People around the world have been living small for quite some time. In some societies, it is quite normal for people to live in under 400 square feet. So why the sudden influx in people obsessing over these tiny homes? The American Dream of owning your own house complete with a two car garage and a white picket fence is changing— and for the better.
A tiny house is basically a house that is just tiny, right? Wrong. It offers so much more than that. Coming under 300-400 square feet, customization enables home owners to maximize every inch of their tiny homes, enabling them to be stylish, efficient and totally one of a kind. They come with everything you’d typically expect in a house, but sometimes with a twist like compostable toilets and slightly smaller refrigerators. Some tiny houses don’t come equipped with common household finds that we have come to know and love, such as ovens and bathtubs, but it you can overlook the quirks and leaving behind a few select items, then tiny houses could definitely be for you!
There are three typical groups of people that flock to and fully embrace the tiny house movement: broke students and/or recent grads drowning in school debt and loans, eco-conscious folk who are trying to save our dying planet, and retirees and empty-nesters who are seeking some thrills. For the past decade, this movement has swept speedily across our nation (not to mention the entire world). The biggest misconception about tiny houses (sadly) is that it is materialistically just about the house. Spoiler: It isn’t. Tiny houses enable Americans all across the country to change their lifestyle by not being weighed down by financial obligations. Generally a good rule of thumb to note is that small houses normally have a smaller price tag and a smaller price tag equals more money in your pocket to spend on important things. That kayaking trip you wanted to take with your boyfriend but have been saving up for what feels like an eternity? By purchasing a tiny house and cutting your mortgage down significantly as well as spending less on monthly bills, you can now take off whenever you get a free moment!
If you think that tiny homes being more eco-friendly is a gimmick, think again. The average 2,500 square foot house uses 28,000 pounds of C02 per year where a tiny house uses a diminutive 2,000 pounds of C02 per year. Sadly, the biggest contributor to global warming is actually from C02 emissions into our atmosphere. Construction of houses also accounts for over three quarters of lumber cut down and used annually in the US. By choosing a tiny house over a regular sized house, you are helping our planet be a little more clean and a little more green. All that space really does make a difference!
So whether you want to be a better person to Mother Earth, you’re embracing the minimalist ways, or you just want to save some cash, tiny houses are the next big thing and they are here to stay. They aren’t just a silly little trend that Millennials invented. They are sweeping the nation and are here to stay, for a very long time.
