s website and ask for a free quote about your move.

Ups and Downs of Living in Tiny House

Can you build a tiny house for $5000? Well, you most certainly can. If you use a premade kit and do everything alone, note that this is a price for a basic house. If you wish to live more comfortably, you will have to pay more. But in the end, it will pay off. One of the biggest pros of living in a miniature place is that your expenditures will be way smaller. You will pay less for gas, electricity and you will leave a lower carbon footprint.
The downside of this kind of living is that you will have to make a lot of effort to do simple grocery shopping or showering. But in time people get used to living in a small space. More often than not, they spend more time outdoors.

Hire Cross-Country Movers Group to Help You

If your dream is to live in a miniature home, but you can not do this in your own state, then consider relocating to another state that allows you to build your dream house. Hire a reliable cross-country movers group for moving service and move anywhere you wish. When picking a cross-country moving company, ask them if they provide packing service as well. And since you will get rid of so many things, you certainly don’t want to risk having your needed items damaged or broken during transportation. Also, with the help of movers, you can ship your vehicles if you have more than one to your new location. Just ask them about their auto transport service. In the end, hiring movers will make this process much easier.