We The Tiny House People (Documentary): Small Homes, Tiny Flats & Wee Shelters
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 2012
- - Part 1 (Tiny houses): We the tiny house people
- Part 2 (Tiny houses on the move): Summer of (family) love • Summer of (family) lov...
- Part 3 (Urbanism of tiny houses): A spaghetti western of lean urbanism • A spaghetti western on...
TV producer and Internet-video personality Kirsten Dirksen invites us on her journey into the tiny homes of people searching for simplicity, self-sufficiency, minimalism and happiness by creating shelter in caves, converted garages, trailers, tool sheds, river boats and former pigeon coops.
- "This extraordinary recalibration of what it means to live the good life" TreeHugger
-- "For those who find themselves dumbfounded, perplexed and curious regarding how individuals can make everyday-use of very tiny spaces." - The Blaze
-- "The documentary focuses on the new craze sweeping American -- people living in Tiny Houses." - Weekly World News
-- "The subject is fascinating." - Directors Live
[** Rate it yourself on imdb: www.imdb.com/title/tt2148460/?... ]
Kirsten Dirksen is co-founder of faircompanies.com and a Huffington Post blogger. She has worked for MTV, Oxygen, The Travel Channel and Sundance Channel. Her documentaries include "Searching for Da Vinci's Secret" and "Translating Genocide: Journey to Sudan". "We the Tiny House People" is her first documentary to premiere on youtube.
Documentary runtime: 1:21:47
Release: 2012
Director/producer/writer/shooter/editor: Kirsten Dirksen
Concept & additional shooting/writing: Nicolás Boullosa Guerrero
Features: Jay Shafer (Tumbleweed Tiny House Company), Austin Hay, Jenine Alexander (Forge Ahead Construction), Stephen Marshall (Little House on the Trailer), Suchin Pak (MTV, Hester Street Fair), Graham Hill (TreeHugger, LifeEdited), Felice Cohen, Luke Clark Tyler, Eric Schneider, Michael Chen (Normal Projects), Sarah Dickinson & family, Henri Grevellec, Matthieu de Marien (Fabre/deMarien Architects), Jérémie Buchholtz, Eva Prats (Flores Prats Architects), Christian Schallert, Pascual Alberola, Jorge Cortés (Enproyecto Arquitectura), Johnny Sanphillippo, Heather Wilcoxon
Locations: California (Sonoma County, San Francisco, Sausalito); New York City; Hawaii; France (Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Grezille, Puy-Notre-Dame, Bordeaux); Spain (Barcelona, Ibort, Vall de Laguar).
* For distributors/film festivals interested in television/theatrical release, please contact me directly at kirstendirksen [at] faircompanies [dot] com.
Music credits:
Sivia (Title track) sivia.bandcamp.com/
Dave Warstler (Healdsburg, NYC intro, French cave home, San Francisco) www.davewarstler.com/
My Life is Fireworks (Bordeaux apartment, Barcelona intro) / mylifeisfireworks
Kite (Barcelona Christian apartment) / pvdbass
More info on faircompanies:
faircompanies.com/blogs/view/h...
faircompanies.com/videos/view/...
faircompanies.com/videos/view/... 
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You should make a part 2 of this documentary because the movement has gotten so big!
Go to her channel, she is making thousands of videos. She told us in the beginning of this documentary she stepped into a parallel universe after interviewing her first tiny house person. So, in other words she is still interviewing tiny house people and creative thinking house design and much more.
A lot has happened the last 6 years, so much inspiration on RUclips, love it ♥️
@@TheRebelmanone kik
the... the 16 year old already setting him self up for success... wow just... im in the middle of the video and i had to go ahead and comment on that teenager.. i mean ... how PROUD are his parents ... to have a child that ... totally has the right idea :) if only i knew about this when i was younger
HA someone from MTV is even into this stuff..i remember her from before TRL went down the drain :D Tiny Homes.... right for EVERYONE
That kid was amazing. If his parents did that all by themselves kudos to them!
@@sandygarcia6684 My grandparents built a shack and I was horrified by it as a child. Looking back I've come full circle. I don't want their shack as it wasn't insulated but it was very well built considering they had no home building skills and weathered many tropical storms.
Now I see tiny homes and I'm thinking I could live in 2 of those joined together. I do own my home but it is nice to know a cheaper option exists.
Interesting documentary. I am a US citizen living in Japan, and I find that the more space you have, the more there is to fill. In Japan there is no room, people have to prove they have a place to park a car before they can purchase one. "He who owns little, it little owned". Henry David Thoreau's, "Walden", the first chapeter "Economy" says it all, we live in such a disposable and superflous society. Understanding the difference between "Need" and "Want" is important. Example, a 10cent pencil, and a $100 Croos gold lead pencil, both serve the same basic function, but my handwriting does not imporve in proportion to the price. It is pure "superflous". Set yourself free, own little, live debt-free, and be rich in "time".
Love this!! Can't take anything with you when you go anyway! May as well be comfortable in the mind, rather than in things!!
@showajitensha
You may want to read more about Thoreau and what he did and after leaving "Walden."
The small houses are awesome!
Im a single mom of two, half of my monthly pay goes to our house rent, its a struggle to make it from paycheck to paycheck, I would be the happiest mom in the world if we could have our own house and not to rent anymore!
Kirsten, I have been dreaming about living in a tiny house of some sort when we retire in 4 years. I have been glued to the internet an hour or two every day, which is so unlike me, because I discovered the world of tiny houses on there. I did notice your name several times but never took the time to see who you were. This morning I discovered your documentary. I cancelled my plans and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of your work. It was so well done. I feel at peace just watching it. Thank you so much. I think it is so awesome that your children are experiencing this world with you as their parents. God Bless you all. Sandy
Sandy Champagne Thank you Sandy for taking the time to comment. As you can tell, I too am fascinated by the people who have embraced simple, and smaller, living.
***** look it up online. There are plenty of companies who will build a small house for you, or send you the plans and materials. You can also of course build your own. My favorite company would be tumbleweed. Look them up.
Sandy Champagne Hey Sandy, I'm on my way in my tiny house quest, having just moved into an 8 X 20 caravan. I plan to modify it to fit my lifestyle and eventually build a tiny house myself and probably transfer a lot of the stuff from the caravan into it. Anyway, I just want to suggest that you check into learning Permaculture.
A small house is great, but what if that house could also heat, cool, power and process it's own waste streams which would then feed the inputs of food growing systems? Permaculture is a Holistic Design System based on science, ethics and the wisdom of nearly every sustainable culture on earth. I recommend Geoff Lawton's online course, it's fantastic and a screaming deal too. You can see his vids on YT and at geofflawton.com Cheers!
+JD DiMeglio ........Larger houses: you're essentially paying others to store goods you use. I realized this when downsizing from a 3BR when the recession-scandal hit; and shopping at Costco. Over time my gf & I filled the house with stuff not unlike a fish grows relative to the size of their tank. It made moving an extra hassle. Ever since then I hesitate before I buy and resist the automatic American practice of acquiring stuff especially when misled by marketing into buying because of a good deal. I came to realize that savings were dwarfed by the cost of having extra rooms to store all this crap in! And, it also weighed me down to maintain it all that I wanted to be (more) free of. The extra bedrooms were for guests that after calculating housing cost by sq ft, we were paying for a few days guests visits all year to the tune of many $1,000s. Guests could've stayed at the Ritz for all that we wasted! We used the BR & LR 95% of the time, too. ...Sorry corporate America, I've been weened off of you for life, boohoo for you. PS even made gourmet pizza on a Weber grill with a pizza stone.
+Rex Greene Good Onya Mate! I lived with a GF for 8 years in a 2 BR and we accumulated a lot of junk. When we parted, I ended up giving a whole house full of stuff to charity after selling maybe 10% of it. I'd lived very spartan all my life until then and let me tell you, never again! Possessions possess you. Being self reliant is truly the most subversive of acts in this society of dependency.
ho doesnt love this 16 yrs old kid....This is the kind of youth that WILL change the world....Very Proud of Him...Great Film!!
LIFE can be so simple...but human beings like to make it complicated!!!. Thank you for your example!
Thank you, Kirsten, for making this documentary. I know I'll never live in a tiny house myself, but that doesn't mean I have to live in a McMansion, or by something to impress other people. My wife and I own a 720 sq ft house right now, and I am inspired now to "edit" my life and get rid of STUFF!
This young man is incredible. Love to hear an update on how he’s doing.
Same here
Agree ❤
I think documentaries are my favorite thing to watch on RUclips. It just gives you ideas you may not have thought of and expands your worldview, even if you don't agree with the topic. Although, I LOVE this "small" living concept. Thank you for uploading this!!
“Bigger is too many chores” yess! A three story house is tiring to just keep clean let alone maintain.
That father is blessed that his son Austin is such a great teen. Because there are so many young people out there lost and on drugs at that age. What a sweet family all around.
I'll give y y'all five ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was 8 years ago. He's in his mid 20's now. Time goes by so fast.
Finally Kirsten...after viewing so many of your 'individual tiny homes' videos, I am just thrilled to watch your multi-faceted video with such great creative people - from varied internationally diverse perspectives. Well done! As a Cultural Anthropologist I noted one common denominator that appears to apply to most of the home builders, dwellers, and creators. So often the owners shown here seem to be empowering themselves with a lifestyle philosophy that likely most of our ancestors applied for survival. Most people historically integrated dwellings into shelters that incorporated whatever geographical landscape and materials existed locally for their own paticular situations, life-styles, or philosophies. Physical geography (often including their materialistic reality), mental, psychological, and spiritual "VALUES" seem to be the key focus for much of humanity again today. How inspiring is that! In my humble opinion - there is enough of 'everything for everyone to go around'. Thank you Kirsten for being a leader in this hope-inspiring role for people like myself, our descendants, and all those whom we must learn to share this fascinating world with. Then perhaps, although there are as many ideas as there are people, our compassionate and egalitarian priorities about life may become more evident. From my experience: "Most people's basic survival values (globally and traditionally) share much more in common with one another than they do with their differences". Many thanks again for the examples of how diverse and creative we all can become, without gobbling up and discarding so many "depressing unneccessary wants", as opposed to focusing on "our pleasurable needs". Excuse me now please while I continue collecting more unique, recycled materials for my planned gorgeous little 'Ocean-Bay-Floating-Tiny-Cottage' near one of the islands here :-)
Thanks, Ursula, for that perspective. I would agree that may people in small homes do seem to be returning to some of the values of our ancestors, and even ancestors from a couple generations ago when we lived in much smaller homes. I don't think the home has to be tiny, but I think what is important is to stop connecting the size of your home, or the amount of stuff you have, with happiness. So yes, I would agree with you that values are an important part of all of this.
In my country, something many families do, are to build a second floor and make it a little apartment for they child... or they modify an existing second floor...
Where I live there an old man who used to have a big two floor house, he first divided the house in three for his two children... when he got grandchildren, he and his children modified the second floors to apartments... so from a big two floor house he has now 6 apartments that are small but well done!!!
Clever man
+Dominique Thomas We had that situation when I was a kid; one set of grandparents lived in a neat little apartment on the third floor of our house, and the other grandparent lived in what would probably be considered a larger-end tiny house in the back yard. The five of us were in a good-sized normal home but my favorite part was always the little apartment upstairs :). It's wonderful having multiple generations close at hand. I really miss it.
Don't know where you live, but in the US, where this filmmaker lives, so many States & Local Councils make going tiny or even small, hard. Many people are intimidated by the "ultra-tiny" houses still want to downsize, but minimum building requirements are often still verging on the McMansion!
@@florencepierce1864
Yes....it's all about money. Like the guy from SF who wound up lucky enough to pay a few thousand dollars cash for a beautiful lot about a block from the beach...but in Hawaii !!!!!! He had to beat them at their own game by having make believe plans drawn up for a 2 story house and a 2 car detached garage. Was able to go ahead with the 20 x 24ft garage with the essentials, passed his expections and codes and lives very happily with plenty of space in his tiny "garage home".....who would know. So happy for him... good for him ;)
Thank you Kristen, for making this beautiful and thoughtful tribute to the pioneers of our new/old movement. May we open those barriers to living smaller. I greatly appreciate seeing the view from other countries who have been mastering this for years.
I love this. As a minimalist, I respect this concept. It is my dream to have this.
Kirsten I love all your videos. Please bring these tiny houses to the big screen.
One of the best things I've ever, ever watched
I don't know how many times I have watched Dirksen's videos, but I swear it never fails to inspire and amaze me. I’m astonished to see this small niche of free spirits, innovators, and true pioneers of simple self-sufficiency well and alive in this modern day wasteland we live in. Retreat we shall!
This gives me SUCH inspiration. I live in Washington DC, the third most expensive city in the US, and even a very small studio apartment can easily run you $1000-$1200 a month. im away at university right now, but i'm graduating soon and worrying that I won't be able to find an affordable place to live if I plan to move back home. I love the idea of just getting creative with the space that you have rather than trying to bankrupt yourself to buy a huge space.
sidebar: I also love the fact that this documentary is made by someone named Kirsten. That is my name as well (although i'm Kirstyn, but pronounced the same).
There aren't a lot of us out there :D
I was saying the same thing! I live in DC too and I found a few tiny houses in the city.
I agree. I see many students that struggle every semester for a place to stay. Its expensive. Good luck.
I find it fascinating that every child, no matter where, they all instinctively draw out tiny houses. Even kids living and growing up in mansions they just draw their homes as a tiny houses.
I love these tiny houses. They are so whimsical and have a sense of magic to them. I love how some are colored. Truly bohemian. Anyways I LOVE the cave homes. Some of these caves have too much space for my taste. I prefer something similar to the small home I'm in now with my family.
41:00-41:48... I so want that one piece furniture. Very elegant yet extremely practical. I love practical.
I wouldn't mind living a camper/tiny house. :) I'm already living in a 100 feet by 150 feet space home, each room on average is 34 by 36 feet, the bathroom is 9/ 10 feet by 7feet, so yea I'm use to this space. Best thing is the bed isn't up the rafters as the first few houses in this film. I don't like to climb latters.
BTW ever since I am minimizing my life my mind has been more able to think clearly and to gain more knowledge faster too. I just passed my medical billing certification and I think it is due in part of having less crap clouding up the mind. Also eating more organically too, focusing more on vegs and fruits from my garden. So yea I highly recommend this movement... and I'm such a big supporter of it. Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing with us all. It is such an inspirational film, as well as awesome ideas and tricks for simple living.
Yusiley Sierra Didn't your ever build a fort in your living room? I built many but it didn't mean it was a place to live.
Yusiley Sierra e
This just makes so much sense. More time for living and less time maintaining.
Tiny house tiny problems.
MadWifey i ive like this for my hole life, i am a gypsy😊👍
It has been a while since I saw this first time. I can report back that in the mean time I bought a small flat, sold it recently with a modest profit and live on the boat in my thumbnail. No debt no mortgage. Thanks for having an impact on my life.
I have watched probably way too many videos since this website started but this is THEE BEST one I've ever seen. Just about to go offgrid for good & I'm crying...
I watched for a few minutes, but then I decided to download it to watch it later with my wife and daughters. It is definitely a good watch I believe. Thanks and regards.
Ahhh perro! Osea que tienes RUclips chorcho?? Ehhhhh jejejej
Thanks for your video, interesting‼️
I really LOVED this film! I loved so many of the homes - the colourful boat in San Francisco, the 4-car "garage" home in Hawaii (that guy was an evil genius with how he pulled that off. LOL!), the France/Spain homes...amazing and inspiring! :)
The colorful boat was one of my favorites!
what a perfect little watch on a sunny, windy afternoon at the tailend of winter in the wilds of canada. it bought the dreams alive again! thankyou.
I really loved this doc!! What a wonderful re-awakening. We are beginning to realize that we are being held hostage by our "stuff". This is so refreshing. Thank you.
Possessed by our own possessions!
“My daughter said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have a place where you could move everything you owned with you wherever you go?’” Actually, I think there are people who have lived that way for hundreds of years. They’re called GYPSIES and they traveled in horse and cart before minivans!!
They actually go by "Romani" now - but yes, you're totally right!
I think "gypsies" is considered a derogatory term. Some people call them Travelers.
@@RatedArggg : I think here in the US, "gypsy" does not have the negative connotation that it probably does historically in Europe. It actually seems to be romanticized to denote a freewheeling, bohemian lifestyle. That's my take on it anyway.
I only wish that we could live without someone telling us the way we have to live sad Thank you for very much for shearing this love all what one can do in a tiny house There no place like home
Within reason. with freedom comes people ignorant to the rules of construction waking up being crushed by their structure. But we do need to be weary of interest groups dictating for the sole purpose of making more money.
JRMCNE... you have no control over them whatsoever! So the only option is freedom without compromise. Few stupid people shouldn't be a reason to start control over majority of smart and free people!
While I've been interested in going small and off grid for at least 20 years, I had no idea there were such a variety of styles and building materials/methods until I stumbled upon Kirsten's videos. Inspiring, and within the next 4 years, I'll be making the leap.
Would like to see if Austin finished his house
Thank you, I don't understand why more people don't see the logic of downsizing. This could be the inspiration for many, we need to get back to a way of life that makes more sense. I'm what's considered an old woman but see the insanity of many of my contemporaries who refuse to consider living anywhere but where they raised their families. I really wanted a double garage size cottage when I moved to CA and build on back of a daughter's house. [at the time, county wouldn't allow it to be completely separate without fire sprinkler system] It's a beautiful house but became 600 sq ft,, is more than I needed. Finally realized because it would be theirs one day, it's a future source of income so let go of my frustration. Do have friends happily living in 400 sq ft in FL.
A must watch film.. Thanks for making it available Kirsten.
It seems most of these are in more moderate climates. I think those of us in the cold north would go stir crazy in a tiny house for the whole winter. It would seem that having the outdoors as part of your living space would make the tiny house doable. Also, locating in a flat perhaps in a large city with lots of places to go and things to do would make it manageable.
INCREDIBLE. I NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING THIS.
What I love most about this... it makes me feel like I am not alone in wanting to live like this. I'm as crafty as a gay man when it comes to decorating and I know how to use all the tools to get it made right. I have to do this.
Yes, that is why we actually make a huge community if globalists allow.
@@ladansamooty581 Oh wow, I made that comment 7 years ago. And I still want to build one. I'm actually more into vanlife but I'd love to buy some land and put different tiny houses on it.
Can't believe I watched the whole thing...Good stuff though, lots of design ideas and food for thought.
I have signed Jay’s book.. There is a lot of excitement in the small house.
Thank You Kirsten Dirksen for dreaming the dream well all dream! ☺✌
We have a OLD travel trailer about 20 ft long, I've been watching tiny houses youtube videos for about 4 months and I"m convinced that we can live smaller simpler and happier.
How should we begin?
Thank you for posting such great videos.
Wow. I live in Sonoma County and had no idea about these incredible tiny houses. Its amazing.
I once owned that book. "How to build a house for under $3500."
The first video I watched was you skiing with your dog. Followed you ever since. Love your videos Kirsten.
I am so in love with this video. I've been thinking about a tiny house for years, this is something I can show others to help them understand what I want to do.
My daughter is going from a 4 br townhouse in Charleston SC to a 40X12 tiny home. I'm buying her a fully enclosed handi port carport, to store all her junk, 'cause I know my daughter.
Awesome documentary! Very intriguing movement. Living small does make sense. Thanks kirsten!
The Pluto in Virgo generation created a tsunami of change in residential architecture. These then-young people came into life with a love of tidiness, function, and modesty in necessities; of sanity and beauty to counter-balance the in-sanity and obscene consumption of generations in America, Europe and elsewhere, especially among the rich. They were clever with a purpose, managing to override, underride and spin circles of success in loopholes they found in the system. A major shift in values. Time and space replacing unlimited entitlement and stuff smothering nature, the Earth and the spirit of human beings become shackled by possessions. This is the best documentary on the subject I've found. Bravo, Kirsten! You've created the classic, meaning, it is timeless.
I just love those people, and I love you, Kirsten, for working on this project. Thank you, keep up the good work!
This is a really great documentary, these people have proven that the American Dream is what you want it to be and it's doable, without being in bondage to debt. Another thing that I noticed was, these tiny house people were self-employed and they were not over-weight. They are living a stress free life. Thanks Kirsten
Kristen, I really like this film about tiny houses and how you showed tiny living in different parts of the world. This Documentary you made was amazing and hope you make more films.
It's now 2023 and Tiny Homes are all the rage.
School bus and Van conversions are also what people are choosing to live in.
Some because it's all they can afford, but for many it's a choice.
I've seen hundred of tiny homes and most are just amazing.
Like everyone says.. " It's all we need"
Great video as always Kirsten, Thank you. ♡
Aloha for now.
I lived in a small Renault Trafic on a farm in the UK for 7months this year. It was a great experience despite the mud, cold and food going off (due to limited mini-fridge space). I had a cheap motorbike to take me out of the sticks to grab supplies and do my laundry in the town. It was great really! Now living in a spacious room with more than I need and can't wait to get rid of everything again. This video has really given myself some ideas to enjoy that experience even more so. Thank you for making and posting this rather significant documentary.
I could have watched many hours of this! What a wonderful freeing way of life!
I really like this video it reminds me of time I had choice between renting a room for £400 per month or live in my parents garage they didn't use now i think back and would love to live in my cosy garage and save me paying £800 per month on a flat that me and my partner rent.
Life comes in small happiness.
Greed is what our society uses to make more space for more greed.
What an inspiring film. After 7 years, I still get goosebumps.
The shot at 1:09 of the painted cabinets on the boat and then the light on the table and bench, pure perfection
The narration reminds me of the narration by Sara Connor in Terminator 2 when she's speaking about machines.
I don't know if it's the accent, the tone or the delivery but it really is similar.
LOL, I thought I was the only one.
This was amazing, I haven't seen something this captivating in a while. Good job to you Kirsten and to your husband and family! I've started a semester long research project on tiny homes and this has given me so many inspirations! (And I dont get the comments about the music, I think it MAKES it!)
I found the van life/nomad movement after watching this and now plan to move onto the road.
This is the only documentary I ever felt the desire to watch several times (after some time) and it keeps inspiring me again and again.
Feeling inspired and empowered!
I'm not sure I'd want to live in such a tiny space myself, but the optimization of space really intrigues me. I think modern track home designers could learn a lot. The rise in popularity of the walk in closet always irritated me; you can store the same amount of clothes in a lot less space and put that square footage to use in larger rooms.
hello Greg
Pls i need u in my life!
We gotta talk
I agree with this. I originally was all like: Tiny, Tiny, Yeah! Then I went: Ooh, it'd be like being in a coffin! Now I think I'd like to have a considerably smaller (but just not ultra-tiny) dwelling. And yes, house builders could learn a lot about optimisation of space!
Your work as a documentary artist is changing the way Americans think about the way they can chose to live their lives now and in the future. That they have choices that might not have been apparent to them in the past. You’re inspiring individuals to be change agents, to see their lives anew. What a contribution you and your family are making to modern civilization. Thank you for your relentless drive forward!
fantastic to see young people being so self sufficient. renews my hope in the future. thanks.
Loved and enjoy watching these young ppl that are not getting into debt over living in big mortgage bills and realizing that society can manipulate us and make us think that this is the norm and buy a big house or Condo and So glad these ppl are not being enslaved by that so called normal to have a Big mortgage payment 👍🏽 keep posting these informative videos
I just bought a couple of acres in Duncan, Oklahoma with the possibly of buying more acreage in the future. I have a camper trailer that I currently live in. And just bought a 30ft camper frame that I plan to build a tiny home on. I think the location I have as is could easily house three to four tiny homes, I would like to build a tiny home community. If anyone is interested let me know, I am willing to share the property in exchange for helping each other build our own tiny homes.
+robertyates7 - This is great idea, hope you make it !
+robertyates7 I hope we get to hear how your community turns out. Good luck!
@robertyates7 , how is it going five years later?
Born in Duncan!
Are you still interested in doing this. Oklahoma is an option for me in 1 1/2 years?
and updates on your endevors?
I love the shot of Austin building on his house, with Jay sitting on the wall playing with a kid.
Thanks Kirsten! I just watched this 11 years after it was published and find it still relevant and wonderful!
I'd love to live that way! Except, I would have to have a separate bathroom, lol.
I wish I figured out what young Austin has already figured out at his age. I recently sold a 3600sqft home in LA and moved to 800sqFt loft and it's still too much space!
that's what i used to have.
now i live in half that size... and i still have more space than i need.
probably gonna give my cat a couple of cat trees.
Yes I also like to brag about my wealth to strangers
My retirement is going to be much simpler than the past 20 years. Thanks for help shedding the light.
Ending at Walden Pond was GENIUS, GAL
I recently gave away 4 chests of drawers and their contents. I'm going down this road!
:-)
Good for you! I have real mental blocks about downsizing (I am actually a bit of a hoarder tbh!) but I will use this as a real inspiration! I hope that in the past few years you have continued to downsize & grow (but only in a journey, not a material sense)!
i think it's great that people are living with in there means but an alternative would be to live in a fixer upper. you don't have to live in some really nice new house. you can live in a good used house and still have a little room.
You are so right. Plus I always felt that these people are all for saving the environment and not making waste of anything. However, by avoiding used homes or used campers, aren't they in some way adding more mess to the junk pile? I see so many houses wasted by foreclosures and people avoiding them even though they are some homes that are of great prices. Some of which don't need repairs or fixing. I find it such a waste that a good large home going for $80,000 isn't sold and soon will be trashed all because it is in a "bad" neighborhood. :( I could careless for the neighborhood, most people tend to want to be left alone and prefer to leave one alone. In truth of it all, most people just want to live simply and not be bothered. As long one minds his or hers own business, such places aren't really that bad. The problem comes when one starts poking around into business that isn't theirs.
The problem with fixer uppers is you often don't know who much of a fix you need to do until you get into it. I had friends in Minneapolis that bought a beautiful old house but then realized they had lead paint. Suddenly a cosmetic renovation turned into an explosively expensive removal process. Or you find DIY wiring that will never pass code or leaks or cracks in foundations. At least this way you know exactly what to expect.
cminmd0041
thats a good point. i like to watch "abandon houses" on youtube and imagine fixing some of these cool houses up. but you could get into a real mess. lead paint and asbestos siding is another. you have to be real careful.
Yusiley Sierra Small houses use so much less other stuff besides materials. Such as less electricty, less space to heat, ect. Less water if they use a composting toilet..... So they save over the long haul. If they wanted to buy a new big house, a lot more matierals would be needed and the cost of heating, lighting, and upkeep would be much much more. I have also read where a lot of people do keep an eye on places such as Craigslist for used items for their build. A lot of time things can look new (such as reclaimed wood) without being new.
Yusiley Sierra : I understand what you are saying about "I could careless for the neighborhood, most people tend to want to be left alone and prefer to leave one alone." But a BAD neighborhood can get you shot, robbed, arrested or worse. I learned this the hard way. Never again!
Tiny homes have exploded in popularity since this eye opening doco. I hope that teenage boy has continued his tiny home dream, what an amazing perspective for a 16 year old!
The young lady with the positive attitude and great smile about 10 minutes into the film is truly amazing. She has lived and accomplished more than most, by living in a way most women can't or don't dare to for safety reasons.
Truly an inspiration.
I love tiny houses and container houses. Just think of how many homeless shelters could be build out of the glut of shipping containers.
Shot think about how many houses get destroyed in natural disasters with perfectly usable wood and wiring etc
$800/month for 78 sq ft... criminal.
+InTheMist03200 I could not believe my hears 5 minutes into it I had to jump back and hear him say it again!
utilities? Not a chance. it was like a box, it didn't even have a kitchen.. I can't imagine even paying $300 a month for something like that let alone $800. that's insane.
+InTheMist03200 that's called " man screwing man " ! it's what he does best.
welcome to california
As well, welcome to 21st century+ !
what a delight to watch something that is so inspiring.. I live with my sister, 2 pups & a cat in a 800 sf home build by my father in 1957. it has gone thru some changes but still knowing that my father built it is my dearest treasure.
My wife and I absolutely loved this documentary, the simplistic living is a very interesting way of life. Thank you so much for your time in making this.
It would be awesome to add closed captioning to this video. I'm hard of hearing and can't watch it without the captions :(
Moving into a mobile tiny house because you appreciate this minimalist life style is a nice thing. But I really don't think that living in ridiculously tiny (fixed) apartments because everything else is just unaffordable is something that should be praised. There is something fundamentally wrong with metropolitan mentality nowadays.
I think that many people are pushing a 'ridiculous-tiny' ideal, when we should be encouraging people to go smaller in a doable way. Like, 6 people (2 adults & 4 kids) + 2-3 *Large* Dogs in a converted bus?!? And they're *Homescooling* them?!? Yeah, like that's gonna last! And really convince the masses!😂
There is something about Kirsten Dirksen's voice narration that is so calming to me.
Beautifully documented this social phenomenon of our times... Still relevant and timeless capturing of a significant change in western attitudes living life as needed without excess...
@Robby Dey
Yes, you are correct. I should have said a phenomenon new to the Western civilization not a new Western phenomenon... I stand corrected Mr. Dey... Smarty pants! It must be a drag always correcting the deep thinkers... But I do, Thank you, Sir...
800 dollars....78 square ft......saving money....I'm just saying
i like the woman with a boat house. so cool! does the boat rock a bit? i wouldn't want a house with three garages, (even if i could)
You don't own stuff. It owns you. Very inspiring!
4 years ago I lived few month in a 200sq. ft tiny house.
Probably the best part of my life, in any case, most instructive on myself.
Everyone should try this way of life for a while.
Thanks for your film Kirsten.
Regards, from France
OMG, the baby just distracted me so bad at :44 she said caca.
I could not live in a big city like new york, I live in a small town in northern michigan, when I was a kid I lived in the upper peninsula the town had 175 ppl in it and about 17 children in it of all ages, I find the people who like to live small ways live in big cities, I cant understand that, give me the country any day, I dont like neighbors to much.
same dude. im from a small outlet town of new york in new jersey. mine is about 16k (although we have 3 universities in the town and most of the population only live here to travel to nyc for work. i always hated the city, especially nyc. its crowded, dirty, overpriced, more crime and relatively unfriendly. i mean i leave my door open at night and the only thing i have to be careful of are bears and deer. and i guess im picking on nyc in general because ive been to many us cities and some international like toronto, rome, florence, sydney, etc and they are a lot better in terms of what to do, friendliness, cleanness, etc. i dont think i can do as small as yours, but i definitely do a town over 20,000
I've lived in eight states. Among the many places, I've lived in a few moderately sized suburban houses, a two story house with a couple acres of land in Pennsylvania, a spacious double-wide with even more land in East Tennessee, a large basement in Los Angeles, and now in a really small apartment in New York City.
The more I've moved the more I've had to simplify my life, just because it's a pain in the butt to have to lug *stuff* around. The reason why many people can't comprehend living small is because they've become comfortable with their stuff. Carlin once said something like, "A house is just a storage area for all your stuff." When I moved to NYC I moved with enough possessions to fit in a large travel bag and a daypack (apart from my computers which had to be separately shipped).
In terms of just my living space, of all places I've lived my apartment here in NYC has been the most enjoyable. It's somewhat liberating to look around in a cozy, small, minimalistic apartment knowing that I'm not really that attached to anything in here. With this kind of mentality, if I ever lived in the country (which I wouldn't be opposed to in the future, I do miss nature) I'd end up living just as minimalistic. With less stuff to worry about it's easier to enjoy everything else around you.
This was probably the best 'show' I have watched in the last 25 years !!!
Thank you for all your amazing videos on how folks live all around our big beautiful world. This one particularly speaks to my heart as I have been a road nomad for the past 12 years,,,,,living first in my 40 ft toy hauler and traveling the western US from art show to art show as a ceramic artist until the pandemic starved me off the road. I moved to my sons farm an hour below Seattle and converted an old horse barn into my little home,,,,400 sq ft, one room slice of heaven with a wood stove, water and electricity. Life is glorious when you keep it simple. I pray you can keep showing the world that creative homes are truly amazing❣️
I applaud their efforts to have more independence and not patronize the whole mortgage banking system. The problem is that the stroke of a pen and a change in zoning laws will result in a visit from the local SWAT team (watch out for flashbangs in the baby's crib). The next step is to realize that they deserve better than to live in a closet, and to find a place on this earth where they will be able to make that happen.
and that is what you get when the government is not good enough to keep the people happy. they will float away ---away from your marketing strategy away from you tax strategy away from your building codes away from your oil away from your control. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Thanks so much Kirsten. A deep meaning for "we the people," who we are. Americans.
100:00:00 I LOVE housekeeping!! It IS relaxing and no one bugs you while you work. You work your own hours set your own rates and you choose who you tolerate or don't. Thats been my love almost all my life!
I would love to build my own home, but I don;t trust myself that much. I'd be scared that the roof would fall on me during the night.
@Robby Dey thank you! ia cutally do a little bit of labouring for my dad, so i guess i'm learning a bit now!
i dont care how big my house is, as long as I have high speed internet
same
I can’t tell when you made this marvelous work, on film. I have followed your journey and the roads you’ve taken. I’m reassured you loved it for you are a diliberate person, your way. Goof on you, Kirsten, you have helped many people to ...well? ...”just think about it” also, as a exceptional Mmother. Gently creating courage. Thankyou.
LOL....I agree.....LOL
I agree. I hope you live in a country with *Proper* high speed net. I'm in Australia. We think our internet is good for financially developed country. Til you go OS,
But could you live in an internet cafe, like some Japanese people.
Awesome Kirsten amazing documentary!
What a great life skill that teenager is gaining. He is learning carpentry, plumbing, etc. I think that is awesome! :)