HOUSE THAT?
We spend £275 on everything after ditching our family house for a tiny ‘shed’ – it’s basic but I’ve got a tumble dryer
The couple forked out over £43k on the home but it was worth every penny
MANY people decide to downsize to a smaller home when they retire, but this couple took that one step further.
Twila Rodriguez and her husband packed up their family home and moved to a tiny home community based in Tennessee, US.
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After retiring at 62, Twila found herself spending most of her free time and money maintaining their three bedroom, two bathroom home.
So, she decided to take the leap and made the move to a custom 235sq ft cabin in the woods.
"Our kids grew up and left home, you're still having to spend all of your free time maintaining the outside, the inside, and you're not utilising your home," she told .
There was a set cost of the tiny home the couple wanted built, but because they wanted some customised elements, included lighting and windows, it ended up costing them approximately £43,870 ($56,000).
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Despite the initial cost, the couple's monthly bills now only come to £275 each month, saving them a lot of mony.
"This is my forever home, we had it built the way we wanted it built," she added.
Inside the cosy cabin, Twila has just about every creature comfort she could ever need, including a extra small log burning fire - and even tiny tools to go with it.
In the kitchen there's a normal sized fridge-freezer, plenty of storage and a small sink which Twila can cover if she needs more worktop space.
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"The kitchen is big enough that my husband and myself are both able to get in the kitchen and move around without bumping into each other and getting in each other's way," Twila said.
The bathroom's bigger than you'd probably expect too, with a 36inch shower, sink and toilet, which is fitted to the main sewer system like regular houses.
Impressively, there's even space for a "laundry room" in the tiny home, which Twila uses to store the tumble dryer, washing machine, cleaning products and even space to hang clothes.
Upstairs in the loft is the bedroom, which overlooks the rest of the home.
Although you can't stand up in the space, there's still plenty of head room to sit comfortably on the bed.
"We keep our clothes in little baskets behind out bed, my stairs have drawers in them so that's where we're able to keep other things we need," she explained.
However, the couple do also have a separate storage space in the form of a even smaller shed just outside their home.
The tiny shed is used for garden tools and other things they don't need all the time.
The shed also houses summer clothes during the winter, and coats, jumpers and boots during the warmer months to make room in the main home.
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"Living in a tiny home has made life so much simpler.
"You're not having to maintain the home the way you do your bigger homes, it's an enjoyable life," she said.
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