Many people have made the decision to simplify their lives and become a part of The Tiny House Movement, jumpstarted by Jay Shafer. Here are 10 benefits of downsizing your house to see if a tiny home is right for you:
1. Have A Home Away From Home
As many tiny homes are transportable, downsizing therefore gives you the freedom to set up home pretty much wherever you like. So if you want to move cities to be nearer your partner and ditch the ‘long-distance’ from your LDR, that doesn’t mean you have to ditch your home, too. Likewise, if your new job requires a relocation, you’ll be able to save yourself the trouble of house hunting. Maybe you just fancy having a holiday home or an extra bedroom for visiting guests – The Tiny House Movement is the ideal solution.
2. Look After Your Pennies
Typically, tiny homes cost a lot less to build than their traditional counterparts, so investing in one of these miniature versions could save you a lot of money. Once you’re living in your small space, you’ll also be saving on things like electricity, heating and air conditioning. Less space also means less decorating, so a few cans of paint and some new furnishings should be all you need to give your home a fresh new look.
3. Take Care Of The Planet
Tiny homes are a great option for those of us who are more eco-conscious and consequently consider what effect our homes have on the earth. They take up less land, as well as use less building materials, many of which are recycled. These homes often have environmentally friendly systems in place such as a rainwater catch and filtration system, or a composting toilet.
4. Use Energy Efficiently
If you’re looking to reduce your energy needs, a tiny home could be the answer; alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind energy are often used to power these homes. Even if you do decide to connect your home to a power line, you’ll still be saving energy; the smaller the home, the less energy required. The appliances in these homes, such as the cooker, are often smaller and work more efficiently, too.
5. Simplify Your Life
While tiny homes incorporate smart storage systems, downsizing to a tiny home simply doesn’t allow for all your unnecessary clutter to move in, too. Take this as an opportunity to purge the excess and also focus on what’s important – only what you need and love. You’ll thank yourself in the long run when you’re not constantly tripping over those shoes you don’t wear or making space for another book you’ll never read.
6. Limit Chores
If The Tiny House Movement means simplifying, it also means less tidying; there’s just not as much stuff around to create a mess. Living in a smaller space also means that there’s less surface area to clean. These two things combined knock ample amounts off your original time spent doing chores. So relax, and enjoy having more free time to do what you love.
7. Put Your Own Stamp On It
Many people build their own tiny home from scratch, meaning that they can customise it exactly how they want. Everything from the colour scheme to the floor plan to the storage options can be made to fit your personal needs. Before building a tiny home, evaluate what works for you and your lifestyle, so you can tailor your design to suit you perfectly. Best of all, you can make it as cool or as quirky as you like, and also completely unique!
8. Get Proper Rest
As many tiny homes are often minimal with a calm colour scheme, they make for a pretty peaceful environment. They don’t have the room for lots of the latest gadgets or unnecessary junk that a traditional home allows. A tiny home can serve as an environment to disconnect and relax. Being bombarded with technology or surrounded by materialistic chaos, can make us feel anxious and come between us and a good night’s sleep. By removing these factors, a tiny home therefore becomes a great place to nod off.
9. Enjoy The Outdoors
As lovely as tiny homes are, being in a small space for a long time is bound to become overwhelming. Take this as an opportunity to get outdoors and explore your surroundings. As many tiny homes are transportable, what lies in the vicinity of your home is largely up to you. So if you want to venture into the forest or experience an incredible valley view, set your home down wherever you’d prefer to begin your next adventure.
10. Strengthen Your Relationships
Tiny homes are just that – tiny. The limited space means that they usually have a very open layout, so your entire home can feel more like one big room. If you share your tiny home with others, you may not find many opportunities to take time for yourself, but don’t look at this as a negative. Use this as a chance to spend quality time with your partner, best friend, kids or whoever you share your cosy home with. Get to know each other inside out, do activities together that you all enjoy and build stronger bonds.
