Tiny Living: What It Is and Why People Love It

Tiny living is a concept that’s been gaining popularity in the last few years. I find it fascinating to see how people are able to create big lives in small spaces.

Choosing to live in a tiny home means living a minimalist life becomes a necessity. Because space and storage space are at a premium, everything you choose to keep must work hard for you to earn its place in your home.

Bigger homes can sometimes be a hindrance to our decluttering and simplifying efforts. When you have space to keep things, it can be easy to hold on to more than you need, use or love – simply because there’s room.

I love how living in a smaller space (whether that means a tiny home or just a smaller home) makes simplifying more important and can give you a nudge to let go of more.

*This post contains affiliate links. Click here for the full disclosure policy.*

Simplifying to the essentials

I’ve heard from many readers and members of my Facebook group how much they love staying in a hotel because of how simple and clutter-free it is. I completely agree. There is something so refreshing about staying in a space that has the essentials, but nothing more.

I think that is what draws many of us to the idea of tiny living. Having the things you need, but nothing more.

A small space makes it easier to identify what adds value to your home and your life, and what doesn’t. It gives you no excuse not to eliminate the non-essentials and the clutter.

Tiny living: a fringe movement that’s gaining popularity

The concept of tiny living is gaining traction in a big way. There are tv shows and documentaries, books and many blogs sharing everything from how to design tiny homes to what it’s like living in a tiny space. You can even rent tiny homes for vacations!

People are attracted to the idea of tiny living for many reasons. A tiny home can provide financial freedom, the freedom to live a nomadic life, a simpler life with less space to take care of, less environmental impact, etc.

Living small to simplify your life

I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of tiny living. While my family and I definitely don’t live in a tiny home, simplifying and embracing minimalism has shown me we don’t need as much space as we once thought. In fact, if we ever decide to move, a home with less square footage will be at the top of our list.

I’ve mentioned before how spending less time and energy cleaning was one of the big motivators for me to simplify, to begin with. The more we have simplified, the less space we need because we have less stuff. And the less space we need, the more it’s become clear to me that I don’t want to spend time and energy taking care of a bigger house we don’t need!

Learn about tiny living from the experts!

Today I’m excited to share a guest post from the Tiny Living Society all about tiny living. I teamed up with them to give you an insider’s look into tiny living – what it is, the benefits and why people love it!

I hope you’ll enjoy this post and learn a little more about what it means to live tiny! Whether living in a tiny home sounds awesome to you, or sounds like something you’d never consider, it’s always interesting to learn about different ways of life.

I’ve said before that I love seeing what simplifying and minimalism looks like in real life for different people. This is a great opportunity to see what it looks like when people decide to simplify the size of their home and live tiny instead!

Thanks to the Tiny Living Society for sharing more about tiny living with us all today!

---

Tiny Living: What it is and Why People Love it

It’s a big, busy world we live in–rarely do we take the time to smell the roses or appreciate the little things in life. Introducing tiny living; the polar opposite of the clutter and noise that is so prevalent in modern day society. Today I want to discuss tiny living and the ways in which it relates to minimalism and happiness that lasts.

What is Tiny Living?

At no more than 400 square feet, tiny houses are built either on wheels or a foundation and focus on a simple, minimalist way of living. Highly popular among the eco-conscious, these tiny abodes boast purposeful designs that stay far from waste.

The Benefits of Tiny Living and How It Impacts Happiness

People decide to go tiny for many reasons. One of the major benefits is a tiny home’s ability to positively impact an individual’s day-to-day life. A tiny house only has room for everything you need and nothing you don’t. Here are some of the benefits of tiny living and how it can affect your happiness.

• Tiny houses cost less. While the average price of a residential home in the United States is $200,000, the cost of a tiny house will set you back anywhere from $20,000-$100,000. While it’s possible to build for even less, a large contributing factor is how much you’re able to build on your own versus hiring a tiny house builder. A smaller price tag means more of your hard-earned cash can be used toward your passions.
• Tiny houses align with eco-friendly lifestyles. Lower levels of consumption come naturally in a smaller space. Additions like composting toilets and tiny house solar energy are also popular and easily incorporated. And guess what? Less consumption and going green feels good!
• Tiny houses give you the freedom to move (on wheels). It’s easy to feel positive about life when you know you can hit the road for an adventure whenever you please.
• Tiny houses save time. Less space to clean means less time you’ll actually spend cleaning. You’ll have more time to do the things you actually want to do!
• Tiny houses allow you to be closer to loved ones. Tiny homes provide the kind of natural intimacy that many families strive for. They provide the perfect space for family dinners, or catching up with friends over a bottle of wine!

What Types of People Love Tiny Houses?

People from all walks of life love tiny houses because they can be designed to suit just about anyone willing to downsize.

• The Solo Digital Nomad

This digital nomad took her tiny house and little else on a cross-country road trip. Take a look at the ins and outs of tiny living as documented in her blog.

• The College Student

This student built his own tiny home to avoid extra debt. You can see how living tiny has affected his college experience on his tiny house Instagram account.

• The Family of Four

Kim and her family prove that “family-style minimalism” is a thing.

• The Couple

Kendra and Eli enjoy a simpler way of living in their small space.

Simple Tiny House Design Ideas You’ll Love

There are several different tips tiny house enthusiasts can use. The way you incorporate function and design are key to keeping clutter at bay and to open up the space.

• Staircase storage. If you’re lucky enough to have stairs in your tiny home; utilize the space underneath each step to create an aesthetically-pleasing storage solution.
• Neutral color palette to make the home feel more spacious. Lighter, neutral colors like white and cream help to spread light around a room and make the space seem larger.
• Hanging mason jars to store spices. This crafty idea is achieved by securing the tops of mason jars somewhere out of the way but still within reach. The jars themselves can be filled with beautiful spices or trinkets and screwed into the tops. This is a wonderful way to store your things in a decorative way!

Places Where You Can Try Out Tiny Living

Not sure about living tiny yourself? A great way to test drive tiny living is by booking a tiny house, hotel-style! As the tiny house movement continues to grow in popularity, tiny houses are popping up around the globe to meet the needs of those who want to try out tiny. Check out these tiny house hotels you’ll want to check into!

• Caravan The Tiny House Hotel: Portland, Oregon

This funky stay is located in the hip Alberta Arts District. The Tiny House Hotel offers guests the chance to stay in one of their six custom-made tiny houses on wheels. Each tiny home has its own unique theme and designs made from locally sourced materials.

• Live a Little Chatt: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Each of the 4 available tiny homes is uniquely themed with incredible attention to detail. The location itself is stunning. A nearby cliff provides breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Is Tiny Living For You?

Much of the reason why tiny living is so loved by the people who live it is because of the focus on less. The great appeal of having everything you need and nothing you don’t is exactly what brings people so much happiness. Tiny living compliments simplicity and minimalism because the space thrives off it. Less clutter, neutral color palettes, clear spaces–all of this creates flow and harmony within your space and your life.

Living with less allows us to focus on the important things in life–be that our passions, the great outdoors, or the people we love. Think of the clutter in our lives as distractions. These distractions get in the way of the things we really want to accomplish. Living in a tiny house offers the ideal base for achieving a simpler, happier life. And as a result, it gives those who live tiny the chance to live in a very big way.

---

I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to the idea of tiny living! Thanks to the Tiny Living Society for sharing it with us!

I’d love to hear what you think of the idea of tiny living? Does it sound like fun to you or something you’d never want to do? It’s definitely a more extreme lifestyle, but it’s interesting to learn more about how to live big in tiny spaces!