Small house living, at first glance, may seem like an extreme form of minimalism that has little value other than being able to say you’ve done or are doing it. However, upon closer examination, there do seem to be quite a few tangible merits to the small-house lifestyle. From being more economical to having more freedom of mobility, small houses are becoming more and more popular as people begin to recognize the many benefits of living smaller.
Road to Financial Freedom
One such benefit is the amount of money you save when you occupy a small space. The typical cost of a tiny house is four to five times less than the cost of a traditional house. Small space dwellers often design and build their own tiny houses. They do not carry mortgages or incur high amounts of interest on their living spaces. They also save on property taxes, insurance and maintenance fees compared to the traditional homeowner. Consequently, people who invest in small homes save more and retire earlier than their traditional home counterparts. Check out Living Big in a Tiny House for more comparisons of tiny to traditional homeowners.
Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable
Small houses are also more eco-friendly and sustainable. Because they are small, tiny houses can be built with recycled and refurbished materials. The houses can be powered by alternative energy resources, like solar panels, which can be even more efficient with a smart circuit breaker, and their water supply often comes from rainwater capture and filtration. Composting toilets and smaller appliances leave a smaller environmental footprint and, ultimately, offer a more sustainable, small-space lifestyle.
Easy to Maintain and Keep Clean
Another perk to small-space living is the ease in which those spaces can be cleaned and kept cleaned. Because there is not much square footage to cover, tiny spaces don’t require much time and effort to clean. There’s also less expense for cleaning supplies.
Also, the ability to maintain a clutter free environment is an advantage of a small home. With very little storage, there isn’t much space to store belongings. So, small space dwellers tend not to accumulate things that typically get shoved into a closet or cabinet for occasional use. Tiny spaces encourage decluttering as a routine practice.
The need for decorations is also minimized in a tiny home. There are fewer walls for hanging pictures. There is less floor space for rugs and less space for light fixtures. Generally, in a small space, there is less of everything that needs to be outfitted, and therefore less time and expense spent decorating the home.
Increased Mobility
Small houses are often highly mobile. Literally, you can take it with you wherever you go. Having a mobile, tiny home allows any place to be a tiny away, that can make any location feel like home away from home.
Also, the expense of moving is less for the tiny home owner. If the owners are taking the home with them, there is no need to buy boxes and packing materials to pack up belongings. There may be no need to hire a moving company. And there is no need to hire a realtor to sell the home. In all, moving is a breeze compared to traditional home ownership.
Live off the Grid
In addition to being mobile, tiny houses offer the opportunity to live completely off the grid without connection to external energy and water sources. Small home owners can adopt a completely nomadic lifestyle, taking their house to any remote location independent of municipal services. With self-contained energy and water supplies, some tiny homes can be hitched, like campers, to the back of a vehicle for transport anywhere and everywhere, even off the grid.
Down-sizing and decluttering have been a growing trend over the past number of years. Many have come to realize not only that less is more, but also that least is perhaps best. For some, living in the smallest space and owning the fewest belongings is the ideal lifestyle for maximizing financial health and overall happiness. Because of the reasons mentioned above, more and more people are adopting a small-house lifestyle and, consequently, are realizing greater well being and freedom.
Author Bio:
Lisa Eclesworth is a notable and influential lifestyle writer. She is a mom of two and a successful homemaker. She loves to cook and create beautiful projects with her family. She writes informative and fun articles that her readers love and enjoy. You can directly connect with her on email – [email protected] or visit her website www.lisaeclesworth.com
