The disadvantages of living in our small cabin are challenges we face every single day. It is our intention to share honestly with you about the things that are difficult and aggravating living in such a tiny space. We are absolutely thrilled that we are able to save money living this way! But, there is that less glamorous side to it. For us, the list of the disadvantages is longer than the benefits mentioned earlier. No surprise there! The difficult things are always more obvious and palpable.
If you think that living in a small space is a romantic adventure, I would agree that yes it can be…at times! Unfortunately, for me that feeling of a romantic adventure lasted only the first few weekends. It doesn’t take long for the cold, harsh reality to sink in that this is going to be tough! You really have to reach deep down for that inner pioneer spirit! This is a lifestyle that you must really want and be willing to make sacrifices. The end of this crazy journey for us is to build a small farmhouse, grow our own food and live a less commercially packaged life.
Disadvantages From Our Perspective
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One space must contain everything you need for daily living
You really have to cut out anything that doesn’t fall into the necessities. Imagine living in one room that must contain a kitchen, living, office and sleeping area. You also need storage, pantry and vanity space. Because of that, you really have to get creative to keep your space from becoming junky and disorganized. I am somewhat obsessive about things being neat and orderly. In a small space, that organization makes me feel comfortable and sane.
There is not enough room for comfortable furniture
We have one small loveseat that our dog Charlie monopolizes. While it is better than nothing, I really do miss curling up on a regular sofa, drinking a cup of coffee, scanning Pinterest and just relaxing. In hindsight, a loveseat containing a retractable foot rest would have been fabulous!
No dresser or closet space
This is a difficult thing for a woman. My entire clothing for the season is packed into two bags that I store on an overhead shelf. While it works for this small space, I really miss my closet and dresser. This also reinforces to me that I have too many clothes and shoes!
No matter what, you are on top of one another
There is no personal space. Many times our poor dog is not sure what direction to walk. It is common to bump into each other. This tight living really can test your marriage. We have a lot of humor and laughter in our day and try to keep things light and fun. You really have to decide to be kind and positive each day. Some days we fail at this!
Sleeping in a bunk
For our small space, we had to sacrifice our queen bed. This was so hard to get adjusted to for me. The bunk is 12 feet in length and is 6 feet off of the floor. There are so many tiny homes out there that have a loft space accessed by a ladder. I always thought they looked so cute and cozy. I can tell you that climbing up and down a ladder definitely gets old. You don’t want to have to get up in the night if you can help it.
We originally started out sleeping feet to feet. I wasn’t sleeping well and always felt like I was bumping into my husband’s feet. We decided to start sleeping head to head and that made it much more comfortable. Before we sold our home, we had purchased a Tuft & Needle 
Potty breaks
As I have mentioned, we felt the option that worked best for us was an old-fashioned outhouse. We originally considered a composting toilet and discovered they are pretty expensive. The thought of cleaning it out and disposing of the contents wasn’t thrilling to us! We liked the idea of doing our business and forgetting about it. I have surprised myself that I have really accepted, and dare I say, at times enjoy going to the potty outside in all sorts of weather. Nothing wakes you up more in the morning than a cold burst of air, a rainy day or a snowy pathway to our little special spot!
Not much room for windows
I love windows, the more the merrier for me. The bigger the better! That is another sacrifice we had to make. We do have two very small windows in the top of the A-frame roof. You can’t exactly look out of them, but it does make a difference having the natural light fill our little cabin. We did use double doors that we open up on pretty days that increases our living space and light.
Small refrigerator
Before we started living here full-time, we used a Grizzly Cooler. That worked well for us for a long time, but regularly buying ice is expensive. It eventually melts and then we had the aggravation of food getting wet. Once we were here full-time, we bought a small energy-efficient GE refrigerator. That was a happy day for me, even though it was small. It is one more little blessing that makes life so much easier here. I have actually come to love the small fridge! I feel like I don’t waste as much food and buy just what I need. Those large fridges are traps. Previously, I was the owner of a huge stainless steel with french doors. Honestly, at this point I don’t miss it and plan on never having another one!
No indoor plumbing
I will never again take for granted indoor plumbing and easy access to water. You don’t realize how much of your day involves water, and not just drinking it. For the first several months, we used one gallon water jugs. As we made trips back and forth, we would refill them and haul them back. It was shocking the amount of water used daily for washing your hands, brushing your teeth, cooking, washing dishes and bathing. We also purchased cases of bottled water just for drinking.
If you want hot water, there is only one way here to get it – boil it! After we were here full-time, we had our well water tested. With the help of a generator, we were able to use the water from our well which had to be filtered. We still fill our water jugs that we use in the cabin. My husband created a clever way for us to use a three gallon beverage dispenser that we fill up and use as our Appalachian sink! It works great too.
Outdoor shower
Have you ever gone a week without a shower under normal circumstances? Neither had I and it’s not particularly fun. I initially started out using camping cloths
No air conditioning
My first summer here was going so well up until about July! The nice, cool mountain air I had enjoyed all spring and early summer came to an abrupt end. I have never experienced a summer without air conditioning. Thankfully, we have real seasons here. The most brutal heat lasted for four weeks. With the double doors open all day, temps in our little cabin got up to 85+. It was so uncomfortable, but I just accepted the heat and tried to stay as cool as I could. Detoxing was a good byproduct. We purchased two, 12 volt car fans
Bugs, bugs, bugs
There is no way to escape them. You manage them as best you can, but accept they are part of this landscape. The most irritating have been the stink bugs, lady bugs and ticks. During the Fall, the stink bugs try to get inside and hibernate for the winter. We work hard to keep them out. The deer ticks, no larger than a speck of pepper, are vicious here and can carry Lyme disease. Sticky traps are great for nooks and out-of-the-way places. A natural bug repellent is also a must when outdoors. I really like the Skeeter Spray
Dirt & Dusty
I have an obsession with things being neat and clean. Unfortunately, living on the job site, being dirt and dust-free do not necessarily go well together. I think I have experienced on a small scale what the poor women of the “Dust Bowl” had to endure. Rainy and snowy days are the worst. In the first couple of months living here, I was very stressed and aggravated by all the dust and dirt. Every day I desperately struggled trying to keep every bit of dust and dirt off of our floor. Guess what, within short order it was dusty again.
At some point in this process of achieving perfection, I gave in and accepted that this was part of the stage we are living in. When I would complain about the dust, my husband would quote a verse from Prov. 14:4, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” A dusty “crib” is a sign of work and progress. After all, it’s the stuff we are made of!
Outdoor Kitchen
An outdoor kitchen in nice weather is a neat feature. On the other hand, a kitchen outside when it is raining, freezing cold, snowing or high winds is another story. Cooking outside under those circumstances can be down right hard and challenging. What makes it worse is carrying heavy cast iron pans up and down steps that are sometimes slippery, icy and wet. Or trying to carry those pans while opening two doors to get back inside. During our recent snow storm, our outdoor kitchen collapsed from the weight of the snow and ice. Because winter is basically over, we have since relocated our kitchen area to the front porch of our cabin.
If you are living in a tiny space, what disadvantages or struggles have you encountered? I would love to hear your thoughts.
All the best!
