The Tiny House Trend

A number of my facebook friends post tiny houses from blogs and web sites and I've seen some that were incredibly well done. Could I do it? No way. Would I like to? There is a part of me that would like for my life to be THAT simple. I'm not a packrat or a hoarder by any stretch, but I can't really imagine getting rid of 90% of my stuff. My craft supplies alone would fill a tiny house!

There's a new show on called Tiny House Nation. Interesting concept, but not a life I could live right now.

Doesn't appeal to me. Simplicity eventually bores me.

It's one of the differences that makes people interesting.

I could not do it. I've seen some super cute tiny houses on Pinterest, but it would not work for me. I have many interests like my things and would soon feel trapped.

I watched a documentary on Netflix about them. I think they're cool to look at, but I don't think I could live in one. I like a lot of my stuff, and I'm claustrophobic. I really can't imagine living in one wit my husband and kids.

Melanie

This is the first I've heard of this trend. Hmmm … I could live with less stuff and a simpler lifestyle but not a smaller house. I'm claustrophobic as well. I couldn't do a tiny home. I need some land, too.

When the kids are on their own and we retire, we'll downsize but that's so we can live close to the beach. Going to a smaller home even when there's only 2 of us will be hard for me.

I like the idea of it but couldn't actually do it.

What does appeal to me is a cute, tiny house in the back yard to use as a craft studio. Fully stocked with craft supplies and everything set out nicely in its own space, a TV/DVD player, bar and snacks. I'm dreaming of course!

I think I could do it (with at least a year to decide what stays or get ditched from the present house  ) but I'm not sure I would want to do it - but it would have to be one of the bigger houses not the tiny, tiny ones!  

I am in my early 50's too, and have recently downsized. I currently live in a small cabin, 3 tiny rooms and a bathroom. I held a garage sale over the 4th of July weekend, and everything I didn't sell, I donated to an organization that rescues pets. They in turn will hold their own sales to help with costs of their organization, and/or donate to needy families in the area.

I used to think that I could never part with my "stuff" and the more stuff I had, the better my life was. Well, when push came to shove a couple of years ago, I realized that all that stuff was just suffocating me. I am not debt free by any stretch of the imagination, but I am working towards it. My goal is to retire and live in a little cabin in the mountains.

I am intrigued by these tiny houses. I love to look at them. I'm not sure if I could do it. I don't have a lot of stuff and I live in a fairly small home but they are just too small.

Lisa D.

I'm way too claustrophobic to live in a house that size. We once lived in a 300 sq foot house when we were poor living in a remote area. We had few clothes and I was too poor to afford any crafting supplies, so we had almost no "stuff' which was the only way we could live there. But it was in a very cold climate with bad roads and no services/attractions, so we were stuck there except when we were working. We were on top of each other all the time. It still makes me shudder to think of it. It was a daily trial not to run screaming from it. In good weather, I covered myself in bug repellent and lived on the front porch. I was so glad when we began earning more money and could live in a 750 sq foot house!

I still don't have much in the way of stuff aside from my craft supplies, which I regularly winnow down. My dh on the other hand? Sigh. I'm trying to get him to downsize to a 3 BR house when we move and you'd think I was asking to remove his spleen with a spoon. 


We had some relatives who lived in a small house for many years. It was less than 500 sq feet and with 7 foot ceilings. They loved it. BUT... they are both shorter than me and they have no hobbies or interests. They literally have no "stuff" because they don't do anything other than watch tv. (No craft supplies, no collections of anything, no sports equipment, etc.) So for them, the tiny house was great.  I felt claustrophobic in about 3 minutes and kept wondering where I'd DO my crafting, let alone store my craft supplies. 

Yes, I could do it. We are in our mid-60's & at this season of my life, I want to, and have been, downsizing everything I own. We are debt free, our children are grown & gone from home & I don't feel the need for lots of stuff. However, dh is almost the opposite. He wants to physically hold on to every memory.

So, tho I believe I could be quite happy in a tiny house, it would not work my us as a couple.

One other thought - simplicity isn't only about what you own. If we want to talk about trends, the biggest trend I see is for people to overschedule themselves and their families and then have a complain-brag thing going about how busy they are, how stressed they are, how much they have to do.

Forget that! I NEED my down time. Now, we don't have kids, but still - I think as much as simplifying stuff, people who are craving more simplicity and peace in their lives would benefit from simplifying their schedules and their time. I think that's what appeals to a lot of people about these tiny homes, they give off an air of calmness, tranquility, and peace. No matter what you do with your belongings, if you don't create that space and that peace in your mind, to some degree it will still be lacking.

Don't get me wrong, I think simplifying belongings and not having too much stuff to take care of will definitely help with that peacefulness, but it's only part of the picture.

I do live in a smaller house (1000 square feet - 2 adults), but I couldn't, and wouldn't want to, live in a tiny house.