August 21

Tiny house living: What you need to know before making the move

61  comments

Living in a tiny house can be a great way to save money, live more sustainably, and enjoy the company of others. But before you make the move, there are some important things you need to know about living small.

 

What questions should you have in mind?

What is your motivation?   

Are you looking for a smaller space to reduce expenses or conserve energy? Do you want more intimacy in your life or the opportunity to travel more? Do you value simple pleasures over luxury living? Is financial freedom on top of your priority list (known as financially independent)? How important are community-building and eco-friendliness to you? Of course, if all of these ideas appeal, then tiny house living may be for you!

 

What kind of living style do you prefer?

Some tiny houses have a very “homey” feel to them, while others are more streamlined and minimalistic. It’s up to you which option you seek. Are there any particular ways of living that appeal to you the most? Tiny house communities may be an option for those who want a little help getting started with social connections.

Or perhaps your ideal lifestyle emphasizes community in general, rather than necessarily having a tight-knit group of friends or family nearby (this is what I’m into). Some people enjoy working on their house themselves, whereas others choose to pay professionals because it just makes sense financially and saves time. Once again, personally, I love working on my own home, but for others, it might not be worth the cost or effort.

One consideration is that most tiny houses are usually taken care of by the owners themselves as opposed to hiring professionals, so if you’re looking for an independent living, this may be a good choice for you. A smaller house may feel less constraining than a full-sized home but still, give you all the comforts of a cozy and secure place to call “home.”

 

How much stuff do you own?

If you already live in a large home now, don’t feel discouraged; everyone has to start somewhere! Do you tend to accumulate things? Are your belongings functional or sentimental? Does it take up a lot of space to store all your belongings?

The point here is that if you want to live in a tiny house, it’s important to purge as much stuff as possible. You need storage space for things that are truly valuable and useful. If not, you won’t be able to fit everything you have into your small space and might struggle with maintaining organization.

 

Challenges of Living in a Tiny Home

Now that you have a better idea of what may appeal to you about tiny house living, let’s talk about some challenges. The goal is to prepare for these problems so they won’t be as difficult when they arise!

Space Management!

Small homes are, well….small. It can take time to get used to this new reality. How will you handle being surrounded by things? When do you want it clean enough that clutter doesn’t feel overwhelming? Perhaps your true feelings on tidiness will emerge once you live in a smaller space and fail to meet your high standards! You might need to accept the messiness of others around you (if there’s someone else in the house). If not, what does this say about your comfort level with socializing and community building?

 

Financial Constraints   

Is your income negatively affected by the move? Do you need to downgrade your lifestyle for a while? This might mean foregoing a car and relying on public transportation, or moving into a cheaper neighborhood for some time. Are there other expenses that may temporarily increase due to the transition, like storage fees, household furnishings, or necessary renovations?

Don’t forget, if you’re transitioning to a tiny house, there may be a few costs that may arise (as mentioned above). It’s important to really consider where will this leave you financially before making any major changes in life! How long can you sustain yourself if things don’t go as planned? Will it be possible for you to recover from temporary setbacks in wealth (If they are applicable to you)?

 

Living in the Spotlight!

Tiny house living is a popular trend now, so there may be a lot of interest in your home and how it’s designed. This can be exciting, but also uncomfortable if you prefer your privacy. At what point does attention from others get to be too much? If this makes you feel vulnerable or insecure, then maybe tiny house living isn’t for you.

Perhaps it will take some time before you adjust to all the questions (and people) coming into your life because of your choices…Or perhaps this will just offer an opportunity for connection with like-minded and supportive individuals!

 

Harsh Reality Check!

Life involves compromise; this is not a perfect scenario by any means. It’s not always easy to find a place to build or buy tiny houses, especially due to the restrictions put up by different states. Moreover, If someone else lives with you, this person has chosen to accept living in close quarters! This might impact your ability to host guests; they won’t all appreciate sleeping on a couch or floor because there isn’t enough space elsewhere.

 

Also Read: Benefits of living in a tiny house (Link)

 

Tips for Making the Transition to Your New Life Easier

Take some time to get organized!

The space will feel cramped if you move too fast, so give yourself some time to purge as much stuff as possible. You need storage space for things that are truly valuable and useful. If not, you won’t be able to fit everything you have into your small space and might struggle with maintaining organization.

Remember the core functions of every item that goes in (e.g., make-up remover wipes aren’t really a necessity). Ask yourself what must remain and what could be donated/sold/thrown away if necessary. This doesn’t mean going overboard by giving up all personal possessions—that’s missing the point! It’s about knowing how far is too far and being thoughtful about the stuff that means the most to you.

 

Automate as much as possible!

Consider installing timers, hooks, or built-in systems that make it easier to preserve your energy for household tasks (and more enjoyable). For example, many tiny house owners fill their washing machine with a bunch of clothing for an overnight cycle; this reduces the effort/time needed in the morning.

They also plug lights into motion sensors so they only come on when someone is moving around! This enables owners to sleep better without having to get up in the middle of the night to turn a light off. It’s important not to overdo automation though; you want your space to feel like a home after all.

 

Seek support from others who have made the transition!

When you are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, it’s important to dig up some inspiration and advice. It helps to get tips from others who’ve lived in tiny houses for a long time (what works, what doesn’t). While there is no one right way to live in a small space, it feels good having the support of those who have been where you are. You might be surprised how many people out there already understand your struggle and can offer support when needed.

 

Don’t be afraid to start fresh!

It’s not easy making major life changes; we all want everything now but change takes time. A clean slate often gives us the motivation that we need to make things happen; this means ensuring everything you own is useful/needed. Don’t settle for what you have until this happens; keep pushing yourself to be the best version of yourself possible!

 

Take it one step at a time! 

Stay connected with yourself and others. Maintain your identity even while transitioning into a new life; connect with those who understand where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you are going. This doesn’t mean isolating yourself from others (or getting rid of everything that makes up your past); rather, it means taking baby steps as needed in order to ensure success in the long run.

 

Remember why living tiny is so important to you!

There will be times when staying small might not seem worth it but if you stop to remember what motivated you to begin with, this will help get you through. Even if your original motivation has become fuzzy over time, it’s worth taking a moment to refresh yourself and remind yourself why tiny house living is important. From there, focus on the positive changes that have been made!

Change happens slowly but surely! Trust in yourself and others around you; no one gets everything right at first. You might end up redoing projects or investing in new products but it won’t be as bad as giving up too early on something that matters more than anyone else realizes 🙂

 

Conclusion

tiny houseThere are lots of things that need consideration whether house, apartment or otherwise. You need to ask yourself what you like and dislike so you know the answers when it’s time to consider where you will live next!

Tiny houses can be a great experience for some people. If you have the opportunity to try this unique lifestyle, then give it a go! The lessons learned by living in a tiny home might prove valuable no matter where your future takes you…even if it happens to be back into space-consuming housing once the tiny house is paid off!

Read: Are tiny houses the future of living? (Link)

 


Tags


You may also like

  • Good day! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out
    and tell you I really enjoy reading through your blog posts.
    Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects?
    Thanks!

  • Howdy! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to look it over.
    I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
    Superb blog and brilliant design.

  • Hi there just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The
    words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Ie.

    I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know.
    The design and style look great though! Hope you get the
    issue resolved soon. Kudos

  • I like the valuable information you provide in your articles.
    I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently.
    I’m quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for
    the next!

  • Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though
    you relied on the video to make your point. You obviously know what youre talking about, why throw away your
    intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something informative to read?

  • Hi I am so glad I found your blog, I really found you by error,
    while I was browsing on Bing for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just
    like to say many thanks for a tremendous post and a all round thrilling blog (I
    also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read it
    all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also
    added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more,
    Please do keep up the superb job.

  • Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you might be a great
    author. I will always bookmark your blog and will often come back
    later in life. I want to encourage that you continue your great job, have a nice day!

  • Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading?

    I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the
    blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

  • You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but
    I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand.
    It seems too complex and extremely broad for me.
    I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang
    of it!

  • An interesting discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt
    that that you should publish more on this subject, it may not be a
    taboo matter but typically folks don’t speak about these topics.
    To the next! Kind regards!!

  • It is actually a great and helpful piece of info. I am glad that
    you shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us informed like this.
    Thank you for sharing.

  • I’ve been surfing online greater than 3 hours as of late, yet I never
    found any interesting article like yours. It’s lovely value sufficient for me.
    In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made excellent content material as you
    did, the web might be a lot more useful than ever before.

  • Wow, marvelous blog layout! How lengthy have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is excellent,
    let alone the content!

  • Greetings! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do
    you know how to make your site mobile friendly?

    My web site looks weird when browsing from my iphone. I’m
    trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to fix this
    problem. If you have any recommendations, please share.
    Appreciate it!

  • I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
    I don’t know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!

  • Hi! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and
    tell you I truly enjoy reading through your articles.
    Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that
    go over the same topics? Thank you!

  • Hey very cool blog!! Guy .. Excellent ..
    Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally?
    I’m satisfied to find numerous useful information right here within the put up,
    we need develop more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing.

    . . . . .

  • Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web
    site, how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account aided me a acceptable deal.
    I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright
    clear idea

  • Greetings from Idaho! I’m bored at work so I
    decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break.
    I really like the information you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home.
    I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my phone ..
    I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, great
    blog!

  • Hello there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting
    a new initiative in a community in the same
    niche. Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!

  • Right now it appears like Movable Type is the top blogging platform available right now.

    (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?

  • Olá . Queria apenas avisar que seu blog possui dificuldade em carregar
    no explorer , apresentando lentidão na carga de imagens
    . Quando possível dê uma olhada neste navegador
    . Grande abraço

  • Hi there would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing?

    I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most.

    Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a reasonable price?
    Cheers, I appreciate it!

  • hello there and thank you for your info – I’ve certainly picked up anything new from right here.
    I did however expertise some technical points using this website,
    since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I
    could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK?

    Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if
    advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this
    RSS to my email and could look out for much more of
    your respective interesting content. Make sure you update this again very soon.

  • It is the best time to make a few plans for the long
    run and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I
    could I want to counsel you few attention-grabbing issues or suggestions.
    Maybe you could write next articles relating to
    this article. I want to read even more issues about it!

  • I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog.
    Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare
    to see a nice blog like this one nowadays.

  • I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this
    website. I’m hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as
    well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own site now 😉

  • It’s perfect time to make some plans for the longer term and it is time
    to be happy. I have read this post and if I may just I
    desire to suggest you some attention-grabbing
    things or advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this
    article. I want to read even more things approximately it!

  • Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this site.
    It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appeal.
    I must say you’ve done a awesome job with this. In addition, the
    blog loads super quick for me on Chrome. Superb Blog!

  • I just like the valuable information you supply to your articles.

    I’ll bookmark your weblog and take a look at again here frequently.
    I’m slightly certain I will be informed many new stuff proper right here!
    Good luck for the next!

  • Heya i am for the first time here. I came
    across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much.
    I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.

  • Link exchange is nothing else but it is only placing the other person’s
    blog link on your page at proper place and other person will also do
    same for you.

  • I’ve been surfing on-line more than three hours nowadays, but I
    never discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours.
    It’s lovely worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all web owners
    and bloggers made good content material as you probably did, the internet
    will be a lot more helpful than ever before.

    Also visit my web-site … balltire-automotive.com

  • I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering
    what all is needed to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost
    a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% certain. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Thank you

  • Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email.

    I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing.
    Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it
    grow over time.

  • Olá . Você oferecem consultoria ? gostaria de evoluir mais sobre este tema porém este ainda
    é um mundo completamente novo para mim. como posso contactá-los ?

  • Thank you a lot for sharing this with all people you actually know what you’re talking approximately!
    Bookmarked. Kindly also consult with my site =).
    We may have a link alternate contract among us

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

    Get in touch

    Name*
    Email*
    Message
    0 of 350
    >