Room by room what do you currently own that will work in the new place?

I’m not sure what you mean. We own the cottage.

I think the question was. What from your previous home stood out to you that you want incorporated into this one.

Check out Sarah Susanka “Not So Big House”, “Not So Big Life” and related books. Great resource/ideas for living well in small spaces.

An 800 sq ft house usually needs smaller scale furniture.

If you can do without the garage would it be possible to connect the house to the garage with an enclosed breezeway? The garage could possibly be renovated into a master suite?

I don't see the problem! I moved to a 600 square foot house last year, also in Northern New England. Just think how much you'll save on heating bills!

For me, I'm loving the transformation of my life into mini. My whole world feels lighter.

The most important thing....have some goals about what you'd like to accomplish. Age-in-place? Accessible? Lots of closets? Big master? Big kitchen? Are you planning to garden? Cook gourmet meals? Do you have a collection of things (e.g. baseball cards) that needs room for display? Are you an artist?

Related to NH.... How warm is the house? What is the current utility bill? How will you keep it warm? Are there things you can do to make it more comfortable?

I usually recommend books, but I found them entirely unhelpful in my move to this property. Massive downsizing at the same time as figuring out how to make an existing space yours is very difficult.

So, how many people will be living there?

What rooms does it have?

Could you provide a floor plan?

Are you looking for guidance on furniture? Getting the nerve to downsize that small? Or wanting to redo something or other?

PS This looks like a lovely property. It's going to be charming.

If that’s an old summer only cottage, you’ll have to essentially rebuild it to get it to meet current building codes. Probably cheaper to do the complete teardown as rebuild than to trip apart everything to work on just a shell.

This cottage is adoreable! Are you considering adding a Franklin stove or similar? Is it possible to turn the patio area into a 3 season room for additional square footage?

Do you presently own furniture that could fit this space? Does the kitchen have much built in storage? I love the garage and would never consider losing it. How much space exists to either side of the garage door? Your cottage is something envied by many people in the Northeastern part of this country who enjoy the outdoors and the work that accompanies this style of living. Best wishes!

The cottage is adorable. Does it already have insulation, and a way to heat and cool? I would try to live in it for a few months, before selling the big house. That way, you will know, if you can live in a tiny house, or not. It will also give you time to decide which of your furnishings you want to keep. The only way, you will know for sure is to live in it and see.

Where did the OP go? I'm so into this project!

Downsize, a lot! It will be a change in life.

Celadon, how do you know that it is not up to code? Is it common for these places to not be up to code for winter living? Is that something that you have some personal knowledge of?

Virginia, I dont know how old you are, but hubs and I are 70ish and we would not want to live anywhere remotely remote anymore. Life and old age sneaks up pretty quickly. Is it more of a summertime community, like a beach town?

I think the idea of getting rid of excess stuff and paring down your life is an exciting thing to do.

Are you prepared to do that?

You need to be emotionally, mentally, and spiritually ready to make that change.

Let's be clear this is not a tiny house. It's a little house. I know this for a fact: my house is 600 square feet, and it's not tiny. Probably a good thing, too, zoning restrictions can get in the way of little things.

I'm quite amused that several posters immediately want to make the house bigger! As if 800 square feet surely has to be too small.

And maybe a garage is a lot more important than more house! Have you ever dug a car out of 2 feet of snow several times a year? Had a car rust in no time?

That side room on the garage, though? If the home is for two people, a "snit shed" might be useful. Vedge-out space.

In that environment, I'd also want to get everything that has to do with heating squared away BEFORE making other investments. In NH in a cabin, I would be doing wood stove heat as well as a main source like a heat pump. I'd want to insulate thoroughly to take out every possible speck of draft. Double pane windows. I'd put some kind of porch on the front to protect the entry.

If you own the trees, and the roof is oriented right, do solar when replacing the roof. It'll pay for your heat bill.

PS I don't think we have to assume this little house is remote. Many NH towns require BIG lots.

Declutter and hire a professional organizer! Beautiful home!

Thank you all for even responding! You’re my team. The was probably built as a fishing/ summer place in the early ‘30s. And then added on to, and added on to...the large room serves as a living room, kitchen, and dining room. The ceiling and the walls are all a soft reddish pine without shiny varnish. It’s very nice but I do crave some white after a while. The ceiling in this room is more curved at the top because another roof was put over the first one.....yeah, I would have taken off the first one! The bedroom is not as large and has cathedral ceilings and a small closet. It has windows all the way around and to the top of the wall.

Bathroom, new tub, shower, vanity, with washer and dryer the size of a old Buick. The kitchen is wonderfully new and efficient, lovely cabinets in a light aqua. Then, the advertised “ second bedroom” which is about 8’ by 8’. . It does work with a trundle bed, office, etc, We added a large screened in porch on the back which faces the old pine forest that eventually gets to the stream from the pond across the road. It is insulated (!), except for the floor in the large room. Foundation needs shoring up.

We’ve spent a winter here and truly enjoyed the silence of the deep snow. We use a stove inside the stone fireplace with wood pellets and never felt cold. There are also base board heat and a propane heater which are rarely used. I love this place but I think it would probably need more room. I think there is room on the side I will try to show you in a picture. I’m not good at the pictures, so hang on. Again, thank you all very much. And to tangerinedoor, thanks. 600sq ft, I have a cottage here I built as a tree house that I adore-144sq. ft., fireplace, daybeds and windows all the way around. I understand!

Perhaps, I need to find a way to rebuild my Little House from Illinois to New Hampshire! Gh

Oh, my photos. Little House

You are a woman after my heart! This sounds like a great little house. Do you need more input?

What is on the upper level? Is that space included in the 800 s.f. ? Make any desirable changes before moving in. Consider an architect.

Multiuse furniture that incorporates storage is the way to go in such homes,

New post

@Virginia Hoffman sure would love to see what you have done to your cottage c

I would also like to see your finished home.

@Virginia Hoffman

Updates needed!

What a great idea! Looks like a beautiful project! We an't wait to see what you do with it!

Super cute place! I too look forward to seeing more of it.

Lovely idea - Cannot wait for the finished look! :)