My parents turned a 500-square-foot shed on their property into a tiny home. I live there so I can afford to stay in my hometown.
Tiana Molony
- I wanted to live in my hometown Santa Barbara but didn't want to spend most of my income on rent.
- So, my parents offered to convert a shed on their 5-acre property into a 500-square-foot tiny home.
- I'm so grateful they let me and my boyfriend live there rent-free while we save for a house.
Last year, my boyfriend and I were trying to figure out our next move — and we found it in my parents' backyard.
Our apartment lease in Los Angeles was up in June, and after two years in the city, we missed our home in Santa Barbara.
We agreed to move back to our hometown but didn't know where we'd live. After all, housing can be even more expensive in the Central California city than in LA.
The average rent for an apartment in Santa Barbara is about $2,901 (and $2,733 in LA), according to rental-listing platform RentCafe. That number only climbs when you factor in details like ideal location and sought-after amenities.
Although we could technically afford to live in our hometown if we compromised on our desired neighborhood and perks, spending most of our income renting an apartment we didn't truly want didn't sound great.
We also plan to buy a home one day, and saving money is our top priority.
So, when my parents offered to turn a shed on their 5-acre property in Santa Barbara into 500-square-foot tiny home for us to use, we were all in.
Turning the shed into a home wasn't as easy as I expected
Tiana Molony
Last April, my mom began meeting with contractors to plan out the shed-turned-home's layout.
It would be tough to fit everything we wanted in the small space, but we settled on a one-bedroom, one-bathroom design. The living room and kitchen would be one space divided by a couch, and the bathroom would contain a stacked washer/dryer.
I had foolishly thought designing a house would be as simple as paying Sims — pick your paint, choose your floor, and, boom, all done. As it turns out, it's a lot more complicated.
Tiana Molony
Throughout the process, we experienced numerous setbacks, like getting plumbers, electricians, and contractors to even show up.
Many of them had prior commitments and were working on our tiny home as a side project.
Tiana Molony
It took us about a month to find a plumber, then we ended up having to dig a tunnel below the shed to connect our lines directly to the plumbing in the main house.
We also struggled to connect an Ethernet to the tiny home. My dad had to run conduit from the main house underground and funnel Ethernet through it.
All in all, the project took about five months to complete.
We're grateful to live somewhere we can have our own space and also save money
Tiana Molony
In November, we finally moved into the converted storage shed on the northwestern corner of my parents' property.
I'm grateful my parents funded this project and don't charge us rent. We have regular monthly expenses, like groceries and gas, but we're able to save most of our income.
Plus, not having to pay rent has helped me sustain my career as a freelance writer.
I recognize how fortunate we are to be in this position. Still, my partner and I don't plan to live here forever. My parents built this space with the idea that when we move out, they can use it accommodate guests or other family members.
For now, it's our home, allowing us to live where we want without spending most of our income on rent.
We're incredibly lucky to get to spend our days surrounded by nature in the town where we grew up, cozily nestled between the mountains and the sea.