When we first moved out when we were 18, we moved into a very tiny house. Technically, it was not a “tiny home,” but to us it was.
It was extremely small home at around 400 square feet (less than that if you don’t count the basement), but it was cheap, had a backyard and was located very close to the college I was about to start attending.
Also, as a reminder, last year Jordann also posted about how she used to live in a 400 square foot house. I also recently published the interview I Live in a 175 Square Foot Tiny Home – Sailboat Living. I highly recommend you read these two posts!
I recently became interested in tiny homes again when I was watching a documentary on Netflix (we’re starting to find cable less and less worthwhile) called Tiny: A Story About Living Small. This documentary followed a man building his very own tiny home, and the documentary also showed others who lived in their own tiny homes.
I find tiny homes very interesting. They make great use of their space, they are usually very cute, and they are very affordable. Even with the positives below though, I don’t think it’s something I could do.
For me, the negatives greatly outweigh the positives. I think we could do something smaller than what we currently have, but a 200 square feet tiny home is just too extreme for me.
Below are the positives and negatives of living in a tiny house:
Pro: Your housing expenses will be cheaper with a tiny home.
The average tiny home costs less than $30,000 to build. You can also buy a tiny home for very cheap. That price before includes the exterior and interior of the home. That is very cheap! That is much cheaper than the average home.
However, I do think you have to remember about where you are going to place this tiny home. Yes, you can buy land for cheap, but land can also be very expensive in other areas.
Your home will also be cheaper in that your utility bills will be cheaper. It’s much cheaper to heat or cool down a 200 square foot house than a 2,000 square foot house.
Repairs, maintenance and replacements will also most likely be much cheaper in a tiny home.
Con: I think it would be difficult with children and pets.
We don’t have children yet, but we would like to have them in the future. With all of the people I’ve seen and read about who live in tiny homes, I don’t think there’s been a single one who had children or pets.
I think it would just be very difficult with a family. People need their space… Or, maybe that’s just me?
However, I think if it were just one or two people living in a tiny home, then it would probably be much more doable. When we lived in our 400 square foot house (let’s keep in mind that we haven’t lived there in a very long time), it wasn’t completely bad. The size didn’t really bother us at all at the time. I think it really helped that there were multiple small rooms to escape too, and there was also a front and backyard and porch.
Pro: You’ll spend less money on material items.
I am a bit of a hoarder. Just ask Wes and he will probably want to cry just thinking about how much stuff I have.
My closet is jam packed to the ceiling with stuff, and then I also have things in the guest bedroom and in our basement.
Moving into a tiny home would probably be a lifesaver in that I would be forced to think about each purchase I make. Since there’s only so much room in a tiny home, you will buy fewer items.
Con: Having guests over won’t be comfortable.
I remember watching in the documentary when the main person being filmed had guests over.
He invited his family over to see the home he just built and it was extremely cramped. It was almost like everyone had to bend over in order for their to be room for everyone.
Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t throw raging parties or anything, but I would like the option of having people over when I can. This is especially true since we plan on moving to a new state and we would like people to visit us occasionally.
Pro: You may be able to bring the tiny house when traveling.
Okay, this doesn’t apply to every single tiny house, but there are some that are small enough where you can actually travel with it.
You can bring your tiny home to where you want it to be, and you may even be able to do some road trips in it as well.
This makes the list of possible places to live pretty much endless.
Con: Not a lot of personal space.
This is no surprise. They are called tiny homes for a reason. According to the documentary, tiny homes are homes that are 200 square feet or less. That is extremely small.
That’s smaller than my bedroom, and my bedroom is not huge by any means.
Since I work from home 24/7 now, I would like to have more space since I’m at home more. I think I would get a little crazy if I was in the same exact room hour after hour, day after day.
Would you ever live in a tiny home? Why or why not? How small could you go? How big is your home currently?
Also, if you live in a tiny home (less than 250 square feet preferably), I’d love to hear from you and possibly conduct an interview for this blog. Please send me an email if you are interested.
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zaby says
you can travel with the tiny house? that is really cool
Michelle S. says
Yup!
Ricky Willis says
That house is pretty cute, although certainly not enough space for us. When our first daughter was born we lived in a small 2 bedroom flat which was bigger than the house you talk about in this post.
If I was a single person then I probably would consider it. Especially as the costs are so low.
Do many people actually live in tiny houses like this or is it the minority?
– Ricky
Michelle S. says
It’s just a minority, but I do think it’s becoming more and more popular.
Katrina says
I’m a few months late on this post but I watched the documentary and it was INSPIRING! I’m not sure if I would purchase a tiny home because of the future children and puppies I want but I would DEFINITELY love to rent one for a few months and get the experience of living in one.
I wonder if there are any websites that focus on renting tiny homes.
Kind of like when you rent peoples apartments or second home when you go out of the country versus staying at a hotel
Becky I. says
I would not like to live in a tiny house. I think I would feel very hemmed in. The negatives for me would outweigh any positives. It might work for a tiny bit, but I believe it would get old very fast.
Michelle S. says
I agree!
Kasia says
Wow, that’s tiny, no way I could live so small. I like a minimum three bed two bath kind of place with spacious indoor and outdoor living for entertaining purposes which is what we live in now. When we decide to have a second child we’ll probably want something bigger though. I think a tiny house could work for someone who was single and spent a large amount of time away from their home or used it just to sleep in.
Michelle S. says
I agree. I think it would be best for someone who wasn’t home all the time, and for single people.
Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank says
Cool. A tiny house that can travel around is really awesome. I wish I and my wife could try it even for a day. It would surely give us a blast and a way to having a quality time together.
Michelle S. says
I think you can rent them! 🙂
Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies says
Our current house is 1100 sqft and it’s a bit bigger than we really need most of the time. We were totally fine in our 850sqft apartment before this, and weekends when we were together in my 400sqft studio before that.
We could definitely go smaller, but it would depend what it’s like outdoors since that’s where we end up spending a lot of our time.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I think a lot of it would depend on where the tiny home is placed. If the area doesn’t have fantastic weather year round, I think it would be very difficult.
Income Surfer says
Sure, I’d love to live in a tiny house. If it was just me and our Black Lab, I would prefer about 600sq ft. If it my wife, our son, and our lab, we’d prefer somewhere between 800-1000 sqft (depending on layout)…….which in my opinion isn’t a “tiny” house. Our current home is about 1400 sqft, and it’s all the space we can stand…..although, it would be nice if the layout was different.
We also watched the Netflix documentary, and wish that there had been more about how other (existing) tiny house dwellers lived…..because there are millions of options. The main character in the documentary was underwhelming to us.
-Bryan
Michelle S. says
Yes, the main character in the documentary was even slightly depressing. Am I the only one who felt that way? I feel like everyone else was much more positive about the whole situation.
Tarynkay says
I saw the documentary. I agree that the main character was depressing. The whole premise of tiny houses is weird to me- how is this different from just living in a trailer? Why are trailers maligned but tiny houses celebrated? The whole thing feels a little elitist to me.
Our house is 1300 sq ft for two adults, one toddler, and one dog. This seems plenty big to me. We are able to host a lot of big parties and so forth. I can imagine adding more kids and still having enough space for everyone.
Tiny houses came up at a kids birthday party I attended recently. Nobody wanted to live in one full time, though. But most of the moms wanted a Tiny House to park in the backyard of their Big House. They wanted one as a retreat. It would always stay neat and clean and no children would be allowed to enter.
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says
I live in NYC, so I’m used to small spaces, but I couldn’t do 200 sq ft with more than just myself. I’m pretty minimalist, but even I have too much crap to share that small a space.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I have way too much stuff for it to realistically fit into a tiny home!
Brian says
Now that I have two kids there is no way I could live in 200 sq-ft… 800 sq-ft would probably be about as small as I would really want to go.
My current house is 1900 sq-ft (it also has about another 1000 sq-ft unfinished basement too) and is bigger than we really need, but it was my grandmother’s house and we were able to buy it for all cash. The utility costs are reasonable and the schools are solid. So we probably won’t be moving for a while.
Michelle S. says
I probably wouldn’t move if I were you either. Sounds great!
Simon @ Modest Money says
That is one house I’d like to try. I mean, tiny and minimal is all the rage nowadays, so why not 🙂 However, its not something I would do for a long stretch of time.
Michelle S. says
Yeah, I think it would be difficult to make a 200 square foot home a permanent home. I’d get tired of it! They are cute though 🙂
EarlyRetirementGuy says
My partner and I shared an apartment not much bigger than this for a couple of years. Eventually the space becomes a huge issue as you literally have no room to place basic items like a bin or washing stand. On the plus side: It was Cheap! And I can imagine being able to take this house with you would be awesome.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I think the main plus would be how cheap it is! I need more space though like you said.
Deb @ Saving the Crumbs says
My husband and I lived in a 400 square foot basement when we got married. It wasn’t so bad, but beware that the food smells from cooking can saturate your bed sheets (esp since we cook Asian food)! 🙂
Michelle S. says
Haha that is funny!
Robin McDaniel says
That documentary is everywhere lately. I need to watch it. I feel like I live in a tiny home now- compared to today’s standards anyway… But at 1500 square feet I can’t complain! Hehe.
Michelle S. says
Yes, watch it!
Michelle says
I love tiny homes and met the people who filmed the documentary about their tiny home journey in Colorado. I live in a 495 sqf. condo and I think that’s pretty small. It’s just perfect. I have seriously thought about buying a tiny cabin and an acre of land in Breckenridge. I’m actually pretty serious about that idea…will keep you posted.
Michelle S. says
Yes, you should do it! Sounds amazing!
amanda says
i would absolutely do it…..IF i wasn’t planning on having children, wanted to live in the middle of nowhere, and never wanted house guests. that is not the case, at all. it is a neat idea, though!
Michelle S. says
Haha I agree!
Elizabeth | Elizabeth Burns Design says
I also watched that documentary and was intrigued. I too think 200 square feet may be a bit too small for more than one person, but I like the idea of living smaller in general. Our last house was 830 square feet, and for two people, it was perfect. 🙂
Michelle S. says
Yes, I do like the idea of living smaller. I keep seeing homes that are 4,000 square feet and I just don’t see the need for that crazy amount of space.
Shannon @ Financially Blonde says
I live in a 2500+ square foot house, but would LOVE to live in a tiny house, especially when I get my utility bills every month. Actually, once my son graduates from high school, me and hubby plan to downsize completely and live in something much smaller. We would rather travel and see other places than be tied to our home.
Michelle S. says
Sounds like a great plan Shannon!
Little House says
I’ve written extensively about little and tiny homes. I love the idea as well, but actually living in a home under 200 square feet (or even 400 for that matter) is another matter. Plenty of people are doing it, but the downsizing aspect would be terribly difficult. We’re house browsing (too soon to say shopping) and looking at homes in the 1,200 sq. ft. ballpark. We’ll have to downsize a bit to move into a home that size (our couch is too big, I fear), so the idea of downsizing to an eighth of what I currently have makes my hair stand on end. 😉
Michelle S. says
Haha yes getting rid of everything I have would be very difficult!
Abby says
I’m not sure I could live in a tiny *home*, since I want my almost-forever or forever place to be roomy. I like to mark carpet angels, after all. I could definitely live in a studio apartment or something like that. The cost savings on utilities would be worth it alone. You would just have to get creative with space-saving 🙂
Michelle S. says
Yes! Being creative is a must with a tiny home. Most of the tiny homes I have seen have been pretty great in this area. I have seen some crazy things so that they can fit everything in there!
Adam says
Nope nope nope.
I watched this documentary last week as well and I remember me and my wife living in a small 600sq ft apartment with our 3 cats and I hated every last bit of it. I don’t need a mcmansion or anything but I love my house and I love having rooms that I can retreat to and just relax when I need to get away.
I like the concept and understand why people do this but like you mentioned I just don’t see this working out when you have kids and if you have friends or family over you might as well hope the weather is good because that’s where the party is happening – outside.
I could see this being kind of a cool option if you’re retired or just really eccentric but definitely not something I’d be comfortable living in.
If I live in anything that’s mobile and has wheels it’s going to be a luxury line RV meant for traveling with the full amenities of a house! Well that’s my dream anyways lol!
Michelle S. says
Haha same here! I would want it to be a nice RV so that I could travel with it.
Thomas @ i need money ASAP! says
Honestly, I love tiny homes. I would go so far as to say I’m obsessed. But because we just had our first child and plan on having more I know that it wouldn’t be practical to live in 150-200sqft. What we do plan on doing is live in the smallest place we can. Right now we live in 1100sqft but plan on downsizing in the next few years to ~800-900sqft (but with a much better layout).
Michelle S. says
Yes, a good layout is important! I’ve seen 3,000 square foot homes with absolutely horrible layouts that make the home just so inefficient.
Wade @ DestinationFinancialWisdom.com says
I admit, I am intrigued by Tiny Houses. If I was single and planned on staying that way, I would consider one. Alas, I am married with three girls. So It just isn’t an option. We have considered down-sizing to a much smaller house. But I think 1,000 Sq Ft would be the lower limit. I would also consider building a smaller house with some tiny house concepts. I also like just looking at the tiny houses available.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I like looking at tiny homes as well. I recently found a website that lists them and I love it!
Tonya@Budget and the Beach says
I saw that doc too. It was interesting. I like the idea of it and seeing how people design their homes to maximize all the space, but personally could never do it myself. I live in a very small apt now, and it’s ok when it’s just me, but have to admit when someone comes to stay with me that even feels a bit too cramped. But, that doesn’t mean I’d buy a big house (ha, if I could in Cali) either. I often wonder why celebrities like Jen Anniston need to buy 10 room mansions when it’s just her and her fiancé. Why? Why do you need that?
Michelle S. says
Yes, I never understand why some people buy such big homes. It makes no sense!
cece@pink sunshine says
No way no how!! I did 400 square feet along for five years. It was quite lovely at first until I started to go nuts. Then my husband lived with me for 6 months and it was HARD. I love the low cost but seriously. It is just not practical on any level for most people. I wasn’t meant to live in a shoebox. It’s like zoo animals being trapped in a habitat that’s too small!!
Michelle S. says
Haha yes it would be very hard to do it permanently. I don’t think I could go back to 400 square feet. It was doable at the time but not now.
Nicola says
I don’t think I could live in a house that small – we have quite a lot of stuff between us and there would be no room. Plus we have cats and we do want children someday so that wouldn’t work either! It would be interesting to try it for a bit though, just to see what it’s like 🙂
Michelle S. says
Haha yes I would be willing to give it a chance 🙂
Ms. LoL says
I’m actually really wanting to do this in the future. The key, IMO, is that you have to spend more time OUT of the house, rather than in it. It’s like camping; socialize outside in beautiful nature rather than in the house. Or maybe more like a dorm room, since it isn’t as uncomfortable as a tent. But yes, I absolutely want this, at the very least for retirement.
Michelle S. says
Yes, most of the people in the documentary lived in a very beautiful place. That would be key.
Kara Bissonnette says
I can do small(er), but not tiny. We have 2 kids and 3 dogs though, so I’m sure that factors into my opinion!
Michelle S. says
Haha yes that would be cramped!
cave simon says
For some holidays it would be nice! Otherwise living in a small house all the time might get a little bit tiring. And you can’t host your friends very well as you mentioned.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I think it would be okay for vacations, but permanently living in a tiny home would be difficult for me.
Brian @ Luke1428 says
Uh…no…I could not do this. Not with a family of six. 🙂 I can’t imagine the resale value on these tiny homes is great. Very limited audience you would be marketing it to. Probably is gone to feel like trying to get rid of a timeshare.
Michelle S. says
I didn’t think about that. You are probably correct with it being hard to sell!
Aldo@MillionDollarNinja says
That’s not a house, it’s more like a shed. My brother has a pretty big shed and I asked if I could live there for free, but he didn’t like that idea because I would be too close to his food.
Michelle S. says
Hahahaha!
Drew says
Michelle,
When R & I moved from Texas to Georgia, we moved from our first home of about 1500 sqft into a 300 sqft efficiency apartment. Most of our stuff ended up in storage. The apartment was 10′ wide, and 30′ deep. It came complete with a Murphy bed/book shelf wall unit, a dorm-sized fridge, and mini-stove.
I (somewhat) jokingly say the reason it was called an “efficiency” apartment was because I could open the fridge, cook dinner, wash the dishes, brush my teeth, flush the toilet, and answer the front door, all without getting out of bed. 🙂 We used to say if her friend came to visit, I had to go outside because “the place isn’t big enough for the three of us”. 🙂
I have watched some of the Tiny House videos, but as you say, I have never seen children discussed (or pets, other than a couple who had a cat). I can’t see having children in a place like that. Even if you lived in the country and they were outside playing all day, there will be rainy days when they will have “cabin fever”.
When we bought our first home in Georgia, we got a split level 2,700 sqft 3/2/2 with a tiny yard. We were both making good money and had no kids. We sold it a couple of years ago, and are currently renting an 800 sqft house, 3/2/2 with almost one acre. I’m now the breadwinner, and we have two kids. We got rid of a lot of stuff, and put the rest in the garage. It was pretty hard to downsize that much, but we felt it was the right thing to do for the family at the time.
Michelle S. says
Haha I love the joke about why it was called an efficiency apartment 🙂
Money Pincher says
I currently live in a 2300 sq house, but between the Husband and I, we only use probably 700 sq of the house. The rest of the house, we rarely venture into.
On a side note, my friend just bought an apartment in Hong Kong for 3.5 million HKD (about $500,000 CAD). The square footage of the apartment is 289 sq. Yup! It’s a 1 bedroom, 1 dining room, 1 bath and 1 kitchen place. When I saw the clip of the place, I had mistaken the kitchen for storage – it is so tiny that only 1 person can fit into the kitchen!
This makes me think that there is no way that I can afford housing in Hong Kong at all. However, it also makes me think that we probably don’t need as much space to live.
Michelle S. says
Wow that is insane about your friend who just bought that apartment! I have heard that housing in China is insanely small but still insanely expensive. That’s just crazy.
Aileen Barker says
I keep saying I’d love to live in a tiny house, but with 3 dogs and 4 cats it probably wouldn’t work out. I do want to downsize through! Since we don’t have kids my ideal house would be a small 800-1000 sq ft house which would cut our current square footage in about half.
Michelle S. says
Haha yes with that many animals it would be very difficult.
Will @firstqfinance says
I need my space. I’ve tried living in small houses but I’ve never felt quite right. I feel most comfortable in a house the size of where I grew up. Go figure. Yet another way childhood affects the rest of your life.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I need my space as well.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I can get claustrophobic as well!
Michelle S. says
Haha it’s not on my bucket list either.
Cami says
This would really force me to simplify my life – and that would be a good thing. But, I have to have somewhere to put our three kids 🙂
Michelle S. says
Haha yes I think it would be difficult with children. There’d be no place for them!
Mrs. Frugalwoods says
I’m also fascinated by tiny homes and the tiny home movement (lately, Mr. Frugalwoods and I have been obsessively watching all these tiny home tours on You Tube…). But, I don’t think I could live in one–especially not now that we’re planning on having kids soon. I could perhaps see doing it as a single person, but with two adults, a big dog, and future kiddos… I don’t think it’s for me.
Michelle S. says
Same here. I agree!
jeri accardo says
I don’t think I could live in tiny home like that..because I have a 200lb dog….but…….It would be perfect to have on my property for the college student in the family!
Michelle S. says
Haha a 200 pound dog would take over the whole home!
Jason B says
There is no way I can live in a tiny house. I grew up with limited space. I don’t need a mansion but I definitely need more that 200 sq ft. My current apartment has 900 sq ft. Since I live by myself that’s fine, but in a year or two I will probably move. I want to eventually get a spot so that I can set up a home office.
Michelle S. says
Same here. I grew up in apartments so I don’t think I could go back to limited space.
Christina G. says
I think I like the idea of living in a tiny house more than I would actually living in it. I also wouldn’t want to draw attention to myself on the road. I’d probably opt for an RV instead. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle S. says
Thanks Christina!
Poor Student says
I don’t think I would want to live in such a small space. I don’t like big houses either though. I just want something that is big enough that everyone can have their personal space but not too big that it becomes a hassle to clean and makes not all rooms are used effectively. I’m still single now, so my small apartment is enough — but it’s even bigger than 200sqft — but later when I have a family I’d want to live in a house with bigger living space.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I want a comfortable middle as well 🙂
M.Clark says
You said you lives in a 200 square foot house while you were in college, and I think anyone can live in a 200 square foot place while in college, I think I could do it. The thing is that I would consider living in a 200 square foot area as temporary, I would not even consider living in a 200 square foot area on a permanent basis.
Michelle S. says
Yes, living in a 200 square foot place permanently would be very difficult I think as well.
Tony C says
Never in a million years can I imagine living in on 200sq. 200sq as a temporary place to for 1 person might be fine. Thing is, in college we had a common living room, so it wasn’t like we just lived on 200sq. I’d say that for 1 person to be comfortable he/she would need at least 800sq (a family of 4 with 2000sq).
Michelle S. says
Haha yes it would be hard!
Ben Luthi says
lol I like the “bring your house on vacation with you” pro. I would feel way too claustrophobic all the time. Definitely not worth it for me.
Michelle S. says
Haha yeah that was one of my favorites 🙂
Joe @ Budget Breakaway says
Great question! The ‘Guests’ con is often my weak point when it comes to choosing somewhere to live. But given we have guests round once or twice a month the benefit of a bigger place is rarely worth the extra cost!
Michelle S. says
Yes, we hardly have guests over, so I’m not sure why that’s even on my list haha!
Connie @ Savvy With Saving says
I live in about 700 sq ft right now. Not tiny by NYC standards but not a lot of space. I would totally be open to living in a tiny house in my 20s, I’m always out and about and rarely home. But I think once we start to settle down and think about having a family, we’ll want to get more space.
Michelle S. says
Yeah with a family I would want more space.
James Salmons says
There is such a thing as being too small I suspect and certainly to being too large because of the principle that stuff multiplies to fill the space available.
We have expanded until we have about 5,000 square feet on the main level and an equal amount of space in the basement as well as a 30 X 30 greenhouse/storage shed and it is all full. We have a lot of nice stuff, but as my dad always told me, everything you have is something else to fix or repair!
My thought, don’t crowd yourself, but don’t get more space than you need to be comfortable. It is too hard not to fill it up. We use our space for work as well as living and that makes a difference, but it is easy to have more than you need. It does detract from opportunities to live an enjoyable life.
Our space should be determined by what we want to do in life, not the other way around.
Michelle S. says
Wow 5,000 square feet is huge!
James Salmons says
Yes, indeed. Guess how long it takes to vacuum!
We built ourselves with a purpose in mind or it would not be so large. We have been doing foster care for over 30 years so we have lots of bedrooms, three baths, a large 16X24 sunroom in addition to our large living room, and more.
For fifteen years we did respite care for handicapped children and now almost 18 years we have senior adults. So we have four or five extra plates at meals requiring a large dining room and wide halls for those with wheelchairs. If it were just my wife and myself we would downsize (probably–I would hate to give up all my flower beds!).
Pauline says
I lived in 120 and 200sqft when I was in college and it was ok as most of the time it was just me. With a partner it gets crowded unless you have a big plot of land around. If I had a barbecue area to receive friends outside, and a hammock or some other space to relax out of the house, and the weather was ok most of the year, why not. In a cold climate it makes it harder to both stay in.
Michelle S. says
Yes, in a cold climate it would be much more difficult.
Michelle S. says
Good luck! 🙂
sandra says
i actually think i’d be too claustrophobic to live in such a small house
Michelle S. says
I agree.
Lisa E. @ Lisa vs. the Loans says
I love the idea of the Tiny House movement! I think it would be perfect as a starter home option. The biggest concern, for me at least, would be entertaining people. I love having people over, and having a tiny home just wouldn’t cut it.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I think it would be near impossible to have people over!
Amanda says
Nope… I couldn’t live in a space that small. I love the minimalism idea, but it’s too extreme for me! This would work great though for a cabin or cottage assuming there is a lot of outdoor space instead.
Michelle S. says
Yeah, if there was outdoor space it would be a little better 🙂
Marina says
My cottage is 340sqft, stylish and comfortable. While restoring the cottage I lived in a very small trailer, so moving into the cottage felt great to have so much space. Designing the cottage was quite difficult, as it’s long and narrow. I managed to fit in, bedroom, wet room, kitchen,living area and a mezzanine with a guest bed. Small,but everything I need to live a happy life.
Michelle S. says
Wow that’s awesome!
DC @ Young Adult Money says
I think tiny houses sometimes take downsizing too far. I saw a video of a guy showing his tiny home, and it seemed painfully minimalist. Even his bath tub/shower could barely fit him. I think there are some things to be said about having a smaller home, but it’s not what I’m looking for.
Michelle S. says
I agree. Most of the time they are just too small.
Randi C. says
Moving is a big deal, so I suggest you get a home that would work even if your family grows. A small house seems great, until you realize you need a step up and it is now possibly out of your reach.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I agree. They are best for people who know that their families won’t be getting any bigger.
Grayson @ Debt Roundup says
Wouldn’t do it! I don’t like being cramped and having a kid, it is nice to get away to another room and decompress. I don’t knock anyone else for doing it, but it wouldn’t happen here!
Judy Thomas says
I think it would depend on if I was alone or had my whole family with me 🙂 Alone I could probably do it but it could get crowded with a family .
Paula Ball says
I live on the Mississippi Gulf coast & lost my home in Katrina. Fema provided everyone with travel trailers & after two years they brought in the Katrina cottage that many people still live in today. I lived for over two years in the trailer & about the same in the cottage before my house was built. The travel trailer was fine but the cottage was poorly designed with no storage. Now that I am in a normal (1100 sq ft) house I miss the cozy feel & easy upkeep of the smaller places & if given the chance would definatly downsize. More time to be outside gardening, birdwatching, watching trees grow……
Paula Weintraut says
https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/ i voted Love your Blog
Diatta @ Femme Fitale Fit Club says
My home is 3,700 sq. ft. above ground and seriously ….I would have a hard time living in a smaller home.
Jolene @ Homespun Heritage says
We have seven children so going that small is not an option for us! We have a 1500 sq foot split level currently and the square footage works well but the layout stinks! I despise split level houses and we are hoping for an open floorplan with about the same square footage in our next abode. We prefer smaller bedrooms, one central play space, large living/dining/kitchen space….and more than one bathroom would be superb! I cannot imagine having more than one bathroom but I do dream about that! Somehow 9 people in this house works and we hardly ever have fights over the bathroom. Our children are learning the amazing lesson of patience!
Kayla @ Shoeaholicnomore says
I couldn’t live in one that small, but I am looking at a “cottage” built by a tiny house company for my next home. It is about 550 sq ft, which I think is a little more reasonable for me.
Elizabeth says
I’ve been watching the first season of Tiny House Nation and the homes and customized solutions for each family is fascinating. 200 sq/ft is just too small. I think the thing that may intrigue all of us is the idea of living simply, with small bills and being free of the binding of excess material goods. That same thing is what terrifies us – letting go of our stuff and doing without.
My husband says, why not just buy a pull- behind camper? Cheaper.
Staying in the house. 🙂
Just Plain Marie says
Well, there are 6 of us – two parents and four young children – and our place is 800 square feet. It’s too small, though. Since we’re very rural, we need to be able to stock up and have supplies on hand, and there’s just no room for it. Plus, the children don’t have enough room to play when the weather is bad, and all four children are currently sharing a bedroom.
We have blueprints for a new home – it’ll be 1800 square feet, which I think is reasonable for six people, especially as the children grow.
Heather says
Tiny houses fascinate me! I’m seriously considering it for the future, but right now I have a few too many pets, and like you said…you have to figure out where to put it. I like how efficiently the space is used and love the cozy feeling.
Amie George says
For me this is absolutely perfect. I love living simply and really don’t need too much besides the necessities. Once this kids are all grown up and it’s just me and my husband I want to do something like this.
Brittany Leffel says
Love that you decided to repost this! My boyfriend and I have recently looked into the decision to purchase a travel trailer and eventually travel the country by operating a website and finding workamping jobs. We’ve become obsessed with the show, Tiny House Hunters. It’s a great show that demonstrates the people who want to go tiny, and the reality of doing just that.
The crazy thing for us is- we have THREE DOGS, and one child. We’ve seen families of six go tiny, and think it’s achievable. With the right layout. So we’ve been looking into travel trailers that have the extra room with bunks so we can convert it.
Tiny house living is achievable! It’s all about your wants and needs, and the determination to be minimal.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, it’s possible! We RV full-time and have met a few RVing families.
Eva says
I currently live in a 225 square ft home.we have an upstairs thats also 225 square ft thats the bedroom for my husband and i with our two kids. My husband buit it from scratch. He has one friend that’s helping him put in the electric and plumbing, other than that he does it all on his own. We have A 15 month old and 3 month old. I love living this way. Less things= less stress for me 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Awesome! We live in an RV and love it 🙂
DNN says
I would definitely live in a tiny house while building my million-dollar side hustle online quietly from the ground floor up, because it’s just me living there and I wouldn’t be concerned with what people think about my living conditions. I be focused on building my business from the ground floor up to the intention of achieving the future status of “side hustle millionaire.”