Here‘s the Full ’Tiny House People‘ Documentary You’ve Been Waiting For
- Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:25pm by
Liz Klimas
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Kirsten Dirksen with Fair Companies has compiled her tiny house short films into a full documentary.
Last week, we teased you with the trailer of the “We the Tiny House People” documentary brought to you from one of our favorite sources that showcases the tiny house and alternative living movement.
For those of you enjoyed that 11-minute trailer, here’s the full-length version (Content Warning: Some strong language):
Kirsten Dirksen with Fair Companies explains she first decided a full film could be made, instead of their usual 10 minute-ish clips featuring a single abode, in 2009 when she met “the first of a breed of people who would soon occupy my life.” It started with a man named Jay Shafer and his 89-square-foot home. From there Dirksen’s awareness about tiny house people grew and her short films have since gained millions of followers, including us. We’ve also featured some of the tiny homesteads she includes in the documentary.

Dirksten filming one of her tiny house interviewees.
A few years since her after her first tiny home encounter, Dirksen said she‘s filmed more than 100 homes and believes she’s found a “common link” within all of us for “compact spaces.” She said, “[...]if you go back far enough — perhaps to around 5 years old — who can’t relate to the attraction of nesting in a snug space.”
Has Dirksen’s fascination with tiny homes spread to her own lifestyle? No. She has a 1000-square-foot home for her family of soon-to-be five, but she said she is continually “impressed by how so many Tiny House People have been able to let go of their stuff and not despite, but because of this, find a certain calm.”
Check out our previous stories, many of which were from Fair Companies, on tiny houses here. We’ve also featured the tiny mobile home, egg-shaped treehouse and quite possibly the world’s largest treehouse.





















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spirited
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 3:20pmWhere oh where will Mr & Mrs O park their new abode –and plug in their Volt ?
{]{$^> They have said, “WE all need to make sacrifices”.
Report Post »Principlex
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 3:06pmIt’s not the tiny space that bothers me, it is the containment that bothers me. I could live in a small house if it had big windows and partook of the great outdoors insofar as light and views are concerned. From what I’ve been able to tell about these structures, they want to wall off the outside world. That tells me something right there – something I internally revolt against.
Report Post »quiltgal
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 10:06amIf you can afford a big house, go for it. You’re entitled. If you can’t afford a big house, don’t go into debt for one. Live within your means and be happier. Too bad the government doesn’t understand that.
Report Post »armywife987
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 9:48amAs for cleaning the house. . . I love it.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 7:42amJust the right size for 500 million people working for McDonald’s.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 7:52amSoo! That’s why the Good Lord had His people put inside little huts and tied ribbons on them as reminders?
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 27, 2012 at 6:18amWe have those all over the place here in winter. They‘re usually on a lake and there’s holes in the floor for fishing.
Report Post »MontanaRob
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 8:50pmI have personal experience with this issue and several of the people involved, including Jay Shaffer.
Report Post »Considering the fires that we were having around Montana some years back, I decided to look into an alternative to being evacuated into a tent camp, or trailer. That and being a former builder looking for a new “kick”, I thought these may be cool and a possible new business.
For a year I researched these, then had questions that weren’t answered online, so I took a weekend seminar by Jay in Seattle in July ‘08. I immedeatly felt uneasy with these people. I noticed on several occasions that there were folks being taken aside and then odd glances my direction. I was rather ostracized by the end of the first day even though I had said little.
Upon returning home, I decided to look into the people a little closer. There were multiple ties to the UN and Agenda 21 sustainable living sites and actions. I guess they didn’t like the AR15 license plate on my car!
They are built like real homes, so better insulated than travel trailers, but too small for any real comfort unless you like “playing” house.
These folks really think that we should all live in very little area, most park on someone else’s property, and are in general very childlike. It’s typical OWS type folks with little ambition or responsibilty and want to live their entire lives as adolescents. THey are also BIG Obama supporters, go figure!
db321
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 9:30pmJust think after Obama is re-elected we can live in the Little House that Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Homes built and work on the Railroad that Buffet built to carry the Oil instead of the Pipeline!
And after an 18 to 20 day, you will still have time at night to pray to Obama before you pass out! I am so glad that I will not be around to see the Obama puppets secretly campaign that they did not know he was going to turn on them so bad – some will confess that they feel like useful idiots!
Don’t worry Jesus will return in about 7 years to destroy Satan and his entire Army for good – then he is going to grab you little Obama Worshipers and Toss (God said Toss – he did not say place – you guys must have really made God mad because he is going to toss) each of you in the lake of Fire!
Vote Obama in 2012 and Swim in the Lake of Fire for Eternity. If you don‘t see Obama’s Evil side by now – don’t worry God promises to remove the Vail of Blindness off of you and you will see the real Obama as the Muslim Communist Maoist Dictator that he is!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 11:48pmThere seems to be Hidden Agendas behind everything… and it never ceases!
Report Post »notreally
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 7:19pmHow charming, but this is nothing more than propaganda for a “living small is fun!!” socialist America. Today even European cars can fit in your pocket.
The following is from the June 2004 Swedish Timbro Institute study, http://www.timbro.se/bokhandel/pdf/9175665646.pdf. It addresses why America’s poverty class is richer than the average non-poverty European::
“Poverty is a highly relative concept. As we saw in the preceding section, for example, 40 per cent of all Swedish households would rank among low-income households in the USA, and an even greater number in the poorer European countries would be classed as low income earnings by the American definition.”
As to living space Table 3:3, Dwelling space, lists living space of “non-poverty” European citizens space versus America’s “poverty” class” living space:
Nation/year study taken/living space per person
Austria/year study taken year 2000/living space per person 406.2 square feet
Belgium/1991/371.4
Denmark/2001/558.0
France/1996/378.8
Finland/2000/392.0
Germany/1998/424.0
Greece/1991/285.5
Ireland/2001/316.7
Italy/1991/462.7
Luxembourg/2001/517.3
Netherlands/2000/439.4
Portugal/1998/279.1
Spain/1991/278.1
Sweden/1997/460.1
UK/1996/381.1
All of Europe/average 395.7
USA poor households/1993/average 438.6
USA all households/1993/average 721.2
Of course, the socialist ruling elites will live large on our tax dollar: $10,000 a year income (”You see, I don’t make much mon
Report Post »BeingThere
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 6:24pmWhat a bunch of morons, you know what they say, “Tiny house, tiny _______ !!”
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 6:11pmI think this is really a logical evolution from the tiny british “Garden Houses”: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/english-garden-houses-86996
Report Post »Politryx
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 6:08pmThis is the biggest joke! Hey people – they’ve been building trailers since forever in this country. I had an uncle who lived in a 18′ trailer almost his whole life. They are lighter, easier to pull and usually built with all the amenities of a house. So stupid to “build” a “tiny” house when you can find great deals on ready-to-go “travel” trailers anywhere in the country.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 8:58pmthey are “cute” I thought about putting one in the back pasture for guests figured the stay would be shorter if I got them the cute house instead of the mobile home or cabin, but like you say they aren’t for living they are not nearly as practical as the regualr trailers.
Report Post »gman2
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 5:28pmAs a life-long contract musician [for the most part] I do love the freedom to work as much as I desire in order to pay for my happy life, and pursue interests and environments I choose enjoy. And I H888 sharing ownership with Banks… cuz there goes your FREEDOM … AND I LUUUV FREEDOM !!
Build your own kewl, techy kinda mobil home for 20k w/ a Mac studio !! …The Tiny House Movement makes a whole lotta $ent$ to me [minus the Hippy-factor].
Report Post »bob44044
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 5:23pmYou notice nome of these people have families and they are young. Can you see a seventy year old climbing a ladder to go to a two foot high space to sleep. Even though the average person will not complain about these people mooching off of someone elses property to set up there trailors, the day will come when a liberal will taunt anyone who might want something bigger. So it‘s not conservatives who would push their belief of others it’s the liberals who would force everyone else to be like them.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 5:08pmThere are communities of tiny houses throughout America.
>Trailer parks. The bigger ones are double-wides.
Report Post »crazyloon
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 4:53pmClaustrophobics of America Unite against this insanity!!!
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 4:00pmUnless these tiny houses are run off the blubber of murdered polar bear… conservatives want nothing to do with this.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:55pmNow that’s living the Obama era lifestyle! Just give me a government job and a Yugo and I’ll be all set! MM,MM,MM!
Report Post »Marci
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:58pmOn the mark Gonzo! And just for the record, I wasn’t waiting for this. I already have a house with plenty of space, don’t need a “playhouse”.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:59pmYou get a Volt… and to work with Idiots! Godspeed :)
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:44pmI love Miniatures and small items… so I like the Tiny Houses… but there is a Limit to what you can actaully live in!
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