I'm obsessed with tiny houses. I've watched every episode of Tiny House, Big Living. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time on Pinterest admiring tiny houses. I've even planned a trip to the Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado, knowing I'll probably never travel across the country from my home state of Connecticut.
As someone who has always strived for a minimalistic lifestyle, I know that tiny houses are the absolute perfect fit for me. Between using every bit of square footage to refusing to be controlled by the wants and likes of others, tiny houses really speak to me. But my destiny for living tiny doesn't mean I don't get strange looks from my family and friends, as they question why I "want to live in a shed."
The tiny house movement is redefining what makes a house a home. It's more than just decluttering and getting rid of unwanted stuff — it's giving purpose and meaning to every single item in a person's home. It's breaking away from the shackles of mortgages, electric bills, and monthly maintenance fees. It's creating and spreading freedom for ourselves and others.
Tiny houses inspire creativity and innovation.
Tiny houses take full advantage of hidden square footage with organizers, dividers, and secret storage compartments. These small homes are custom-designed, built and made to your liking. So if you want a master closet with your full-sized wardrobe, then you can definitely put it in.
Tiny houses help the environment.
In most cases, people who reside in tiny houses live completely off the grid. Tiny houses encourage time spent outdoors. Their environmental footprint is very small with their solar panels, wood burning stoves, composting toilets, and pressure-controlled water tanks.
Tiny houses build and strengthen relationships.
Tiny houses are usually one, big room, but having a small space shouldn't stop you from throwing parties or having get-togethers. With only one room to celebrate in, it calls for many more memorable experiences with face-to-face connection.
Tiny houses are cozy and secure.
Less space means more heat. In the winter, tiny houses are perfect for snuggling up in bed with a few blankets and a hot cup of cocoa. When you're in the middle of your mid-afternoon nap, you don't have to worry about what you heard on the other side of the house—everything is relative to you.
Tiny houses allow for more freedom to travel and explore.
Tiny houses are typically on wheels, so you aren't landlocked. If you wanted to, you could travel in your home! If you didn't, you wouldn't have to worry about making sure all your possessions are accounted for when you leave. You can pack your bags and take off on short notice, rest assured.
Tiny houses are easier to keep clean and tidy.
Tiny houses simply don't have the extra room for piles upon piles of your "what if I need this one day?" items. Choosing to not own anything that is neither useful nor lovely is better than spending time "getting organized" every couple of weeks. Smaller homes put a cap on what we can accumulate.
Tiny houses are not a place of obligation.
Your home should be a place of rest—not a place of obligation. Our homes should be a place where relationships are cherished, memories are made, happiness is found, and stress melts away. It is much harder to achieve all that when your house has unending demands. It's important to spend time on the people in your home.
