This is a post in our FAQ series. We are answering questions about our lifestyle and our tiny house.
Tiny houses aren’t for everyone. For someone to be satisfied with a tiny house long term, several things must be in place. First, we already didn’t have many belongings. Second, we had a place to park it, and third, we utilize our community.
To be honest, I didn’t have to downsize that much to fit into a tiny house. In 2013, I taught English at an orphanage in India for 6 months. I lived out of my suitcase, and learned how they lived more simply than we do. When I returned to the states, I made plans to return to India full time for another 3 years to continue to teach. I began to go through the process of getting rid of many of my things. I kept what I would bring to India, and a few of the items I knew I would want when I got home. However, my plans to return to India fell through with that particular orphanage, and things happening with my family made it clear that I should stay in the U.S. I began renting a small bedroom, and couldn’t acquire more things. Everything I owned could fit in the back of a van or truck, and so moving into a tiny house was easy. I don’t like clutter. I don’t like having things that I don’t need.
Some people find security in having everything; I have security in knowing that I can go without.
Next, we had a place to park our tiny house. Sometimes people have a strong desire to go tiny, but have nowhere to put their finished house. On the other hand, we probably would not have gotten a tiny house if we didn’t have a good place to park it. Alex’s parents have enough land that we can tuck our tiny house into the trees on the back of the property line. They let us hook up to their electrical system and water system. If we lived somewhere that didn’t get so cold, I would love to be off grid. However, considering that it has been -20 for the past three days, the logistics of being off grid in a tiny house with two people working full time- well, it just isn’t logical. Hooking up to their utilities was pricy, but practical as a long term solution. Our next step is to buy our own land and move the tiny house onto the land.
And finally, our tiny house works for us because we have the space that we need for our hobbies and interests. I like to read and write. I keep everything on a computer, so my hobbies don’t take up any extra space. I can keep my books at school, since I’m an English teacher. Alex likes to garden. We have land on which to garden. I like to cook. We have a kitchen. I like to go to the library; it’s ten minutes away. Alex does Aquaponics; he has the garage in which he can build his system. I like to bike outside, not pump iron in my basement. This just works for us.
Some interests may not lend themselves to tiny living as well. My brother is an artist; he works at a college and paints. He devotes a whole room to his art, and he just couldn’t do art to the scale that he does in a tiny house. He would have to get a studio. Another friend is an accomplished pianist. His lifestyle requires a proper piano, preferably a grand, not just a keyboard. My mom is a photographer for daycares and schools. She would need an office or at least storage for all of her props, tables, set ups, etc. that are required by her employer. Another friend of mine runs a fashion line, and has many clothes and fabrics for herself and for her business. A tiny closet wouldn’t suit her well. A house must fit the person’s lifestyle. All of the aforementioned people could definitely manage to live in a small space, but 144 square feet wouldn’t work for them. And that’s fine. The form of the house should flow from the function. Alex and I have hobbies that either don’t take up too much space, or take place outside.
Our needs will change as our family changes too, so I know we won’t be in this tiny house forever. But for now, it is perfect.
Tiny houses aren’t for everyone. For someone to be satisfied with a tiny house long term, several things must be in place. First, we already didn’t have many belongings. Second, we had a place to park it, and third, we utilize our community.
To be honest, I didn’t have to downsize that much to fit into a tiny house. In 2013, I taught English at an orphanage in India for 6 months. I lived out of my suitcase, and learned how they lived more simply than we do. When I returned to the states, I made plans to return to India full time for another 3 years to continue to teach. I began to go through the process of getting rid of many of my things. I kept what I would bring to India, and a few of the items I knew I would want when I got home. However, my plans to return to India fell through with that particular orphanage, and things happening with my family made it clear that I should stay in the U.S. I began renting a small bedroom, and couldn’t acquire more things. Everything I owned could fit in the back of a van or truck, and so moving into a tiny house was easy. I don’t like clutter. I don’t like having things that I don’t need.
Some people find security in having everything; I have security in knowing that I can go without.
Next, we had a place to park our tiny house. Sometimes people have a strong desire to go tiny, but have nowhere to put their finished house. On the other hand, we probably would not have gotten a tiny house if we didn’t have a good place to park it. Alex’s parents have enough land that we can tuck our tiny house into the trees on the back of the property line. They let us hook up to their electrical system and water system. If we lived somewhere that didn’t get so cold, I would love to be off grid. However, considering that it has been -20 for the past three days, the logistics of being off grid in a tiny house with two people working full time- well, it just isn’t logical. Hooking up to their utilities was pricy, but practical as a long term solution. Our next step is to buy our own land and move the tiny house onto the land.
And finally, our tiny house works for us because we have the space that we need for our hobbies and interests. I like to read and write. I keep everything on a computer, so my hobbies don’t take up any extra space. I can keep my books at school, since I’m an English teacher. Alex likes to garden. We have land on which to garden. I like to cook. We have a kitchen. I like to go to the library; it’s ten minutes away. Alex does Aquaponics; he has the garage in which he can build his system. I like to bike outside, not pump iron in my basement. This just works for us.
Some interests may not lend themselves to tiny living as well. My brother is an artist; he works at a college and paints. He devotes a whole room to his art, and he just couldn’t do art to the scale that he does in a tiny house. He would have to get a studio. Another friend is an accomplished pianist. His lifestyle requires a proper piano, preferably a grand, not just a keyboard. My mom is a photographer for daycares and schools. She would need an office or at least storage for all of her props, tables, set ups, etc. that are required by her employer. Another friend of mine runs a fashion line, and has many clothes and fabrics for herself and for her business. A tiny closet wouldn’t suit her well. A house must fit the person’s lifestyle. All of the aforementioned people could definitely manage to live in a small space, but 144 square feet wouldn’t work for them. And that’s fine. The form of the house should flow from the function. Alex and I have hobbies that either don’t take up too much space, or take place outside.
Our needs will change as our family changes too, so I know we won’t be in this tiny house forever. But for now, it is perfect.