Tiny houses are gaining popularity, but is there anything behind the fad?
Tiny Living is a social movement for those who want to downsize and simplify their lives and homes. Many tiny house owners come from an average American house, which is usually around 2,600 square feet, and move into a home that is between 100 and 400 square feet — a huge downsize!
Why are people making this drastic move? Some do it for financial reasons, some for environmental awareness, and others for the simplistic lifestyle. Though each tiny house owner makes the change for his or her own reasons, here are seven themes that run through most of their moves.
- Save Money
It’s no surprise that tiny houses cost less than their larger counterparts, but the amount of savings can be stunning. The average cost of a standard-sized house is $272,000, and that’s without interest. The average tiny house costs $23,000, if built by the owner, and 68% of tiny house owners have no mortgage. Once your home is built, tiny houses have far less maintenance costs and you’ll pay much less to heat or cool it. Plus, your property costs will be much lower than anyone you know.
- Live Greener
When your house is the size of an average 2-car garage, its impact on the environment is going to be less than the average home. Tiny houses use less resources, consume less energy, and take up less space – all of which are great for the environment.
- Save Time
If you totaled the amount of time it takes for you to maintain your home, you’d probably be surprised at how much you invest. With a tiny house, chores go faster and your Honey-Do List is much shorter, leaving more time for you to enjoy living.
- Avoid Materialism
Blank walls and empty rooms are never a good look, Unfortunately, that means that we tend to fill our homes with things we don’t need. Tiny houses allow owners to live with the bare minimum and remove themselves from the materialism we so easily fall prey to. Let Tiny Living show just how much you don’t need.
- Go Mobile
Many tiny houses are built on trailers or with the means to easily change locations. Visit the sights you’ve always wanted to see or travel to see family. Enjoy the amenities of a traditional home without being tied to one place.
- Design Your Space
Have you ever wanted to design your own home, but couldn’t afford the cost of building? Now you can! Test your creativity with your home’s design and be amazed by the clever solutions your tiny house builder will find. Most tiny houses come under the minimum size requirements for building codes, so you’ll be free to build without anyone telling you how it should be. Make the most of your space and create a home you’re eager to show off.
- Connect with Loved Ones
One of the greatest assets (and drawbacks, occasionally) of a tiny house is all the time you will be sending with your loved ones. Without separate rooms to escape to, you will be spending all of your home time with your family. Use this as an opportunity to build communication and camaraderie within your family and spend the time you have together instead of apart.
Which of these reasons is most appealing to you?
For more information about our Tiny Houses, contact us at (407) 625-8286.
integrityremodelingandcustomhomes 