5 Enormous Benefits to Choosing Tiny House Life
It is no secret that tiny living and tiny homes have been gaining increasing traction over the past decade. From HGTV shows and viral social media posts to solutions addressing the issues of homelessness, tiny house nation continues to expand in society. Who hasn’t been scrolling their instagram feed when the postcard perfect image of a tiny house sprinter van is parked on a cliff with an incredible view of the ocean. Many of us think: wow! How grand it would be to live so minimally and free of possessions! Almost instantly, reality rears its pesky head and so unravels the long list of neighsays and lack of knowledge about how to live tiny, so you scroll on. I’ve been living tiny for the last year and it took me almost 5 years to actually make the decision a reality. I had to figure out the details and resources to build a tiny home and how to live tiny. While going tiny certainly isn’t for everyone, there are plenty of important reasons to hop aboard the tiny home train.
Alanis the Avion
My Biggest Tiny Life Challenges:
1. Constantly being beaten down by the anxiety of the endless list of broken things and financially savaged by unexpected maintenance or appliance issues.
2. Anxiety about propane explosions and poop triangles. (If ya know, you know! )
My Biggest Tiny Life Wins:
1. Constantly reinforcing: I CAN DO IT! A new found level of self confidence.
2. Aligns with where I am and what I value in life.
3. Living more sustainably with a lower impact.
4. Day to day proximity to nature. I am more at one with the planet and live each day with more intention, peace, and presence.
5. Flexibility- I can experience homeownership but without being locked into a specific location.
Alanis the Avion
What is “going tiny''?
Going tiny refers to not only living in a tiny house but the tiny house lifestyle. Most often, the tiny house lifestyle is considered a simpler way of life centered around mindfulness, sustainability, and freedom- both financially and literally. While a tiny house is considered a dwelling under 400 sq ft, they can take many forms. From wood prefab build kits and container homes to RV’s and travel trailers. (I built out my own tiny home in a 1973 Avion travel trailer which you can read and see more in this blog post Sukkha Interior Design Rebrand.
How to Live Tiny?
There are endless ways to live tiny- and your space doesn’t have to be on wheels to do so! In addition to the usual mobile suspects THOWS (tiny house on wheels), RV’s, travel trailers, vans, skoolies, buses etc, there are more and more studio apartments, tiny house A-frames, and ADUs (accessory dwelling units)
5 Reasons to Live Tiny:
So you own things, things don't own you
Anyone familiar with Marie Kondo (or paid attention in middle school science class) will probably recall the space filling principle that says molecules will continue to expand to fill whatever space is available; similarly human nature drives us to fill the space we have with belongings. According to this theory, the bigger the house you live in, inevitably the more crap you will acquire to fill it with.
In my personal experience, this has been 100% true. When I have lived in places with larger closets, yep you guessed it- I end up with substantially more clothes and shoes...
While this isn’t a rock solid, binding rule of human nature, it is a commonly proven and accepted theory in our capitalistic centered society.
This very concept is a leading reason why people find themselves drawn to the tiny house movement. Less space = less stuff = a more minimal, intentional existence. Because space is limited in a tiny house, one must be more mindful and intentional about belongings.
2. Environmental sustainability
As if owning/purchasing less stuff isn’t bettering the environment enough, there are other ways going tiny is better for the world around us. Smaller homes mean smaller water and electrical usages. Many folks who live tiny will tell you they have to be much more mindful of the amount of food they are buying at one time. I don’t know about you but in a normal size kitchen I end up throwing at least one thing away every week because I didn’t end up eating it in time. A lot of tiny house dwellers will share that upon going tiny they meal plan and end up with minimal if any waste.
Going tiny also positively impacts global wellbeing. By removing the demand for unnecessary consumer goods (and massive houses) we are no longer fueling the machine that drives worldwide inequality.
3. Mobility
While not all tiny houses are THOWS (tiny houses on wheels), many are, and the ability to travel is a huge driver for many tiny house dwellers. If travel isn’t one of your driving motivations for tiny life, you’ll be able to explore options that are on a foundation. There are many advantages and disadvantages to both fixed and mobile tiny homes. It will really justl depend on your unique needs and long term goals. I knew I wanted the ability to be mobile which is why I went for a camper instead of building a THOW. I also knew I wouldn’t typically be moving often (I really like to spend longer periods (minimum a month) in each place so I wanted a tow-behind style camper as opposed to a self driving unit. There are many reasons for this but the main one being: it is A LOT of work to pack and unpack a camper- especially being by yourself. Not only do I NOT enjoy packing up / unpacking, moving always causes me anxiety (no matter how many times or how far I drive it!) so I plan my trips with that in mind.
4. Cost
While the upfront costs of a tiny house can be more than many folks first anticipate, in the long run living tiny will almost surely save you big time bones. Smaller the house, smaller the utility bills- some tinies are even built to be off-grid which means no utility bills AT ALL! While the average rent in the US is $1200 a month (and in most states even higher) a tiny house loan payment can run as low as $300-$400 a month. Even with an additional few hundred to rent a parking spot, this is still substantially less than renting. Also remember, with less space you will be buying less “stuff” and even less food so this too will contribute to some financial savings, some more than others.
5. Flexibility
The flexibility offered by tiny houses comes in many forms.
As we discussed in the Mobility section, THOWs allow flexibility in location. Some tiny dwellers travel full time moving locations every few days while others are just comforted by the option to easily move the home if needed. As we’ve all seen, the impacts of global warming resulting in devastating floods and fires, destroying homes and displacing families, the ability to quickly relocate with one's home and belongings intact becomes more and more desirable.
Flexibility also applies to the usage of a tiny house. Not all tiny homes are lived in full time as a primary residence. Tiny homes are increasingly used for income properties whether as short term rentals such as an Airbnb or as housing for long term renters as an ADU (attached dwelling unit). Tiny houses are also increasingly being used as guest rooms, offices, and studios for families that need additional space. Tiny abodes can be a great way to make a property multifunctional, gain extra square footage, and increase property value.
I hope this post has given you some food for thought about how to live tiny and all the wonderful reasons to consider this alternative and unique lifestyle. There is no shortage of reasons to go tiny but also a lot to think about before taking the plunge. I am passionate about helping others decide if the tiny life is right for them and how to make it happen if so. If you have any questions, would like to say hi, or are interested in scheduling a consultation about how to live tiny or designing a tiny house let’s connect!
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