We recently attended a tiny house festival where the idea of simpler living in a small, efficient space is embraced whole-heartedly. We decided to learn a bit more about this lifestyle and found that it’s more than just living in a small home, it’s a complete mindset change. And before you think this is something only the Millennials are doing, think again, even the Baby Boomers are jumping on board with the Small Home Movement.
The thought of living in a tiny house is difficult for most people, especially those of us who are used to living in a spacious home. Just as a comparison, the average American home has around 2600 square feet and tiny houses range between 100 – 400 square feet. People who join this growing movement have a variety of reasons, including environmental and financial concerns, wanting more free time, less worries, and no clutter.
Tiny houses aren’t just a young persons solution to owning an affordable home. Many Millennials find the mortgages of average houses in the USA out of their budget range, the mortgage of a tiny house is more agreeable, leaving room to pay on other bills such as groceries and student loans. And what some people find surprising is that 2 out of 5 tiny home owners are over 50 years of age. Some Baby Boomers may find living in a large house after their children have left to be too much so tiny houses help with ‘empty nest’ syndrome.
Tiny homes are considered green homes, meaning they use less energy, produce less waste, and consume less resources. All this helps to reduce the owner’s carbon footprint which helps the environment. Additionally, lowering utility bills and using less resources has a positive effect on the owner’s bank account. Owner’s of tiny homes have seen an increase in savings which also allows for investment in better quality products to make the tiny home even more efficient. When it comes time to replace the existing windows, consider installing Renewal by AndersenⓇ replacement windows made with FibrexⓇ.
Most people feel like they spend too much time cleaning and picking up clutter. In a tiny home, cleaning goes much faster. The smaller space can be tidied up much faster and also doesn’t allow for the owner to collect knickknacks which eliminates clutter. Less clutter equals less cleaning, less cleaning equals more time for leisure activities.
