66-Year-Old Stays In Her Daughter's Backyard In An Amazing "Granny Pod"

Mar 19, 2019

Meredith Stannard is a 66-year-old retiree that decided she was going to do something different when she was done working. Instead of getting rid of their home and moving into a local retirement community, she and her partner came up with a different plan that involved something known as a “granny pod.”

While the couple did downsize their home, they really took it to the extreme when they moved into a small home located behind their daughter and son-in-law. Yes, they build a 613-square-foot home right in their backyard. How’s that for a close-knit family dynamic?

Stannard admitted that many of her former co-workers were extremely curious about their new home. To show it off, she started inviting just one or two friends over together at a time. Many of them even started to wonder whether it was something they could do, too!

"Everybody was curious," she told countryliving.com; "I started doing these happy hours where I'd have one or two people over at a time. There's a lot of buzz with people wondering if they could do this too."

Drew, Stannard’s daughter, received many mixed reactions when she shared the initial idea with others. Many thought it was wonderful of her and her husband to allow her mother to live right on their land. Others thought that they were crazy to even entertain the idea. Drew stated that it all depends on the relationship you have with your loved ones.

Drew and her husband Jacob had toyed with the idea when they bought their home three years ago. They found one that would allow enough space to place a small cottage. Stannard and Drew are very close, as Drew is her only child. However, she wanted to make sure that Jacob was 100% on board with the idea before they started building. Luckily for her, he was fine with it.

The family hired a number of contractors who would eventually bring their special vision to life. They found furniture that was specifically built for smaller spaces. The family dynamic has been amazing ever since she moved in.

Tiny homes, or “granny pods,” are all the rage in the Baby Boomer generation. This is especially true as the housing market becomes more and more expensive. Her small home has one bedroom, a living room, two bathrooms, and a fully functional kitchen.

What do you think about this idea? Would you be willing to let your parents live in your backyard? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this along to others so they can join the discussion!