Going tiny is a big decision and certainly not an easy one. As this niche industry continues to build, so does its naysayers. Don’t give up on your big dream to live tiny! Most of what they say isn’t true anyway. Here are a few of the most common tiny house problems which are really myths.
First and foremost, let’s get this right out of the way. Downsizing does not mean you have to abandon all of your Earthly possessions. It does mean that you have to make some sacrifices and compromises. When you go tiny, you are trading in the cost of an item for the cost of space for an item. That being said, you are the one who makes the decisions as to what you need to have and what you don’t. On every tiny television show the people moving in are given one Rubbermaid container and told, “That’s all you can have.” You do have to get rid of a ton of stuff, but you do not have to get all crazy about it.
Every time you see pictures or television shows about tiny homes, they are all bright and have as many windows as possible with as much open space inside as possible. The reason for this is to make the space look bigger. But you can have shades, curtains or blinds and even window treatments if you so desire. Also, don’t think that you can only have one big open room. There are plenty of designs where you can have walls, pocket doors and more. And if worse comes to worse, hitch up the home and drive to the middle of Montana.
Just because you have a house on wheels doesn’t mean that you have to move it. There are plenty of people who find a nice comfortable spot to park their home and they just leave it there. People build decks on the front and sides of their home, plant gardens and even pour concrete walks up to the front door. READ MORE: The Pros and Cons of Tiny House Travel
This is one of the biggest things for people to wrap their head around. You can still entertain. Sure, if you have 50 people over you will have to bring the party outside, but in most tiny homes there is enough room to comfortably hold a small party. People rarely move from one space when they have guests anyway and nowadays with the culinary world taking off, cooking while entertaining has become status quo. There is no better place to do that than in a tiny home.
Just because you have children or you are over the age of 30 does not disqualify you from owning a tiny home. There are plenty of floor plans that have a room for the kids or have a guest bed in the loft, etc. As you get older and decide that tiny living is for you, there are plenty of single level homes out there to keep you from having to go up a ladder at night.
When you decide to go into a tiny home, you need to make a priority list of what is the most important to you. Remember here, the commodity is space, not money that we are dealing with. For instance, if you like to cook, you might want to allocate more space to the kitchen. Are you a bigger guy? Maybe you want a shower that is actually big enough for you to move around in. The key word here is priority. If you want a king size bed, you can have a king size bed. Finding the way to compromise between function and form is the true challenge. Those are just a few of the mental hurdles that people have to get over to get into living tiny. What tiny house problems do you have or anticipate having? Let us know in the comments below!
A large variety of materials are needed to build a tiny house. Understanding what those materials are and where they are used can significantly speed up your build by reducing the number of trips to, and the time spent at the store.
Believe it or not there are a few different kitchen layouts to choose from when designing your tiny house. A kitchen can be a very personal thing and no matter the size it generally becomes the heart of the home. Even people turning to a minimalist lifestyle and living in a tiny house must also eat. Just like in a traditional house, the kitchen often takes on the personality of those using it.
Over the years Tiny Home Builders have worked with countless people in the tiny home community, from advocates and enthusiast to building companies, and diy’ers, maybe even a few naysayers. They all have a unique story to share and this is one of them. (Please look for more stories in this blog series: “The Inside Story”)
Maybe you have been thinking about going tiny for a while now, or perhaps just this year you decided you need to make a change, for the tinier. Either way, there are steps you should take right now to help you achieve your goal. Here are five great Tiny House New Year's Resolutions to get you started off on the right foot this year.
Even though the average tiny house owner moves their home only once every few years, there are still some people that go tiny so that they can travel. So why a tiny house and why not an RV? Why not buzz around in your SUV and pull a Tear Drop? Here are the pros and cons of Tiny House Travel.