How to Incorporate Tiny House Living Into Any Home by Of Houses and Trees | A tiny home may not be in your future, but what about a tinier, simpler life? Here are a few things we can all learn from the tiny house living movement.

I’ve been infatuated with tiny house living since the moment I heard about it. Not surprising since I’ve always had a love-on for the little. There was the plastic toy toilet I used to hide from my sister as a child (I didn’t want to share). And the miniature potbelly pig I desperately wanted for a pet as a teenager. I’ve been cultivating my weird obsession with tiny versions of full-sized things my whole life. And now, here is a movement that not only bolsters one of my many eccentricities – it also validates it. Because tiny houses aren’t just adorable, they could save the planet too.

A tiny home is 500 square feet or less, although I’ve read about people building homes as itsy bitsy as 96 square feet (about the size of a smallish bedroom). Did I mention the average Canadian home currently sits at around 1,900? So… what are we doing with the extra 1,400 square feet? Why, filling it with stuff, of course!

Tiny house living in a tiny interior.
This 125 square foot home utilizes a tiny house design staple – the loft bed. (Image Credit: ProtoHaus)

According to website The Tiny Life, having less stuff (“Life Simplification”) is one of the core principles of tiny house living. Along with “Environmental Consciousness” (tiny houses have smaller footprints – literally and metaphorically), “Self Sufficiency” (68 per cent of tiny house owners have no mortgage), “Sound Fiscal Plans” (32 per cent of tiny house owners have more than $10,000 saved for retirement) and “Life Adventures” (what could be more adventurous than raising four kids in a 232 square foot home).

With only one percent of American home buyers purchasing a residence that is 1,000 square feet or less (1,000 square feet is the cutoff for a house to be considered “small”), it’s clear that extreme downsizing isn’t for everyone. But I think there are a few things tiny house living can teach us all.

Build Better, Not Bigger

Back in my favourite decade – the good ol’ 90s – English-born, American-based architect Sarah Susanka published her design ideas, based on the principle of quality over quantity, in The Not So Big House, which served as a launchpad for the tiny house movement. According to the book’s website, “Not So Big doesn’t necessarily mean small. It means not as big as you thought you needed, but designed and built to perfectly suit the way you live.” Essentially, think before you build (or buy)! A bigger house not only isn’t better, it also leads to a higher upfront construction cost, a higher overall cost to maintain the home and, as mentioned above, just a whole lot of wasted space to fill with wasteful things.

The Little House in Little Rock is a beautiful example of tiny house living done right.
“The Little House in Little Rock,” is just a hair bigger than a tiny house, but it’s so flippin’ beautiful I think we can forgive the extra 57 square feet. (Image Credit: Hooked on Houses)

The Simple Life

When you permanently live in a home the same size as some people’s recreational vehicles, you make simplification a priority. And it’s within this task that tiny house owners shine. An example I’m currently implementing in my own not-so-tiny, but also not-so-big residence, is from a video about a couple who live in a tiny home. Their office is about the size of a regular home’s linen closet. To maximize their space, they scan all their officey-type documents into their computer and then shred the paper copy. Well, let me tell you, this blew my mind. Before I began my own shredding extravaganza a good portion of my closet floor was dedicated to plastic filing boxes. Not only am I now saving space, I’m saving something even more precious – time. Because all I do after I open a piece of important mail is scan, shred, done.

Less Truly Does Equal More

Although I already touched on the sustainability of a tiny house, it’s the most important facet of this movement. Statements similar to the following currently echo throughout our daily lives – if we want to continue to live on a planet that doesn’t resemble The Day After Tomorrow, something has to change. (But don’t worry, Jake Gyllenhaal can stay.) Website Planet Forward calls tiny house living “one of the rare instances in which cheap and green go hand in hand.” For everyone who has ever wanted to “go green” only to gasp at the price of organic foods, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, clothing made of natural materials and alternative energy sources like solar panels, here is a price that is truly startling: $23,000. As in, the average cost to build a tiny home, if built by the owners. Plus, a smaller home means lower heating and electricity costs, and a lot more money available to invest in all the cool, new eco-inventions for the home – like a composting toilet (which is small, but not small enough to hide from your sibling).

Tiny house living made mobile by a set of wheels.
Tiny homes can even come with wheels, an idea popularized by Jay Shafer, owner of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. (Image Credit: Tiny House Talk)

So maybe a tiny home isn’t in your future, but a tinier, simpler life? Now, doesn’t that sound nice…

Want to learn more about tiny life living? Watch this video! As for your comments, which I’m always dying to receive, please post them below. Would you live in a 500 square foot house? If not, are there ways you’d like to incorporate the tiny house living movement into your life? Subscribe so you don’t miss future posts on architecture, interior design, DIY projects, sustainability, home decor, crafts and gardening.

Note that this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on a link and make a purchase a small percentage of the sale goes to yours truly. Please know that I only link to products that are good for the earth, good for the soul, or both!

PIN ME!

How to Incorporate Tiny House Living Into Any Home | A tiny home may not be in your future, but what about a tinier, simpler life? Here are a few things we can all learn from the tiny house living movement.

Posted on February 12, 2015

Former architectural technologist. Current treehugger.

I’m here to help you green your home – and your life.

LET’S BE TREEHUGGERS TOGETHER!

Subscribe to the Of Houses and Trees monthly newsletter and I’ll send you my FREE list of “The 8 Best Places to Buy Eco-Conscious Decor Online.”

What on earth is sustainable design? Learn all about this eco-focused design method and read the latest posts about green architecture, interior design and decor.

Sustainable living is more than just a thing treehuggers talk about. It’s about making conscious choices everyday. Read the latest posts on living with the planet’s wellbeing always in mind. 

Visit the Of Houses and Trees sustainable product directory and support brands trying to make a difference in the world.

Find out more about our 40 acres of land in Parkland County, Alberta and the sustainable home we built amongst the trees.

Need help creating the home of your dreams? Care about the planet? You’ve come to the right place! check out my affordable, sustainable e-design services.

Having a had time choosing paint colours? I’ve got you – and your walls – covered with an interior paint palette sure to compliment your home.

Have questions about creating an eco-conscious home? Go ahead – ask me! Sign up for one of my free online interior design consultations and ask me anything you want. 

A living room decorated in a mix of vintage and modern pieces.
How To Incorporate Tiny House Living Into Any Home
Tagged on:         

6 thoughts on “How To Incorporate Tiny House Living Into Any Home

  • February 17, 2015 at 9:38 am
    Permalink

    I think there is a lot to be said about less space, or just enough space to meet your needs. I have never seen a reason to justify a house that is occupied by one or two people but has 1900 sq feet of space or more. But the mentality of the common person is ‘bigger is better’, when really its clear that it is not.

    My old place was small, but it had enough room for the necessary stuff and the family. But I opted to move to a larger place and all I have found is I have accumulated more stuff to fill thay space. If only I had the option of a tiny home, with one of those awesome loft bedrooms for serenity, when it was time to move.

    Reply
    • February 24, 2015 at 2:24 pm
      Permalink

      I could totally see you doing the tiny (or just little) home thing. And if you ever do get your loft bed you can climb up, hide the ladder, and then your kids won’t be able to get to you! Yes… I am evil.

      Reply
  • February 17, 2015 at 2:25 pm
    Permalink

    I have to admit that the house in Little rock is pretty darn cute. I’ve always found that the hardest part of downsizing is getting rid of the stuff with sentimental value. The funny thing is though the only time that I look at this stuff is each time I consider purging my personal inventory. Which probably means I don’t need it.

    Reply
    • February 24, 2015 at 2:29 pm
      Permalink

      You know I’m the worst with the sentimental keepsakes, but really how much space do they take up vs the stuff we really and truly don’t need? Like clothes we don’t wear, books we don’t read, toys we don’t play with and the list goes on and on.

      Reply
  • February 24, 2015 at 12:54 pm
    Permalink

    As you know, you yourself grew up in a “small” home. Living with a brother, sister, Dad, Mom and a dog. We had only one bathroom and you did have to share the toilet:-) & a bedroom. We made it work. I’m not saying that we would have liked to raise you and your siblings in a tiny house, but am glad to hear that smaller homes, with a good use of space in their design, are becoming an option for those who want them.

    Reply
    • February 24, 2015 at 12:56 pm
      Permalink

      It never felt overly small to me – except when there was a bathroom situation and someone was in the shower while another had to do a number two. Or the time Jesse’s foot was bleeding profusely on the bathroom floor and I had to pee in the front yard behind a bush…

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.