While some of SF’s micro-apartments sound incredibly depressing and bereft of amenities, there’s something about living in a tiny house that delights people to the point where their voices go up an octave (“A tiny house! With a wee little floor plan!”). So if the thought of living in a state of extreme efficiency with a postage-stamp window box full of marigolds makes you grin compulsively, you might want to check out the teensiest open house ever this weekend.
Yerdle, the online marketplace for reuse, is hosting Jenna and Guillaume of Tiny House, Giant Journey as they pass through San Francisco evangelizing the virtues of downsizing. You tour a real Tiny House outside of Yerdle HQ (501 York St.) this Sunday, March 29 from noon - 3 p.m., and fantasize about living off the grid while noshing on some full-size BBQ. Reducing your footprint along with the resources you consume and the waste you generate is what the sharing community is always striving for, so this is right in Yerdle’s wheelhouse. You can even chat with the experts themselves — as soon as you wipe the sauce from your fingers.
The Tiny House is quite something, and Jenna and Guillaume have some legit tips for maximizing the square footage you’ve already got, from hanging sports equipment on the ceiling to turning crown molding into a shelf. Of course, if you become an instant convert to the Tiny House movement, you might find yourself stashing valuables in hidden compartments beneath wooden slats under your mattress and replacing that elegant curving staircase with storage stairs (whose every step is a drawer). And don’t forget that Guillaume stands 6’2”, so this can work for just about anybody.
Embarrassed by the sight of that water heater under the sink? Conceal it with potato sacks on a curtain rod, which can be used to store things like pot lids and root vegetables. Tired of cleaning that dead space around the base of the toilet? Turn it into modular storage with roll-out baskets. The duo even has a novel method of washing clothes without using any laundry facilities. Who knows, they might light such a fire under everybody that it helps get the entire Bay Area re-zoned for micro-living.
And remember that last open house you went to? The one where you were hoping to impress the landlord with a bottle of Bulleit and an edible only to see that other prospective renters had brought gold doubloons and a piece of the One True Cross? Yeah, this one should be much more fun.
Download the Yerdle app here.