The Pros & Cons of Tiny Home Living
Tiny homes are becoming more and more popular. Here’s why…
The “tiny home” movement is taking off lately – partly due to cash-strapped millennials wanting to save money on a home, and partly due to the growing interest in self-sustainable and eco-friendly living.
While the average American home is approximately 2,600 square feet, a tiny home is typically somewhere between 100 and 500 square feet – obviously a drastic downsizing for many people!
So why are so many becoming interested in living in a tiny home? Simplification is one big reason. By adopting a minimalist lifestyle, some people feel that they are free to enjoy the experiences of life – rather than being trapped in maintaining a bunch of material things.
The article below discusses a few of the main pros and cons of tiny home living:
What are the benefits?
Financially, most Americans contribute up to half of their annual income towards housing. According to The Tiny Life, most Americans also carry a 30-year mortgage and with 4% interest, making a whopping total amount of $481,000 when all said and done. The average tiny home is $25,000 all-in. You can see the appeal.
Environmentally, tiny houses are now equipped to basically be off-the-grid. Traditional utilities are not needed with the technology of solar and energy-efficient lighting, appliances and even toilets that are 100% composting. This also means overall less of a carbon footprint, and up-keep for your house is also lower in turn. Even the construction of a tiny home is far less than a traditional house, and can be built by the owner themselves. There are many builders now that offer a variety of services from providing blueprints, to a full-scale build depending on your budget and level of comfort of a DIY-house.
The Quality of Life paradigm is shifting, and between all-ages. The idea of a simple life, less chaos and living smaller and more sustainable is heating up. The idea of having the freedom to stay or go when you want is appealing, which has many people exploring this idea. The idea of being self-sustained and financially less dependent on living paycheck to paycheck is also increasing this quality. There are all types of small homes as well, with the choice of literally being built on a flatbed, and others on a foundation. It’s all personal preference and how you envision “living the dream”.
The cons…?
It makes you realize how much – or how little – you need. You do downsize from your giant L-shaped couch, or even TV. You may have half the refrigerator you are used to, or perhaps a composting toilet. You adjust and live in one space at-a-time. Things will break, leak or stop working – those of which you fix or hire someone to fix it, much like any home-owner is responsible for. You also have some zoning issues to meander through depending on your location and if your house is on a foundation or trailer, but all these things are workable if you feel that a tiny home is right for you.
Check out the full article at ElevationOutdoors.com…
Image Source: WeeCasa.com
