When people dream about living in a tiny house, they idealize the life a fair bit. It’s something we all do, heck, I even do it even today. There are, of course, many reasons tiny houses aren’t the best, but I thought I’d share some thoughts on things that leave people unhappy in a tiny house so you can avoid them.
You started with the design, not with the function
There is a adage: form follows function. Many people fall in love with a specific house or set of plans, then try to make it work for them. This is backwards. The most successful houses start with what a person needs, then a design is spawn from that list of needs and functions. You need to play anthropologist, taking an objective eye when you look at your life and what your house needs to support.
You didn’t take the time to get in your own head
I see this all the time, people move into a tiny house very quickly without going through the deep self reflection and understanding required to make it work. The biggest thing that will make you settle into your tiny house for the long term isn’t the design, the size, the amenities, it’s your coming to terms with what makes you happy, with a departure from gratuitous consumption, and a break from status symbols.
It’s easy to say you don’t buy a lot of stuff or that you don’t need things; it’s an entirely different thing to be deprogrammed of consumer culture and when someone shuns you in a social situation that you can be okay with the fact your house isn’t large or that you only own a few things.
You think it is about the house
I say this time and time again, living in a tiny house and The Tiny Life has nothing to do with the house, it is a lifestyle that you adopt that will change your life. While tiny houses have a great aesthetic, they are appealing and cozy. When someone successfully lives in a tiny house long term it is not because of these facts.
A tiny houser is committed to making a change in their life to a magnitude that most people are willing to. If you live the tiny life, you could live in any size house because it’s not about the house, it’s the commitment to your priorities and to doing what needs to be done to live your best life.
Your Turn!
- What things are you thinking about when it comes to making the leap?
- What are you worried about moving to such a small space?