Blog - Tiny House Advisor

Over the years, I have helped people organize and downsize for many different reasons; and now that the Tiny House Movement has become a BIG topic, I have the experience and history in the field to help you live comfortably in your tiny space. You can read my own personal story here: “My Own Tiny House”. With this blog, I will pass along my collected bits of wisdom, tricks of the trade and some clever ‘tiny’ tips so you can live cozy not cramped in your Home Sweet Tiny Home.

I have been interested in the “tiny spaces world” for quite some time, starting when my husband, our 6 kids and I lived aboard our 55-foot motor yacht, docked in a boat basin in St. Petersburg, FL, many years ago.

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Welcome to my blog, “Home Sweet Tiny Home”

Thank you and I’m glad you can join us.
Pat Dunham

Experience – A Good Teacher

Update: Three weeks ago, fire totally engulfed my tiny house, my cute little Scion you’ve probably seen parked at a lot of tiny house events, as well as almost everything else I owned. My husband and I safely got out with the clothes on our backs. Friends and neighbors have kindly brought some things by and people have contributed to a GoFundMe page that was set up, which has been a help. And, of course, my family is pitching in big time. This happened at the worst possible time when everyone in the entire country is facing personal and professional … Continue reading →

So…What’s in the Fridge?

I have taken a couple random pictures of my refrigerator, without straightening it out…just an everyday look at it. You can see I have a lot stored in it, because it holds a lot. And it is only a 10 cu. ft. That means it is 2 feet wide and 5 feet tall. It works really well for my husband and me. You can save a lot of money purchasing this size, which can be found at places like Home Depot or Lowes. I’ve seen beautiful specialty sizes in some of the tinies that are on display at the popular … Continue reading →

Which Appliances?

I have long been an advocate for smaller appliances in a tiny house. I have noticed that unless you are cooking for a crowd or a holiday meal, most people use the right front burner and unless you are an avid baker, the oven isn’t used often. And the same thing goes for those large refrigerators that take up a lot of room. And since most of us know that every fraction of an inch counts when designing your own tiny house, large appliances can be space hogs. It will help a lot if you do your research ahead of … Continue reading →

Regrets…I Have a Few

Most of us probably have regrets about various things in our lives. These regrets can involve jobs, family, the way we spent our time, finances and, more than likely, a few more. I have a few of these myself. But I have to say, now that I have been in a tiny house for a few years, my biggest regret is not doing it sooner. I think of all those wasted years taking care of all the stuff, buying it, sorting it, organizing it, storing it and insuring it, when I really didn’t need it at all. Now that I … Continue reading →

Lofty Minded?

For those of you who have a loft in your tiny house, I have recently discovered a very good reason why it can be helpful to also have some kind of sleeping arrangements on the main floor of your tiny, in addition to your loft, even if it is a bench-type seat that someone can sleep on. There are several possibilities to choose from when designing your home. My favorites are the click clack sofas, also know as the jackknife couches, seen in many modern RV’s. They open up sideways, compared to the typical pullout sofa where the whole mattress … Continue reading →

Tiny House Adventures

I am recently back from three tiny house events. My fellow enthusiast and I left the Tampa, FL, area and traveled to Nashville, TN, then to Nags Head, NC, and then back to Vero Beach, FL. It was a long trip, but it was exhilarating to be with the groups of interested people and hearing their personal stories. To add to the excitement, we made a side trip to the National Mall in our nation’s capital. We met Dr. Ben Carson, who is pushing the need for local municipalities to loosen up on their restrictions to allow tiny houses, which … Continue reading →

Dr. Ben Carson Advocates ADU’s

I took this picture of Dr. Ben Carson while he was visiting the Core Housing Solutions exhibit and its builders at HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase. He agreed that this will be an inaugural event, being held every year. He was promoting affordable housing and pushing municipalities around the country to lighten up their strict building codes to allow accessory dwelling units. We still have a ways to go, but the future is looking brighter when we have such prestigious advocates.

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Tiny House Power

We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. – Steve Maraboli This really resonates with me, especially in relation to the power that the Tiny House Movement has given me and so many thousands of other people. I think that many people who contemplate going tiny, or even downsizing, beat themselves up because they see the time and money they have invested over the years as a waste. We … Continue reading →

Cleaning Out the Closet

The closet is often where things are put that you are not sure of where to put them. It frequently houses things that don’t even belong there. The best way to get the job done, the fastest most efficient way is to pick a day that you feel you can devote to the job. Maybe that rainy afternoon with nothing else on your agenda for the day. Start early enough so you can finish the job in one day. Let’s start in your bedroom. The first step to take is make your bed and take everything out of your closet … Continue reading →

Overlooked Storage Solution

Most bedrooms on the main level of tiny houses are very small, with very little extra space to even walk around the bed. This is the desired plan for most people who live in tiny houses. However, there is one spot in your home that may have been overlooked as a storage opportunity. Unfortunately, many plans don’t give any room for storage under the bed because there would be no room to pull drawers or bins out from under the bed. I have a solution to this dilemma. Instead of using a regular bed with a mattress, box spring and … Continue reading →