Living in a Tiny House or Space - Less is more (with the right TOOLS and Knowledge).
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| This is my Tiny House - It's a converted Horse Trailer and it's 14 feet long and a total of 80 square feet. Everything I want and everything I need are in this space, and I love it! |
- Tiny houses (and living in tiny spaces in general) have been trending for a few years now, but while the minimalist lifestyle has benefits, it brings some real life altering (like forever!) challenges. It's a serious endeavor that requires serious insight, knowledge and research in order to transition successfully. I'm dedicated to helping you make that transition more smoothly than mine was by providing you with resources (most FREE!) and Products that weren't available to me.
- Tiny houses and tiny Spaces can help people live debt free and they're more environmentally friendly. (Usually!) Not always - The products used in your tiny House build need to be non-toxic, both to you and the environment at large. Remember, a Tiny House is just another expression of all tiny spaces in general, so the tinier the space, the more exposure to toxins and chemicals used. Try not to use anything that's going to damage your Health with long term exposure. Living anywhere, (regardless of size!) is a long term proposition.
- Living in such tight quarters can create unique, unexpected problems that can seem magnified in a tight space, like easier wear and tear and quick (unavoidable!) messes.
- Here's what life is really like living in a tiny house or other tiny space, from the good to the bad and the UGLY!
Tiny houses as well as other Tiny Living spaces are painted as a minimalist utopia — and while many tiny home dwellers love the lifestyle that brings, it doesn't come without a few challenges... actually, A LOT of challenges. Don't let this intimidate or discourage you - thousands of People before you have made this transition, so let this inspire you and propel you to determine to 'do' this and continue to research and educate yourself as you move forward to realize your Dream of Living Tiny.
Living in Tiny houses and other tiny spaces has it's perks — they're both environmentally and budget friendly. But living in such tight quarters can create unique, unexpected problems, like difficult (if not impossible!) zoning laws, easier wear and tear, taking care of compost or other dry toilet methods, as well as quick and unavoidable messes, to name a few.
Tiny houses may have their appeal, but they're not the right fit for everyone. There are a few things to consider before plunging into such a small space.
So what does the reality look like versus the perception? Here's what life is really like living in a tiny home — the good, the bad and the UGLY!.
One of the greatest Goods of Tiny Homes is that they have become mainstream due to various Television shows (Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters, as two examples) - Along with the Internet, YouTube and various Social Media... but, with that being said; many Pioneers of Living tiny have had to forge through many obstacles to obtain this mainstream recognition and status. Their 'trials by Fire' and learning from their lack of resources and mistakes just by sharing that information allows us the luxury to make the Tiny House of our dreams, not only obtainable but do-able.
The UGLIEST part of Tiny Homes is that (depending on the State and County) you decide to live in; even if you purchase the Land, you may not be able to 'legally' live on it due to zoning laws in that particular State or County.
Some tiny home dwellers buy their home outright, while others build and design them from scratch to meet their needs. This gives them a level of customization, but it can come with difficulties.
The costs of Tiny Houses have increased exponentially over the past few years... with many Tiny House builders charging as much (if not more!) for that tiny House as you'd pay for a traditional 'sticks and bricks' Home.
This is why most People gravitate towards building a structure designed specifically to suit their own needs.... however - to do this you still have to have a wealth of knowledge (about building and design) to successfully execute a dwelling that is structurally sound, safe, legal and affordable. That's WHY you found this Blog... To help you do just that.
The biggest hurdle to going Tiny is having to downsize your possessions. For most this will be the hardest aspect of the transition. It's going to be hard to part with possessions you've spent years obtaining... harder even yet for 'collectors' like myself who no longer have the 'space' to house those sacred collections... but if living Tiny is your Goal, downsize and declutter you must.
Tiny Houses are also restricted by weight, which is determined by axle size. You have to think about every single item you bring into your Tiny home. When deciding on things to add to your Tiny Space Home? Choose the options that weigh less.
While it can be really easy (and fast!) to clean a Tiny House, they also get dirty more quickly....
A Tiny House can turn from an IKEA-style Showroom display into an episode of HOARDERS in a matter of seconds! A bowl of spilled food falls off a table or counter and the House looks a wreck... or it's laundry day and you can't hang the Laundry outside due to rain... utter chaos! Your (insert your Pet(s) here) roams in with muddy paws and it's game over!
You'll feel like you're having to clean all of the time, but the good news is; it won't take long to fall into a daily routine that you can live with.
Loft style Beds will be harder to make, so do some research on that before you build. FUTONS and other items that 'convert' into beds can sometimes be better options. Research that extensively until you're comfortable with your choice and KNOW it's something you can actually live with.... and actually get a good night's sleep on!
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| My Bed is a custom made Memory Foam - and it's tricky to make... but I've developed a system that takes only minutes, and since it's a very thick foam Mattress, it insures I get a great night's sleep, which is equally as important, of not more. |
Smells in a Tiny House Space can be overwhelming. Candles can be overwhelming and cooking with certain foods; such as Garlic and/or Onions, can linger for DAYS... so you'll learn in short order, to finding 'methods' to deal with these smells are important to consider out of the Gate. The best way to deal with this is to avoid Foods with stronger odors and reserve them to outdoor Cooking and grilling.
Most important thing to consider! - Your Toilet is going to be THE single biggest creator of odor, so research THIS before you do anything else. Dry toilet methods work for 'mobile' Tiny Homes and spaces, while fixed or parked Tiny Homes will sometimes (by Law) require septic and sewer hook-ups... (which are far more complicated and costly).... as well as most prone to leaks, floods, damage and odor)... so research, research, and research Toilet options prior to building your Tiny House space.
You WILL become a Master of organization. Count on it. Without this skill you'll shortly realize that without a "place for everything and everything in it's place" your Tiny House will become a lost item depository.
Average sized items can overwhelm a tiny space, so shop with 'tiny' in mind for accessories and furnishings.
Everything you use in your Tiny House will oftentimes serve more than one function, so everything ages faster, wears out more quickly and will likely need to be replaced more often, so choose wisely and stay 'on-the-cheap' with this in mind.
Lighting is KEY as well.... you'll find that normal size fixtures and standard lighting can be too much in a Tiny space... opting for smaller and more cost efficient lighting sources, (such as LED lighting) and micro LED light sources are better suited and easier on the eyes.
Going Tiny (and Living Tiny) will be a whole new WORLD for most, so it will require sometimes major adjustments and you'll discover (as you live tiny) that many, if not most, or your 'normal' stick-and-brick-House routines will have to be re-thought, or even re-planned entirely.... (after all, 'working out' in a Tiny House may no longer be an option, and moving exercise goals outdoors isn't something you may want to do in sub-zero climates or when the thermometer rises above 80... so, joining a local spa or Gym could be in your future. I've found that 'dancing' to YouTube Music Videos is something you can do in only a few tiny feet of space, so if push comes to shove as far as exercise is concerned; DANCE!
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