This is a tiny house movement timeline… A brief history of tiny homes. How far back does the tiny house movement go? Some could argue that tiny homes have been here since the dawn of man. And it’s true, isn’t it? But for the purposes of this article, I’d like to start by skipping to the year 1854 because that’s the year that Henry David Thoreau published his book, Walden, after living in a 150-square-foot tiny cabin near Walden Pond on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s woodland property.
Little did he know, that he may be largely responsible for having sparked the giant tiny house movement that we are witnessing today. So please join me on a journey back in time, to explore the tiny homes of yesterday and see how they have inspired the tiny and small homes of today. And who knows, maybe we can figure out what the tiny homes of the future will be like? Let’s go…
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1854 – Henry David Thoreau publishes Walden while living in a 150-square-foot tiny cabin.
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Meet B.A. Norrgard. She’s a woman who attended a Four Lights Tiny House Workshop in February of 2013. After the event, she bought the Gifford tiny house plans and started building.
Five months later, her little house on wheels is complete. And now she’s been hired as COO to work with Jay Shafer and the rest of his Four Lights Tiny House Company team in California. Now that’s a pretty awesome story, isn’t it?
Once upon a time she was a litigation paralegal. And she desired a change. Now she’s helping others simplify their lives to live more purposeful lives. Just like she’s doing. Jay Shafer is calling her a “tiny house superhero.” And right now I just felt I had to introduce you to her. So, please, take a video tour of her new tiny house below, enjoy, and re-share if you feel compelled to!
Meet this Tiny House Superhero (And Her Gifford)
Images © Isha Erskine/YouTube
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The Small House Book by Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Houses provides an introduction to tiny house living and construction. The 197-page guide combines philosophy on simple living with practical building information, covering everything from the author’s experience in a 90-square-foot home to step-by-step construction techniques for trailer-based houses.
Book Details
- Title: The Small House Book
- Author: Jay Shafer
- Publisher: Tumbleweed Houses
- Pages: 197
- Format: Full-color photographs throughout
Topics Covered
- Living in 90 square feet
- Simple living philosophy
- Utilities: water, heating, cooking, electricity
- Composting toilets
- Building codes and permits
- Trailer foundation construction
- Framing and bracing techniques
- Condensation prevention
- Tool requirements
- Tumbleweed design catalog
Jay Shafer and His Tiny House
Image via Tumbleweed Houses
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These floor plan concepts for a 19-foot by 8-foot tiny house demonstrate how a compact 152 square foot footprint can accommodate different layout configurations. Visualizing floor plans helps with furniture placement, kitchen and bathroom positioning, and window locations before building.
Main Floor Layout
Floor Plan with Furniture Scale
Loft View
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