Can you live in a 14.long-x-12.ft wide-x-8.ft tall space as your home in the future

[hank2222]

Here is something i have allway's thinking about alot here as i was asked to help someoe who is single design a small cabin with a few upgrades to the cabin with solar and wind add to the cabin.

So could you live i that small of space if it was design right for a single person to live out there days in peace and quiet as they get older in life

[LUNCHBOX]

I think you can adapt to that size living easily. Look at inmates that spend years/life in prison. You can always step outside for space.

[izzyscout21]

Oh, yeah. i could handle i, if I were single.

[mollypup]

There's a book about a person living in a 12' x 12' cabin. No electricity or running water either and it was her permanent home.

Total off the grid living. Extremely interesting. You can find it here: Amazon.com: Twelve by Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream (9781577318972): William Powers: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-One-Room-Cabin-Beyond-American/dp/1577318978/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327501109&sr=1-1)

[Sniper-T]

I have a great uncle, who lived in his trappers cabin year round. he trapped in the winter and explored for the HBC in the summer. his cabin was 2 feet deep in the ground, and measured only 7 X 7. with a height of 5-1/2 feet.

My dad built a cabin on his homestead, that was used as such for 30+ years and it measured 12 X 16. and during hunting season it often had 5 guys in it for 2 weeks.

It wasn't until the women folk came along that an addition was built, for the bedroom.

The bedroom, btw is 10 X 16.

ETA: and yes, yes I could live in something that sized. Assuming I parred down my belongings in a serious way!

I also have a little hunting shack out in my back 40, that is 9X9. Ive only spent time hunting, as it isn't really set up for overnighting... yet. But I will.

[bacpacker]

I could for certain. There were a lot of familes that lived in the mountians here that had 4-8 kids in little buildings that size or slightly larger back in the 1800-early 1900's.

[apssbc]

Easily without a doubt. One of my thoughts at my bol is to build a small cabin with little amenities to stay in during the hunting season. Obviously doubling as a home when the balloon goes up.

[msomnipotent]

Sure I could. Not so sure that I would want to, though.

[The Stig]

Fantastic subject.

I *think* I could do it but it would seriously force me to simplify....well.....everything.

Then again Trooper Dan lived in a pickup truck bed. That's some serious small space livin!

[Sniper-T]

lol! when I moved back to Canada, I had next to nothing. While I rented a place to live, I spent a couple years 'camping' and hunting out of the box on my Toyota (SR5, with a cap)! A tarp off the side for a place to sit, cook, move. and an airmatress from wheelwell to wheelwell. storage in the corners

Worked great, but to live??? kudos to TD!!!!

That would be tough!

[The Stig]

Here's a link to Trooper Dan's story about living in his truck. (http://cheaprvliving.com/Survivalist_Truck_Dweller.html)

[Taz Baby]

hell yes, I am living in a 18X6X8 Ft sardine can (Aka) Travel trailer. and that is the outside dem. Have been for a year now.

[Stg1swret]

Sure, all it requires is a little careful planning. Get rid of your excess junk , and concentrate on the essentials.

[Sniper-T]

ok... I have to chime back in here.... a bunch of us (myself included) have said YES we can do this...BUt, we'd have to downsize.

Let's put it into perspective.... I posted pics of my pantry, my main kitchen cupboard, and my spices.

These alone, would take up a good portion of the shack you're proposing. What I showed didn't show my LTS. So at BEST, it would be a 2-3 month supply... if stretched.

As a prepper, and if you want x # of days/weeks/months of preps... NO! that size shack... you could not be self sufficient! you will need secondary, and thirdary storage.

I am quite accomplished at making use of every square inch of space... but seriously... there is a small likelyhood that you could store enough food within that shack alone, to last for an off season; unless you are in a continuous grow zone.

I said I could live in one... and I could. BUT, I would suffer serious malnutrician at least twice a year, unless I was able to stock a PILE of vitamins.

Small house living is easy, given some time, and given that you can be happy being with yourself. but you still have requirements. food! water! tools!etc!

your home may be that big, but you will need a decent sized shed/root cellar to store your supplies.

IMO

[bacpacker]

Totally agree. Like you said it would be very livable, just no storage to speak of, unless you have a underground or attic space for storage. Since we plan on having a farm of some size with animals, I would tend more to build a barn and build a small apartment type space in it. You would still have plenty of room for storage and only need the same roof space.

[ak474u]

Yes, I could do it for sure. If I had to take my wife's shoes along? nope. If I were gonna do it, I'd spring for a murphy bed so I could actually have space enuff to move around during the day. Sleep is essential when working like a slave for sustenance farming, which I assume most of us would be doing if we lived in a "shack" this size. I think I'd probably have to build in a storage loft, that is climate controlled to have space for LTS foods, and off-season storage of winter or summer clothes and stuff I don't always use. I'd obviously want some of the luxuries of modern life, so I'd need a shower and etc. inside, but I think it's definitely do-able.

[ladyhk13]

Ok, I'm going to be the oddball here. Nope. Could I do it for a temporary fix while building something larger and know it isn't forever? Yes. I think the way all of us here prep it would be impossible to live in that amount of space and live like we do. I would need separate buildings for everything. Summer kitchen for one building, a workshop for reloading and sewing or crafts. I for one really don't feel like having to go out into another building in the wintertime or in the pouring rain (normally when we like to do our hobbies since there isn't anything else to do) to work on a project. I need almost that much space right now to store all of my LTS and shtf supplies. I would not want to put them out into another building due to climate control and security. I also would have to think about having animals in that amount of space since I keep them indoors. These are just some of my concerns when thinking about living in such a small space. Adding a basement would then throw off the "measurements" that have been cited here so cannot be used when considering living in this space.

[hank2222]

She will have Three ft of storage under the floor starting right after the 4.ft mark in the place .The front four ft is taken up by water stowage space and few other thigs plus she will have at the end of the living quaters a 14.ft long-x-12.ft round-x-12.ft tall storage space for all her long term supplies .

The basic idea was her to live in a smaller area for her long term living area for the rest of the unit is for the storage of long term food and other supplies .

[Sniper-T]

She? her?

I thought you were building it for your self. Is this what you're going to do with your MIL?

lol

[izzyscout21]

^^^^^^

I wouldn;t stick my MIL in one of those. Id save it for myself. Of course, it would need to be padded, soundproof, and away from children................wait............maybe that would be good for my MIL.................

[bacpacker]

Damn! Why didn't i think about this sooner. I've been wastin time building a chicken coop.

[ladyhk13]

^^^^^^

I wouldn;t stick my MIL in one of those. Id save it for myself. Of course, it would need to be padded, soundproof, and away from children................wait............maybe that would be good for my MIL.................


Izzy maybe it would be better for the kids! Stick it out in the back yard and check on them once a week LOL!

[izzyscout21]

Izzy maybe it would be better for the kids! Stick it out in the back yard and check on them once a week LOL!

Believe you me, the thought has crossed my mind more than once.............

all I need is a human sized rabbit water bottle and an automatic Goldfish cracker dispenser................

[hank2222]

it would be better if it fed them mc-dees big mac's instead .

[hank2222]

Back to the post.I did sit down with her and explain things like how many bars of soap she would need to stock up or how much food or many other things .

i broke alot of it dow into long term and short term areas of storage for her to think about and how much she would need to put away for the future

[realist]

It is amazing when you throw the spouse into things. Things just kinda explode.......... I currently have a building this size that I call the arc. For one person it would not be a problem. As to long term for a simple life not a problem however if I was out on my own I would be always tinkering. Because of this I have decided to build a larger one up on my BOL with long term in mind. Storage is a must, I like the root cellar idea, then again there is always a conex box.

Now you need to understand if you have something like this up in the woods all by yourself you need no sound proofing....If you have kids you put them in there and go home..... I have kids.........

[ladyhk13]

Back to the post.I did sit down with her and explain things like how many bars of soap she would need to stock up or how much food or many other things .

i broke alot of it dow into long term and short term areas of storage for her to think about and how much she would need to put away for the future

How did she respond to it? Is she open to getting things on a large scale? I do have to say that I am surprised that there are so many more men preppers than there are women. It seems nore natural for women to save and store things and prepare for the future than men, don't you? Maybe it's because you guys are always trying to shove us into tiny boxes to live in?

[hank2222]

How did she respond to it? Is she open to getting things on a large scale? I do have to say that I am surprised that there are so many more men preppers than there are women. It seems nore natural for women to save and store things and prepare for the future than men, don't you? Maybe it's because you guys are always trying to shove us into tiny boxes to live in?

For her budget we talked about how much things would cost from the socalled stand point if you want bigger it going to cost you more type of talk .

As i explained to her that she has no one to take care but herself and she seams to get that the kids have moved to another side of the country and it would likely to have them there if something does happen .It better to prep for herself and maybe if you have extra money maybe throw it toward prepping something for them if they show up at the place .

I explained to her my kids are grown and out of the house and living on there own and they do prep as they see fit for there own supplies and needs for there family .It my understanding that they where not coming back to Az to live if something happens .They have there own places where they own there own homes and bug out places .Since all of them are in the military and live on the east coast area or in the mid west area they are planning to stay put in those areas .

They have said that they would not try to travel back to the home i have in Az so it me and a few older people i know have semi understanding that we are formed a lose group with each person prepping on there own for there own needs and will come to help each other out over matter's of dealing with problem people in the area .

As i explained it to her it about the first part of doing this is spending the money on good items first and go from there .

[ladyhk13]

For her budget we talked about how much things would cost from the socalled stand point if you want bigger it going to cost you more type of talk .

As i explained to her that she has no one to take care but herself and she seams to get that the kids have moved to another side of the country and it would likely to have them there if something does happen .It better to prep for herself and maybe if you have extra money maybe throw it toward prepping something for them if they show up at the place .

I explained to her my kids are grown and out of the house and living on there own and they do prep as they see fit for there own supplies and needs for there family .It my understanding that they where not coming back to Az to live if something happens .They have there own places where they own there own homes and bug out places .Since all of them are in the military and live on the east coast area or in the mid west area they are planning to stay put in those areas .

They have said that they would not try to travel back to the home i have in Az so it me and a few older people i know have semi understanding that we are formed a lose group with each person prepping on there own for there own needs and will come to help each other out over matter's of dealing with problem people in the area .

As i explained it to her it about the first part of doing this is spending the money on good items first and go from there .

Is she interested in joining our Ladies Forum?

[captainhippy]

Easily. My dorm room at college was 1/2 that size. I felt like a giant.

[piranha2]

Like Taz in a way, I have been living in a 30 footer since September. The thing that stands out the most is that I never realized how much useless crap I had laying around. Now, I have the essentials, everything I need, but nothing that I don't really need. You actually need very little of what you have. I come to my kids place for a visit and a lobster dive or fishing trip when I need to for other reasons and do enjoy the web on these trips, but it is not a necessity. ( Guns and other essential tools not included). Wish I had realized this 20 years ago.

[GunnerMax]

@ ladyHK

I believe it USED to be that way. my mother is like that. she has 2 freezers and a pantry always full, with her 2 large propane tanks always full.

at my house (so far) we have little food, and alot gets thrown out/donated due to our lack of space in our apartment

[work in progress]

We lived out of a camper while we re-habbed a tiny craftsman bungalow. The only reason we made it work was because we had an old three-car garage to store our endless amount of crap in. Once we were finally able to move in, getting rid of the non-essentials began. I agree with everybody who said it before me here - I could do it if I had to and getting rid of excess "crap" is a great thing. Now - the reality of this is the only place to keep things can't possibly be limited to the allotted amount of space mentioned. There would have to be a barn or cellar - or some type of storage dug into a hill. I'm thinking about all of the settlers' cabins I've seen. The first objective was a way to shelter the family, the second was a shelter to protect the goods and livestock.

So I guess I could only do it if I had another structure.

[Optimist]

Living space, sure. Storage space and shop space, no way. Walkaround space for the metal lathe alone takes up that much room.

[hank2222]

I do it in less than 450.ft total studio set up in the place I have there in the mountain's of az .my place is design with the front part to be the living space with kitchen -bathroom -bed - area with bult in shelfs for my books and DVD wallets with the rear of the unit is 15.ft long-x-12.ft tall-x-12.ft.round for the storage of long term supplies inthe bult in storage racks in the rear of the unit . There is under the floor storage space also with it bult in storage racks to hold diff items I need for the long term resupply after the shtf typle living .