Small space living is about living simply and trading the size of your space to live your desired life. The term “tiny living” can mean different things to people, but it is mostly about being content with as little as possible and enjoying a simple life.
The tiny living movement begs us to ask: how much space do you really need to live?
The benefits
Living small is a lifestyle choice and one of its biggest benefits is saving money on housing and utility costs. A tiny house gives you less to worry about, including less electricity use, fewer repairs, and fewer expenses. Not only are small houses cheaper to build, but they are also more affordable to live in.
Cutting down your housing expenses lets you put more money into other investments such as traveling and retirement. Less space also means less time for chores and maintenance, giving you more time for your personal hobbies and relationships.
In this era of environmental consciousness, living small is also an eco-friendly choice. Aside from the obvious fact that electricity, fuel, and water are significantly lower than of “full-sized houses”, building a tiny house requires fewer materials as well. With little furnishings, you’ll want to make sure the ones you do have are adding to your tiny home. Plywood is commonly used for tiny houses’ interiors for a natural look and for its environmental sustainability.
Moreover, living small doesn’t give you room for unnecessary material things. No big wardrobes, shoe collections, or libraries of books. Having less space forces you to cut down your ecological footprint.
The challenges
Living in a tiny home will take a lot of getting used to especially if you grew up in a place that is ten times bigger. In choosing this kind of lifestyle, you have to be ready to give up some of your luxuries. Tiny house owners need to learn to live without a bathtub, giant televisions, and even possibly your queen-sized bed.
While a tiny home can be easy to live in for one person, having a whole family share such a small space will definitely be a struggle. You have to become comfortable with limited to no privacy. And with children involved, it’s a lot harder.
Moving to a tiny home also limits your ability to accommodate guests. You have to be careful hosting dinners when there are only four seats in your dining area. However, having a tiny home means more outdoor space which could be an alternative space to entertain your guests.
Should you go for it?
Living in a tiny home is not for everyone. Just because it’s a big housing trend now doesn’t mean that it will work for you.
This living condition comes with a lot of benefits and drawbacks, and it’s only you who can decide if it will benefit and improve you or just make you suffer and give up things you really don’t want to.
However, if you’ve always dreamed of living simply and you’re ready to trade more space and more material things for more savings and more experiences, living small might just be the perfect lifestyle choice for you.