Future uses for our tiny house (when we're no longer living in it full-time)
Treehugger just beat me to the punch. I've always loved the feeling of knowing that the use of our tiny house can change and evolve as we do. It will never lose its value (to us or to others) since it can always be used for something important (even long after were done living it full-time).
I've given a lot of thought to this, and have mentioned most or all of these uses in various interviews and such, but I thought it would make a great blog post as well.
So here are my Top 6 Future Uses for Tiny Homes:
My tiny house office
1. Home Office
Because I work form home at least half of each day, a home office will always be important to me. Right now I LIVE in my "office" all the time, which has it's pros and cons for sure. In the future, I see our tiny house as being a great back-yard office space, providing enough separation from a slightly larger main house so that it feels like I could leave work at the office and keep the home space more sacred. Plus, with a bathroom and kitchen, I'll be all set with coffee or tea as I work, and not be interrupted when nature calls! This office setup could also serve as a great art/writing studio or other creative space as well.
2. Rental
Music City Tiny House Available on Airbnb
This is quite obvious as many do it already, but tiny houses make great short-term or long-term rentals. Since they are so nicely self-contained and compact, they make the perfect fully-featured studio rental, whether listed on airbnb, craigslist, VRBO, or elsewhere. One day, if I don't feel a personal need is more important, I'd love to rent the place to be able to give other tiny house "dreamers" the chance to experience a few nights in one first-hand! -- Of course, a little extra monthly income is always nice, too!
3. Guest House
Unless our friends are exceptionally short (to be able sleep on our sofa), we don't really have a place for guests to stay in the tiny house. (We offer a tent outside, but no-one has taken us up on that yet). If we build another house some day, it's quite likely that house won't have a spare room either. For this reason the tiny house would make a great guest house! Like with the rental option, guests would have all the features of home (their own bathroom, kitchen, and even laundry) so they could have as much or as little privacy as they wanted.
4. Meditation Retreat
Our little "alter" in the loft
Since living in a small space can be difficult for a couple with a dog, I often dream of a second space that could be used when one of us need some more privacy or quiet time for mediation, self-case, reading, or anything else that requires more stillness and alone time than is possible in our tiny house. In the future, our tiny house could becomes this second "retreat space," offering us a special place for rest and relaxation.
5. Vacation Home
I've always wanted a second home on the coast or in some hard-to-reach mountain location. I love more than anything to spend time in these more secluded, "untouched" natural locations, but the lack of convenience makes full-time living in such a place quite hard. One day I would love to own a small plot of land in a more beautiful but remote location, convert the house to be completely off-grid, and have a place to go each weekend or for holiday -- for some "escape" time whenever the needs arises.
6. Kid-free or Dog-free zone
Sometimes there's no stopping the fuzz EXPLOSION!
We don't have kids, but if we did, I'd think a kid-free zone would be a great place to have when you need a place to call your own and "step out of the storm" for a while. The same can be said for dogs. When our precious Anya is shedding, I often wish I could get a break from the FUZZ just for a day! Similar to the Mediation Retreat, this quiet zone would serve as some insulation from the chaos of the world, a place for some "me time," if you will.
