What are tiny homes?
If you're looking to buy a home for the first time, and are considering a tiny house, it’s important to know what you're getting yourself into.
Tiny homes are primary dwellings on a small scale. A tiny home has an area of up to 540 square feet. It is ideally self-sustaining and used as a full-time home. A tiny home can also be a small dwelling built on a trailer.
Tiny homes still contain important home appliances like washing machines, fridges, and clothes dryers, but these are usually more compact and energy-efficient versions that can be easily integrated into small spaces.
Many people who align with the tiny homes trend have found solace in tiny home communities, where they congregate together and bond in their shared understanding of how to live. Some of these communities are simply residential, while many others double as eco-villages and vacation retreats.
Why tiny homes?
Tiny homes are gaining momentum as a popular way of living across the globe, and it’s no secret why. With roots in ancient ways of living, tiny homes are now a financial or aesthetic choice for many.
Financial need
The roots of the tiny house trend can be traced back to Mongolian yurts in 1000 BC. This way of living inspired the movement that has gained most of its popularity in the 21st century. Perhaps the flame that ignited the modern trend was the skyrocketing cost of living and housing prices across the US. As of 2021, 55% of tiny house owners have more savings than the average American. As the deposit on a regular-sized home is simply out of reach for many, tiny houses are an accessible alternative to owning a home.
A social movement
Beyond a practical sense and perhaps even more visible, the necessity of tiny houses for many people has made them a popular trend socially. Tiny homes have become part of a major social movement toward reducing environmental footprints and embracing minimalism. The philosophy speaks to being content with little and connecting to the true essence of living.
Tiny homes have also created an architectural movement that has arisen alongside their growing popularity with renowned architects beginning to focus on tiny home design.
As more people look to downsize, live simpler lives, and gain financial freedom to travel or enjoy life’s many small pleasures, the tiny home movement grows stronger than ever.
What is minimalism?
If minimalism had a motto, it would be “less is more” because it's all about working to minimize what we own. Minimalism focuses on simplicity, which means avoiding clutter and anything unnecessary for an elegant, functional way of life. It is both a concept that relates to many sub-sectors and a lifestyle in itself.
Typically linked to art and design, the minimalist movement began in the artistic world in the post-World War II era. An American movement, it originated in New York City and was defined by extreme simplicity and a literal nature. Since then, it has expanded to a style of decorating and living that avoids unnecessary decoration or clutter.
Minimalism has become popular recently due to shifts in millennials' ideals. Millennials, who are paving the way for the trend as a preferred way of living, have shifted their priorities from attaining material possessions to enjoying experiences. This desire comes from both economic necessity and environmental awareness of the effects of mass production and consumerism.
