One of my favourite TV programs at the moment is “Tiny House Hunters” on 9Life (channel 94).
Each episode, the hunt is on to help a particular individual or couple find a “tiny house” that is perfect for their needs and budget. Most of the homes are not much bigger than a caravan!
Maybe one of the reasons I am so addicted, is because I know what it’s like to live in a tiny house …
In 2001, we put all our worldly goods in storage, rented out our house, and travelled Australia in a caravan. You don’t get much tinier than that!
Only a couple of years later we came across this little cottage, in one of the most prestigious streets in our area. You know what they say: “location, location, location” – it was sited on a large block of land (1200m2) that backed onto Moreton Bay!
And so we decided to buy it, with an eye to investment and future subdivision potential.
Could You Live in a Tiny House?!
After our caravanning experience, I knew we could handle tiny house living, and we were prepared to make the sacrifice for our “nest egg”. Besides, I figured that at least my new tiny house had an indoor bathroom and a dishwasher!
It was so rundown, most people would have demolished it there and then. Instead, we did just enough to make it more charming than chook house – paint (my favourite aqua of course!), carpet, new lino and bathroom vanity, some overhead cupboards in the kitchen – and moved in.
At about 7 squares (I’m not so great with measurements so I will need to confirm this with the hubster) – including the patio – our tiny house was home sweet home to our family of four, for just over five years.
10 Benefits of Living in a Tiny House
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in a tiny house, there were some surprising benefits ….
- We had to de-clutter big time!
- Once you plugged it in, you could vacuum the whole house from one power point.
- One air conditioner installed in the lounge room window, both cooled and heated the entire house easily.
- Of course this meant cheaper power bills 🙂 .
- If we wanted to play music, you could hear it easily throughout the whole house.
- Less to clean – and when we did, it took no time at all!
- Each evening, we gathered as a family in the lounge room to relax and/or watch TV. It was great for fostering quality time and togetherness!
- We had to learn to share and work in with each other – particularly when it came to the one bathroom, which also housed the toilet …
- Having so little space indoors, meant we spent a lot more time enjoying the great outdoors!
- Miss 19 recalls enjoying having such a unique home, and the fact that lack of space meant she had to have a loft bed with a play space underneath 🙂 .
Although we mostly enjoyed our time living in a tiny house, I was very happy to move into a standard lowset brick and tile house when our youngest turned 13. One with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, walk in wardrobe, media room and double garage.
The thought of sharing one tiny bathroom with not one, but TWO teenagers, was certainly a big incentive to move on!
Have you ever lived in a tiny house? Are you as fascinated by them as I am?!