Initial Idea

So I discovered this online app called Floorplanner.com. It’s a free site that helps you to do up designs and floorplans. There are paid versions for this (I got the $15 per year version as it’ll suit my needs for mucking about without a huge cost, particularly the exporting of designs). I was trying to describe, last night, my ideas to K and couldn’t quite get it across. I think this helps.

The way I have it laid out in this design, the bedroom is basically on the same level as the kitchen, just raised on a paritial floor. The other option would be to move the bed into a loft with a small staircase to the top (there would be storage in the staircase for things like books, shoes, etc.). It would be something like Tumbleweed Tiny House’s Whidbey Design (although I’d add extra square footage to the bathroom and kitchen. And would remove the 1st floor bedroom, giving that space to the Great Room and add in the staircase.

One of the things I’d like to do is actually build this sucker. K and I discussed it last night and when we get closer to making this a reality (it’s about 3+ years away), we’ll take a couple of workshops on building small houses. Tumbleweed offers these around the US and in Canada. I like the idea since it means it’s done at our pace (I’d probably do a whack of PTO in a row to get the bulk of the house ready). I’m still debating whether to have a basement or not. I’m thinking it may be worthwhile for cold storage of important things like toilet paper, paper towels, potatoes, carrots (other root veggies), wine, etc. You know. The necessities. 😉

I still think it’s doable. We’re still “downsizing”. We currently fill, very well, 800 sq feet. We basically need to halve that. Most of our “stuff” is books. I’m currently purging those in favour of shelf space and to reduce my current shelving units. And seriously considering getting additional Kindles (one for fiction, one for Computer books, one for philosophy/buddhism, etc.) It’s my one big complaint about the Kindle Paperwhite — very limited space for books (only up to about 1000). Keep in mind, I’ve had upwards of 3000+ books at times (!!!!). There are certain books that I’m keeping hard copies of (my mom’s music book, her handwritten book of poetry, etc.) but the ones I’ve read already and won’t re-read again (I rarely do this) or technical books that are more for reference make no sense to have hard copies. The traveling I do make it hard to use printed copies and lug them with.

As I continue to Walden (Henry David Thoreau), I’m reminded of this quote:

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.