From Camping to Functioning in 399 Square Feet | Week 37 Post-layoff

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Last week we told you we had officially "moved in" to our tiny house. What we didn't tell you was that we were basically camping in our own home. This week, that changed. But let me tell you - it wasn't easy.

The Reality of "Moved In"

For over a week, our bedroom situation was less than ideal. I was sleeping on a camping mattress that migrated from the kitchen floor to the living room as we slowly organized our belongings. Bryan was attempting to sleep in our brand new couch recliner that wouldn't close properly (replacement scheduled for the following week).

We had a beautiful loft space waiting for us, complete with room for the king-size bed we'd been anticipating for three months. But knew we'd have one major problem: the bed frame we ordered, combined with our 13.5-inch mattress, would be too tall for our loft ceiling. We didn't want to risk concussions every time we sat up in bed.

The Bed Frame Solution

During our research, we found several cheaper metal frames with questionable reviews and some concerning user experiences. We decided to invest in a quality wood frame from Wayfair that we could modify to fit our space.

A neighbor offered the use of his miter saw to cut the bed frame legs. Apparently, he had faced the same challenge when setting up his loft bedroom. After talking with other neighbors, this seems to be a common problem for tiny house dwellers - finding a quality bed frame low enough to accommodate a standard mattress height while leaving adequate headroom.

Bryan joked that we cut off about fifty dollars worth of wood per leg. After removing the legs, we essentially had a box frame sitting directly on the floor with slats to support the mattress. We probably could have built something similar ourselves for less money, but we had hoped to maintain some under-bed storage space. We lost that battle, but gained something far more important - the ability to sit up in bed comfortably.

The Assembly Adventure

After six nights of camping in our own house, Bryan was ready to tackle the bed frame assembly. He opened the box, pulled out all the parts, and started putting it together - without reading the directions.

Thirty minutes later, he realized he had assembled it incorrectly. There was a specific order and method for connecting the components. Lesson learned: always read the directions first to avoid a complete do-over.

One of our neighbors - the one we visit with on his porch every morning - stopped by to check our progress. While Bryan correctly reassembled the bed frame, I focused on organizing downstairs and catching up on laundry. Having our own washer and dryer again felt like a luxury.

The middle support brace came with three metal legs that were the same height as the legs we had just removed. Rather than cutting them, Bryan remembered he had a two-inch wood dowel that had somehow survived our move. He measured and cut those to size with a handsaw on our porch, completely MacGyvering the solution instead of using the included hardware. Sometimes the best solution isn't the most obvious one.

Bed Placement Strategy

When Bryan finished assembling the frame, I climbed up to the loft to assess the optimal placement. Bryan's preference was to position the headboard against the window wall. My preference was to have it on the larger, blank wall. Having a bed against the wall might work for a ten-year-old, but as adults, I wanted both sides accessible - not just for easier bed-making, but to avoid crawling in from the foot of the bed.

After a week of sleeping with my recommendation, Bryan admitted I was right. I love that he's willing to acknowledge when I make a good call.

The Mattress Marathon

Despite the late hour, we were determined to get our Helix mattresses upstairs to begin expanding overnight. Wrestling them up the stairs while vacuum-sealed in their shipping boxes provided both a great plan and an unexpected workout. Bryan joked that we received twin XL mattresses and five hundred yards of plastic wrap.

Watching the mattresses expand to full size was more entertaining than we should probably admit. We were pleasantly surprised they had no chemical odor and didn't require airing out time but we were too exhausted to make the bed that night.

The next day, with freshly laundered sheets and a new blanket, we made our bed and anticipated our first real night's sleep in months. The mattresses were incredibly comfortable, and with a fan circulating air, conditions seemed perfect.

Until I noticed the smoke detector positioned directly above my head, complete with a piercing green light that flashed every few seconds. The light penetrated my closed eyelids all night. It took another week before we removed the battery - we had to coordinate the timing since one of our dogs is terrified of the chirping sound. That first night sleeping without the strobing green light was pure bliss.

Everything Else Clicked

The bedroom transformation wasn't our only accomplishment this week. We hung curtains on both porches for privacy and to conceal the items we're still sorting through that are temporarily stored there. The curtain rods, curtains, and curtain ties we found on Amazon provided the privacy we desperately needed. It's crazy how much more settled a space feels when you're not living in a fishbowl.

We installed a space-saving spice rack that freed up two entire small cabinets in our tiny kitchen and mounted a paper towel holder to the window frame to clear precious counter space. We also picked up this sink organizer to help keep things tidy. In 399 square feet, every inch matters.

We also rearranged our living room furniture, moving the couch and TV from their intended positions. The couch had been partially blocking our main entry door, so we switched things around. The new configuration improves traffic flow and provides a pleasant view of the outdoors from the seating area.

I tackled bathroom organization using drawer organizers from Amazon, finally creating functional storage instead of having everything exist in chaotic piles. Though clearly our shopping list continues - a toilet paper holder remains on next week's list.

Functioning But Not Finished

We're functioning now. We sleep like adults, cook efficiently, enjoy privacy, and successfully entertained guests this week when my mom and Bryan's friend visited.

But we're not finished. We're still waiting on our carport construction, storage shed installation, stair railing painting, drainage solutions, entry walkway improvements, skirting, and pet fencing. We have items in storage requiring decisions about what comes to our storage shed versus what we'll finally get rid of.

Apparently, this extended timeline is common among tiny house owners. One neighbor mentioned this week that after four years, he finally moved out of his storage unit.

We're not camping anymore. We've transitioned from surviving to functioning, and that feels like a massive victory. The journey continues, but for the first time in months, we actually feel at home.

See the entire week's chaos and victories in our Youtube video.

Lessons for Prospective Tiny House Dwellers

If you're considering tiny house living, understand that the transition from "moved in" to functional to truly settled requires time, patience, and extensive problem-solving. The challenges are real, but the solutions are achievable and worth it.

Key takeaways from our week:

• Research bed frame heights carefully - this is a common tiny house challenge
• Read assembly directions first - saves time and frustration
• Flexibility beats perfect planning - sometimes MacGyvered solutions work best
• Community support matters - neighbors who've faced similar challenges are invaluable resources
• Celebrate functioning - you don't need perfection to feel settled

The transformation wasn't easy, but it was absolutely worth the effort. We're proof that with persistence and creative problem-solving, tiny house challenges become tiny house victories.

Want the behind-the-scenes details of this exhausting week, including our 9-hour customer service nightmare? Subscribe to our newsletter for insider updates and real-time emotions that don't make it into the blog.

Thanks for figuring this out with us. Here's to hoping Week 38 is a little less exhausting!

-Kathy & Bryan