Do you recall one of my very first articles on this blog where creativity was defined as “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, et cetera”, according to dictionary.com? Well, there exists a new movement across the globe known as the “tiny house” movement. Talk about a new form and/or method of living. According to TheTinyLife.com, the tiny house movement “is a social movement where people are downsizing the space that they live in. The typical American home is around 2600 square feet, while the typical small or tiny house is around 100-400 square feet. Tiny Houses come in all shapes, sizes and forms but they focus on smaller spaces and simplified living.” In this series, along with the help of the infographic and some research, I will further explain the movement itself and the advantages of owning a tiny home. But first and foremost, I want to cover the cost portion of owning a tiny house versus owning a standard-size house.
Images by: tinyhouseblog.com
As a youth, I grew up wanting the typical “American dream” for my life. We all know the cliché American dream – corporate job, two and a half kids (where does the half come from and how is that possible?!), two story home, white picket fence, nice neighborhood, and for some a dog, although I relate more to the cat-loving individuals myself. I only want to touch on the “two story home” part of this dream and explain why I have discarded the idea of owning a standard-size house.
[box]Side note: In no way is this series meant to bash that idea or to say owning a standard-size house is a bad idea. My intent is only to provide new information and hopefully shed light to a movement that will help us all see how we can live a more simplified life.[/box]
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” – Will Rogers
Debt, debt, and more debt.
According to the infographic provided by TheTinyLife.com, “68% of tiny house people have no mortgage, compared to 29.3% of all U.S. homeowners.” That’s a staggering number, if I do say so myself.
– $272,000 – The average cost of a standard-sized house.
– $23,000 – The average cost to build a tiny house, if built by the owner.
One of the biggest factors drawing me to this new idea is how affordable owning a tiny house is. If you are like me, and most Americans for that matter, you have some amount of debt; be it credit card debt, student loans, car payment(s), a mortgage, et cetera. I want to be transparent and honest with you all. I am 27 years old and have been in some form of debt since I was 17. There came a point in my life where I got tired of owing someone money. Imagine owning your own home outright without having to make ridiculous mortgage payments for 15 to 30 years. Imagine what you could do, where you could travel, or the debt you could pay off without having those huge mortgage payments. How freeing would it be to have more money monthly to spend on doing the things you love, or having more money to pay off debt, or having more money to travel and see the world?
Image by: myballard.com
“I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.” – Albert Einstein
I think it’s interesting that you and Daniel both posted on minimalism this week. It really has me thinking on living a more minimalist life, as I really do think it could make things easier all around. Intrigued by it and doing more research on benefits of it. Thanks buddy!
Isn’t that wild? I just left a comment on his article saying I’m on board with what he’s doing. I believe it will be a freeing experience once we downsize all the clutter in our own lives. Thanks, Adam!
The pictures portrayed here are appealing, no question. However, it surprises me a little to see this on a blog that champions the importance of family relationships. These micro houses might be great for an individual retreat, or even a couple’s retreat, but how could you practically provide for children (especially teens) in an area that small? In a former life, our family lived in a 800 sq ft house that we built. We lived there with 5 children (all under 12) for 3 years, so this is experience talking. Hospitality (an essential part of any religious household) is nearly impossible to pull off, as is any sense of privacy, especially in winter when outdoor activities are limited. We lived very simply, so it wasn’t just an overabundance of “stuff” either. Now that we have teenagers, I understand how much worse it would have been if our kids had been older. Europe (particularly Germany) deals with this, as small dwellings are the norm there (we have German relatives). Over there, it is common for the kids to spend the bulk of their time elsewhere in groups of kids (usually getting into trouble). Not a lifestyle I would think is something to emulate. I want a home where my kids can hang out, bring their friends, and thrive. My kids still share rooms (not a bad thing), but our goal is to make home a place they want to be, not just a cheap compact parking spot.
Sandra,
I appreciate your insight into living in a smaller space and thank you for sharing your experience. The goal of this article was simply to convey a message of hope for those who may be struggling with owning an enormous home, to inspire others to live more simply, and to shed light on a new movement. A tiny house doesn’t have to be confined to the ones shown here. Some tiny houses are actually between 500-1000 sq ft, which, if designed properly, is more than enough space to live comfortably. Again, this type of living isn’t for everyone, but it is my hope that it will move people to think about how materialistic we can become if we don’t check ourselves, myself included. I have way too much stuff in my apartment and I can’t wait to go through it and rid myself of the clutter. I hope you don’t find this article offensive or my response offensive. Please read next week’s article where I will go more in depth on this movement. Have a wonderful day!
I’ve been thinking about tiny homes for a while now, both for the simplified living and because of the financial savings. One of the ways I look at it is about spending money earned, but instead of wasting it, repurposing it. It could be for trips and vacations or just buying higher quality items. I like the idea of having a small home with high end appliances and finishes. I’d rather pay an extra $300 on a better dishwasher that I’ll use every day than on heating an empty part of the house for a year.
I never realized how much the interest savings from not having a mortgage could be. Makes me really want to reconsider.
Thanks for sharing, Vincent.
Thanks for reading, Ryan, and for sharing your thoughts. You’re right – it definitely affords (quite literally) one the option to spend money elsewhere to improve the quality of living on items that may be more necessary.
Ever since enjoying a sleek studio in a remodeled shed via airbnb last summer, I have wanted this. Badly. So much it scares me a little 😉
That’s awesome! I say go for it! “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR
I have never heard of the tiny home movement. It is definitely creative approach to saving money and resources. I can’t say that I would ever buy one. After growing up poor, sharing a bed with relatives, living the dorm life, I definitely want more space. However my hubs and I have always been intentional about floor plans that make sense. For us, there is no need to have a formal living room. Looking forward to reading more.
yes me dear ol’ dad built a tiny house on an old camping trailer chassis. it was comfortable enough for two to sleep in, cozy in deep winter with only a kerosene lamp for heat/light and cool in south texas brutal summers in part because of free standing roof over the shelter and orientation to take advantage of prevailing breeze. there was active ventilation in the form of a small 12″ oscillating fan that drew only modest current. we slept well in any season. it was so well built that even small insects could not find a way in. we used this shelter at dad’s 80 acre cattle ranch/hunting ranch. we had well water too. I miss my dad and those days.