Living Tiny: Redefining the American dream.

It’s easy to get trapped in the never-ending grind of modern life. Go to school, get an apartment, get buried in loans, have kids, get married, buy a house- not necessarily in that order or quantity. The American McMansion Pleasantville dream isn’t as shiny now with crippling debt and the rising expenses of daily life. Sick of being swept up in the storm, it’s no surprise that there’s been a move towards a simpler life. From revamped shipping containers to trailer beds to small homes of the non mobile variety, the push towards a simpler life has gained some serious steam in the past few years.

After spending years chasing that unattainable dream, the idea of a 30 year mortgage has suddenly started to seem absurd. Beyond the fact that we have ridiculous school debt, the reality of living (and cleaning) a 3,000 sq ft house sound ridiculous. We’ve found that 1,000 sq ft is more than enough for our family of 3 and that has pushed me to really think about how small we could go. How much space and stuff do we really need?

As a kid, I loved my friend’s Barbie camper. I thought it was the coolest thing. And most of all I loved stocking it with the least amount of stuff possible. I would spend hours trying to figure out how to store exactly everything Barbie needed to enjoy her weekend in the woods. (This included a debate about whether the microwave was actually a cat carrier. What can I say, I was weird.) The tiny house movement has tapped in to that part of me I thought I had long forgotten, intertwined with my adult love of the outdoors and my desire to give the Geekling the best life possible. The ability to live small would theoretically free up money and time for life experiences that would prove invaluable.

The Husband and I have spent the past few months debating houses. We know we want something small. The idea of a true tiny house, built on a trailer bed, intrigues us, at least for the short-term. We’ve spent a long time looking through tiny house plans, both mobile and stationary. (Tumbleweed has some interesting options for both) We’ve debated the safety issues- mainly that a trailer bed tiny house may prove dangerous in tornado country. And we’ve experienced the social pressures that come along with an idea that to many seems insane. Land is an issue- it’s expensive and hard to determine where to build or park? Land prices can quickly eat up any savings, and we haven’t found a safe, appropriate place where a true tiny house could be parked and we would feel comfortable with the environment for the Geekling. Without a tiny house community nearby and the support and guidance of those who have already started on their tiny house adventure, it can be difficult to know the reality of it all.

So where does that bring us? We need your help! Anyone out there who has a connection in the tiny house community or information, I would love to hear it. We’re open to any and all suggestions and would love some guidance. Throw it at us, internet!!!!! Help us redefine our American dream.