Living in a Tiny House

We live in a materialistic world that bases success on the size of your house, the cost of your car, and the amount of “stuff” you own. Yet more and more people are coming to the realization that more is not necessarily better. A new idea is spreading across America. The idea less really is more.

Many people – individuals, couples, and even families – are considering moving to a tiny house. These homes minimize both living space and “stuff,” and most tiny house occupants claim they have endless benefits.

Cheaper
Because of its small size, a tiny house is obviously cheaper to build. But it’s also cheaper to maintain. It requires less energy to heat and cool. Since it’s often on wheels, the owner is able to relocate the home to the shade in hot days and into the sun on cool ones. Additionally, many tiny homes are very eco-friendly, taking advantage of solar panels, wind turbines, rain barrels, compost heaps and other innovative techniques.

Easier to clean
When you have more “stuff,” you have more to clean. With a tiny house, every inch of space is optimized, and everything has a place, which makes housekeeping much easier. Plus, with a smaller house, you literally have less to clean. Smaller counters, less to vacuum, fewer trash cans, and so forth. You’ll find that your family is healthier, because it is easier to stay on top of dust which can pollute the air in your home.

More money
While the home itself is cheaper to build and maintain, it also will help you save money in yet another way. Since every bit of space in a tiny home is so important, you will be less likely to buy extraneous items that you neither need nor will ever use. When you shop, you shop with a purpose. You won’t buy unnecessary household items, nor will you purchase groceries that you don’t need. No more spoiled produce, leftovers gone bad, or economy-sized bags of chips that you will never finish before they go stale. In a tiny house, both the refrigerator and the pantry are smaller. You buy what you need and you eat what you buy.

Healthier
People who live in a tiny house choose to change their lifestyle for the better. Many grow their own vegetables and even can and store the spoils from their fall harvest. But it’s more than that. Because you don’t have extra space in your kitchen, you may find yourself shopping more frequently. Purchasing less processed foods and more fresh, natural choices. Maybe you’ll consider biking to work, rather than driving, and making other changes for your health and the environment.

So if you are tired of a success that involves the constant cleaning and rearranging of “stuff” as well as the wasteful result of over-purchasing, consider a tiny house. Jason Hartman reminds us it is truly the little things that lead to a happy – and successful – future. (Top image: Flickr | al3xadk1n5)

The Holistic Survival Team