As soon as I heard about Getaway House last fall, I immediately wanted to book a weekend inside one of their 180 square foot tiny houses. I have always been a big fan of small spaces (treehouses, lofts, studio apartments). These particular tiny houses, outside Boston and New York City, are already very popular. I actually had to make a reservation in October 2016 for a weekend in February 2017. I would say it was well worth the wait.
My husband, dog and I arrived around 4pm on an unusually warm sunny Friday afternoon, and used the 4-digit code, that had been emailed to me, to unlock the door to our weekend cocoon. I was very much looking forward to 48 hours of unplugged rest & relaxation. This sturdy, yet miniature, house came with exactly what we needed for the weekend: beds, a bathroom, a heater, a small fridge, a two-burner stove, and coffee (!)
My intention was to RELAX in a very deep way. To disconnect from technology, from chores, from the news, from the billions of distractions we face every hour of most days. I wanted to read a novel all the way through from beginning to end, which I did. I wanted to quiet my mind from the numerous social interactions that are fortunate aspects of a rich life, which I did. I wanted to silence the voice in my head that screams every day “be productive!”
Our tiny house was situated on a campsite in New Hampshire, not too close to anyone, but not too far either. The house supplied games, books, and ideas about how to spend your time: bird watching, flower gathering, meditating, asking thought-provoking questions to your partner. There was a cellphone “lockbox,” encouraging us to put away our phones, and revert to a simpler era. We brought and prepared all our own food, unwilling to rely solely on the S’mores and beef jerky “provisions” available for purchase.
Most of my friends were extremely curious about the toilet situation. The bathroom has an electric toilet, that vacuum-wraps your waste and sucks it south. Each “cartridge” allows for 15 flushes. If you need more than 15 flushes (which we didn’t) you can place a phone call to the groundskeeper. S/he will supposedly appear with another cartridge, and hence 15 more flushes. Not a big deal for us, but some of my friends were very panicky about this concept, (especially when they learned we made chili for dinner.)
Water was a different story. We were given 120 gallons of water, and were informed that when it’s gone, it’s gone. Getaway claims a typical shower uses about 20 gallons of water. So I found myself being super careful every time I turned on the faucet, to clean dishes, or wipe our dog’s muddy paws. What if we run out of water?!? Shouldn’t I always be this conscious?
By the end of our visit, I actually felt like 180 square feet was too BIG for us. We had 3 different mattress options, but we all crammed onto just one, on the lower level. No need for 3 beds here, as we (75 lb dog included) easily melted into a cozy ‘cuddle puddle,’ meshed together on the lower bunk by the big window. The upper bunks were a little cramped if one wanted to actually sit up in bed. We found ourselves imagining how we would change the floor plan if we were to build our own tiny house: More counter space, fewer beds, more storage, a patio, tennis court….
I am still so surprised by all the intrigue and excitement surrounding our weekend adventure inside the tiny house. You would think we went to OUTER SPACE for the weekend, based on the questions/comments I received leading up to it, and since returning.
“Fascinating!”
“Heavenly!”
“Did you both lock your gadgets away for the weekend?” No. “Was there electricity?” Yes, solar. “Was it like Glamping?” I don’t think so. “Did the bathroom get stinky?” A little.
Mostly, friends and colleagues reacted as if we did something really exciting. In essence all we did was, for a temporary 48 hours, strip away everything non-essential and distracting. We were left with food, shelter, clothing, and family. But in today’s busy world, I guess that is as unusual and exciting as a trip to outer space.
