Tiny homes are enjoying unprecedented popularity, but they certainly aren’t for everyone. They offer unique advantages but have some limitations that can be a deal breaker for some. Here are some of the benefits of living in a tiny home as well as the limitations that you can expect.
Environmentally Friendly
One of the questions I get most often is how a tiny house differs from a mobile home and that’s a good question. The tiny house movement is meant to reduce our impact on the environment. That means not using chemical toilets or not hooking up to electrical systems in trailer parks. Most tiny homes come equipped with composting toilets or renewable energy sources. Even if they are hooked up to utilities, they are insulated to consume less energy energy, providing year-round living in any climate.
Living in a tiny home means your carbon footprint is vastly reduced. You’re not heating, cooling and maintaining large homes with sweeping lawns and the amount of resources you are using is, well, tiny. Living sustainably will lessen your impact on the environment and save you a bunch of money.
Costs
This is one of the biggest benefits of tiny houses. A tiny home costs less to buy and maintain than the average home or apartment. If you don’t have issues with small spaces, a tiny home is the right choice for you, according to Own It Detroit. Not only can you live mortgage free, but your property tax and maintenance charges are much lower too. If you have renewable energy, your costs are lower still. By slashing your monthly bills this much, you will be able to retire sooner or spend less time working. Fore people who want to retire, a tiny house is a great solution. Don’t worry, you can have a stairlift installed!
Space
This is one of the biggest limitations. When you live in a tiny house with someone else, you can’t go to another room and shut the door. You’re in the same room at all times which means you have to be a very considerate roommate.
Storage space is extremely limited, so no bulk shopping which increases your grocery bill and the amount of waste you produce. More trips to the store for food and other supplies will also increase costs and your carbon footprint.
On the plus side, you’re less likely to accumulate junk and you’ll have to cut down on shopping so that has a positive impact on your spending.
Mobility
Theoretically tiny houses can be moved from place to place. Practically, they aren’t mobile homes so they aren’t designed to withstand the rigors of travel. They can be moved from time to time, but you wouldn’t want to take a tiny house on a road trip. That being said, there are many tiny house owners who move their homes between a summer and winter location without any issues. Tiny houses are much heavier and you’ll have to take that into account when selecting a towing vehicle.
Administrative Issues
Not all municipalities allow tiny homes. Before you buy land or start planning, make sure you can put a tiny house on your property.
If you don’t have the money to buy a tiny house outright, procuring a mortgage can be tricky. Speak with your bank first when considering a tiny home purchase.
Laundry
I don’t like using a laundromat, so solving the laundry issue was huge for me. With very little space, getting a small washer is great, but there’s no space for a dryer. The washer/dryer combos aren’t that great on drying, so unless you live somewhere that you can hang your clothes out all year round, this issue can be a con.
Being Organized
If you are someone who is organized, you’ll love the minimalist life of the tiny home. If you’re not, it can be frustrating. There is storage, but it’s not easy to access. Cupboards under the stairs and under the sofa need a little effort to access. If you know exactly where something is, it’s not so bad, but if you have to look through all these hard-to-reach storage places every single time you need something, it can be quite annoying. Learning to be organized is a good skill to acquire, so this could be a benefit if you look at it the right way.