This 88-Year-Old Woman Lives in an Old Shed in the Woods – But Wait Until You See Inside!

A tiny kitchen and a bed by the window

Along the back wall is Edna's kitchen. It is only about six feet long: a small white sink, a two-burner electric hot plate, a small fridge under the counter and open shelves with plates, mugs and plain glass jars of flour, sugar and oats. Her old enamel bread box sits in the corner. "I bake bread twice a week," she says. "I just make smaller loaves now." Behind a sliding door, the family added a tiny bathroom with a shower and grab bars, which help prevent falls.

Her bed stands under the new side window, so the first thing she sees in the morning is the pine trees. It is made with her wedding quilt, the one she sewed at nineteen. Under the bed are drawers for her clothes. Everything in the room is within a few steps. Edna says that is exactly what she wanted. "In the farmhouse I walked all day just to find my glasses," she says.

If you are thinking of a place like this for a parent, check the rules first. In most American towns, turning a shed into a place where someone lives needs a permit, and a wood stove must be installed to code. Dan checked with his town before they started. For Edna, it was worth every step. She has her own door, her own stove and her son thirty steps away. "This is the smallest house I ever had," she says. "And it is the happiest." Could you live in a little shed in the woods like Edna?