I had seven bedrooms but a bijou nest is bliss

Sue Bell, 71, is a retired gardener and theatre stage manager and lives in Central Scotland. She says:

ONE Friday afternoon in 2019, I was listening to Radio 4 as I pottered in the seven-bedroom house where I’d lived for 25 years, when I heard a segment about a company called Tiny Eco Homes. I wanted to be kinder to the planet and had no need for such a large house, so I arranged a meeting with them. After discussing designs, we came up with plans for an 8ft by 23ft house — a space I marked out on the floor of one of the reception rooms, so I could work out what furniture would fit into it. Then I set about getting rid of furniture, clothes and my beloved books — I downloaded them onto my tablet — and all sorts of other ‘stuff’ we accumulate. Apart from a washing machine, I didn’t buy anything new for my tiny house when I moved in last April. The house cost £65,000. The best thing is, nobody else has lived here — it’s truly mine. People are astonished when they learn that I’m claustrophobic, yet not in my tiny house. Ironically, I felt hemmed in at my old house in a city. Here, I wake up every morning and step out of the big glass sliding doors at the front onto the agricultural land where I rent a plot. Built from kiln-dried pine, my home has underfloor heating, a kitchen and living area, shower room and central staircase leading up to a large space with my double bed, a huge TV and a single bed at the other end. Fortunately I’m only 5ft 2in tall, so I don’t bang my head on the ceiling. I rely on electricity from the Grid but hope to have a water filtration system soon. I won’t lie, I was apprehensive about the eco-friendly composting toilet but it works perfectly and doesn’t smell. I think it puts friends off coming to stay, though, which is a top tip for anyone not keen on house guests! My dog and I have every luxury we could want, but all in miniature. It can be a bit lonely sometimes but I adore it and it’s my forever home.