Living in a mansion isn’t for everyone. Land is expensive and a sprawling house might just be too much of a commitment. Recently a movement called the Tiny House Movement has sprung up. The idea is to reduce cost and increase environmental friendliness through the creation and occupation of smaller living spaces. These tiny houses may not be conventional but they do offer better affordability and in some sense freedom to their occupants. Some tiny houses are built to be mobile so that they can easily be moved from one location to another, eliminating the cost of land altogether and providing the option to pick up and move any time.
The Tiny House Movement reminds me a lot of when I was a child and I would go to the mall near my house and there would be an auction for designer children’s playhouses. The idea of a tiny home I could call my own was absolutely amazing to me as a child. I would peer through the tiny windows and doorways sized down to my child body and gleefully observe the tiny couches and tables and beds. But as I grew up the idea of those child playhouses became less and less appealing. I wanted to be a big girl with a house of my own just like my parents. But the Tiny House Movement caught my eye and made me imagine again. Those little playhouses were enough for me as a child, why aren’t they enough for me as an adult? What makes me want to spread out and collect things that just collect dust? Where did my sense of fun and adventure go?
I can’t say that I’m ready and willing to commit to a Tiny House, especially one on wheels. But there is a lot to be said about it. It makes the most of a small space, forcing you to be conscious of what you keep. It’s environmentally friendly, using way fewer materials than a normal sized house. And the money commitment is much lower than buying a house, especially in California where the land prices are high. If I had a tiny house I might be able to afford to live on the beach!
But then again, I am in my early twenties. And I don’t know what I want. But I think I can learn something from this movement. I don’t have to want the same things everyone else wants. I can learn to be content with what I have. And I should use the resources I already have to the fullest.
If you would like to learn more about the Tiny House Movement, I’ve included links after the jump and a very interesting infographic from thetinylife.com
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