Guest Post by Reader who Lives in Mortgage-free Small Octagon House

We built this small octagon house in 1979 with mostly found/recycled materials that we pulled through the woods on a little path on a reinforced garden cart so we did it with no mortgage. Later on, we got a little crazy with the add-ons as you’ll see. And the sauna is near a river. While there are only 2 acres, it’s in the middle of the Green Mountain National Forest. I raised 4 children with no running water here. I chose voluntary simplicity (mostly voluntary). Oh, and one more, I built a tent platform then garden shed recently and my daughter made another studio with it.

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Family’s Mortgage-free Octagon Home w/ Add-Ons…

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This 130-square-foot beach bungalow tiny house was for sale for $29,000 recently.

It was built with all of the amenities that an RV normally offers which include:

• Hot water heater
• Furnace
• Water hook up
• Freshwater holding tank
• Gray water tank
• Blackwater tank

It also has a full sized bathroom with a shower and toilet and is fully wired with electricity.

You can either leave it on the trailer and use it just like you would any other travel trailer or you can remove the structure from the trailer and set it up on a normal foundation.

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When you walk towards the house you are greeted by two oversized pillars in the little porch which gives the home a cottage/bungalow feel to it. The design reminds of Jay Shafer’s Box Bungalows.

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JT’s tiny house is a combination of a Tumbleweed Walden and Lusby.

He used his own creative ways to customize this tiny house for his own needs.

Isn’t that what it’s all about? Creating a home that perfectly suits your needs.

That’s what I love about these little homes: you can use plans to help you with construction and design but ultimately you can tweak anything to your own desires.

That’s why I think it’s so important to take your time when you’re building or designing your own tiny house. Don’t rush through it and don’t be afraid to question your initial plans throughout the process.

So let’s take a look at how JT’s tiny house project turned out. Below is a wonderful shot of he and the house on the road with a landscape view.

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When you go inside, I bet it smells like fresh wood. I’d love that. As you can see below JT used tongue and groove pine for the interior walls and ceiling.

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Guest Post by Ryan Mitchell of The Tiny Life

Heating water in a tiny house can be a tricky thing; by its very nature, heating water is often a resource intense endeavor and many solutions are often bulky. These two things are often at odds with those wanting to live in a tiny house because we don’t have a lot of space and we’d like to be as low impact on the environment as possible. While the choice can be a difficult one to make, I think we all can agree, a nice hot shower is something we all enjoy.

So here are my top 5 ways to heat water in a tiny house.

1. RV-500 Tankless Water Heater by Precision Temp

This little tankless water heater is actually designed for motor homes, but it works quite well in a little home. For those of you who aren’t familiar with tankless water heaters, instead of a tank that keeps the water hot 24/7, it only heats as you need it. The upshot of this solution is that it is often uses a lot less energy and you can have endless hot water if you need it. The added benefit of this being an RV unit is that they make the venting really easy, they are quite small, and a standard propane tank can last you about a month and a half.  The downside is the price tag, at $1,000, it’s a hard pill to swallow, but owners sing praises of this unit.

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WIN a signed copy of Deek’s “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” book, The book “Eco-House”, Shelton Davis’ “Adirondack Pallet-Chair” plan-set, and a really nice work shirt from VT’s Jamaica Cottage Shop (www.Jamaicacottageshop.com)

We’re looking for your ideas, input, creativity, and brainstorming, on what exactly could be done in a space so small as 64 square feet. Yes, SIXTY FOUR SQUARE FEET. Not “I’d do Yoga in it”, but how you would lay things out and arrange them to make it work, to create and save the maximum amount of space.

Sleeping arrangements? facilities? jacuzzi? ping pong table? Where would it all fit!? IS it possible? -well, maybe not the ping pong table and jacuzzi- but we’re looking for some different narrative ideas on how YOU would approach this tiny house design challenge. Sketches aren’t required, but they might help to convey your idea- its up to you.

8×8 Tiny House Design Submissions:

• Hunter’s 8×8 Cabin
• LaMar’s 8×8 Cabin
• Kevin’s 8×8 Cabin
• Anthony’s 8×8 Cabin
• Jordan’s 8×8 Cabin
• Mary’s 8×8 Cabin
• Remi’s 8×8 Cabin

Winners will be selected a week from the date of this post..

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Teardrop campers are becoming more and more popular today because they’re relatively inexpensive and make camping much more convenient.

Thanks to one of our readers, Sandy, who emailed me a photo of their little travel trailer that they got from Tex’s Teardrops.

With a queen size bed and the ability to tow with your 4-cylinder vehicle if you wanted it really is economical and comfortable.

The galley in the back is your kitchen on the go. All you have to do is throw all of your equipment inside, tow, and go.

This one is only 5 feet wide so you’ll still be able to see with your side view mirrors while towing it.

Inside there’s overhead cabinets to keep your belongings out of sight and just like in any other travel trailer you’ve got locks on your doors to keep your stuff safe.

Would you consider a teardrop camper for weekend camping or even long-term travel?

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Not long ago, I attended a networking event for the Asheville Blogger Society. There was a great turn out and after business was conducted we shuffled off to one of the many local watering holes for some socializing. I spent some time speaking with Jason, the author of Tribe.ly, a website dedicated to helping people find and build their tribes and change the world.

Our conversation, as it often does, turned to living in a tiny house. Reactions to the 120 square foot house range from curiosity to repulsion. Jason fell on the curious end of the spectrum and wanted to know more about how we live and, more importantly, why we live the way we do. A lot of people miss out on that piece of the puzzle by not asking the right questions. We are not trying to live the way we use to; we are fundamentally changing the way we participate in our own lives.  

Jason got it. And he wrote about it:

“There is a fascinating element that I picked up on as I was talking with Laura and Matt, that I probably never would have considered as a benefit of Tiny House living until I actually tried it myself. They see their 120-square feet as a perfect excuse to live life outside of the house, so they can get to know their neighbors, invest in community and building relationships in their area. We met at a blogger society meetup, so they were clearly committed to breaking out of the 4 walls we all call our homes and intentionally investing in relationships with like-minded people.”

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I thought I’d start a new series of posts called tiny house concerns.

In it we’ll go over questions and concerns that readers from Tiny House Talk have sent in.

Then in the comments, we’ll all discuss possible solutions and swap ideas. So here’s this week’s question from Pamela.

Hi Alex,

A couple of things I’ve never seen anyone address regarding the tiny houses on trailers is, what about the long term decomposing of the tires? Do folks jack the house up a bit to alleviate pressure on the tires, remove them, or do they pick the house up and take it to the local gas station now and then to fill them up? Also what happens if they leave the trailer to rest on the tires and one gets a flat or loses air? And finally, have you heard of anyone building a small house on a trailer with the intent of being able to remove it from the trailer once they get to a more permanent spot?

Thanks,

Pamela D.

🛞 Tips for Maintaining Trailer Tires on Your Tiny House

If your tiny house sits parked for long periods, your trailer tires need a little extra love to prevent dry rot, flats, and uneven wear. Here are some simple tips that can make a big difference:

1. Keep tires off the ground when possible.
Use jack stands or leveling blocks to relieve pressure on the tires when your home is stationary for months at a time. This helps prevent flat spots and cracking.

2. Cover your tires from the sun.
UV rays are one of the biggest culprits in tire deterioration. Invest in quality tire covers or use a durable tarp to block sunlight.

3. Maintain proper air pressure.
Check your tire pressure monthly (even if you’re not moving the trailer). Underinflation can lead to cracking and blowouts, while overinflation causes uneven wear.

4. Move the trailer occasionally.
Rolling your trailer even a few feet every couple of months redistributes the weight and prevents the same spot from being under pressure all the time.

5. Clean tires regularly.
Use mild soap and water—avoid harsh chemicals that can dry out the rubber. After cleaning, apply a tire protectant formulated for UV resistance.

6. Replace tires every 5–7 years.
Even if the tread looks fine, the rubber breaks down over time. Check your manufacturer’s date code and replace them when aging signs appear.

Images: MidJourney

If you have any ideas, tips, or suggestions on protecting trailer tires from decomposing, please share them in the comments below. Thank you!