The tiny house movement that has taken over Australia
- 05 July 2022
You might have heard talk of tiny houses more and more recently and are wondering what the modern movement towards tiny houses is all about. Or even what joining this tiny house trend looks like and if it’s worth all of the effort. This architectural and social movement is sweeping over the nation, promising and delivering a lifestyle so simple that you’ll find a renewed sense of tranquillity within the walls of your own home. With a recent trend in simple living and downsizing living spaces to only the essentials, the tiny house community is increasing in popularity daily.
Tiny house living is such a fun, unique and simple way to compress your current house completely, tiny house living is the perfect minimalist solution. It’s easy to see the appeal in transitioning into a tiny living space. Reducing your possessions and the clutter often found throughout your home, living more simply is certainly an attractive thought. Tiny house owners will be the first to tell you exactly how peaceful and calm you’ll feel once you’ve joined the tiny house nation.
What is a tiny house?
First things first, you might be wondering what exactly a tiny home is. You might also be confused with the size difference in comparison to an average-sized house you might see in the suburbs. These are great factors to question, and thankfully because the tiny house movement is our passion, we have the answers.
Whilst there is no clear-cut definition for tiny houses, it is typically thought of as a small house that is similar to a caravan in size but with additional amenities to make living in it more seamless. Tiny houses will generally fall into two categories – either they will be set on a solid foundation, or you’ll find that tiny houses may have wheels to make travelling around that much easier for tiny house owners. Perhaps the biggest defining feature of tiny homes is that they are usually independent structures.
The most important factor to note here is that tiny homes can appear in a range of different sizes, shapes and aesthetics, but one thing remains the same. A tiny house is exceptional at creating and delivering that minimalistic lifestyle that so many people seek.
What is the tiny house movement?
The tiny house movement is growing every day. Throughout the Sunshine Coast and the rest of Australia, more and more people are committing to changing their lifestyles by switching to tiny house living. The movement has grown so much, in fact, that it’s received international attention and has been showcased, looked at and made the focal point of many entertainment programs.
In fact, the tiny house movement has skyrocketed in the past few years, especially. In 2014, a show called Tiny House Nation aired on Netflix, and the rest is history. Tiny houses caught the world’s attention, and their popularity and interest grew on a global scale that hadn’t been seen before. This movement suddenly became something to be envied, a tiny life that people craved. Images of tiny houses that represented a minimalist lifestyle that was achievable all of a sudden were everywhere and for good reason.
The popularity of tiny houses is undeniable, and every person who’s learnt about the tiny house community has wondered, even for a brief moment, what that would look like. After all, these tiny houses seemingly present a path to a reduced environmental footprint, being able to achieve greater financial freedom, and live a tiny life where you can quite literally hit the road at any time and travel to your next destination. It all sounds incredibly appealing, and why wouldn’t it?
Becoming a part of the tiny house movement opens up a world of opportunities to create the life you’ve always dreamed of.
Why are people choosing the tiny life?
In this modern day and age, being able to intentionally strip back all of the clutter in your home is an incredibly attractive notion. It seems that there is a push for the “more is better” lifestyle, and maximalism remain a steadfast part of many people’s lives. But when the hustle and bustle of everyday life becomes too much, many people look for a better solution. One that enables them to experience calmness and peacefulness, with fewer distractions and business to occupy a home.
That’s where the tiny life comes in – offering the minimalist answer to all of those problems. There are so many reasons why people are actively seeking out the tiny house movement to join in and experience all of the advantages that come with this lifestyle.
The financial freedom
Perhaps the biggest reason why people choose to live a tiny life in their new tiny house is the financial aspect. There are definite savings when looking at a tiny house – the initial cost of the home being the most obvious. You can easily design and build your new tiny home for much less than the typical cost of a new average-sized house. What’s even better is that tiny homes are still designed and created to be as high quality as traditional homes, meaning that tiny houses won’t fall in a heap within a couple of years of being built properly.
Tiny houses also deliver quality financial savings in regards to the cost of daily living expenses, such as utilities. Because tiny homes are smaller, it’s generally acknowledged that all of your utility and maintenance bills will be smaller as well. When you aren’t living in a house that has, for example, five rooms and a kitchen all having the lights on at the same time, you can easily expect that your electricity bill will go down significantly.
Owning a tiny home also forces you only to buy what is absolutely essential. There’s less space to store anything, so every shopping spree has to be carefully considered otherwise, you run the risk of cluttering up your tiny house. Which, in a space the size of a tiny home, is definitely cautioned against.
Simplifying your life
Of course, achieving that simplistic lifestyle is significantly easier when living in tiny houses. You genuinely can’t clutter up the space, as there isn’t sufficient room, so it’s a necessity to keep all of your belongings and furniture as simple and minimal as possible. Building tiny houses and then living in them creates the opportunity to really simplify your life as much as possible.
Being intentional about your environmental impact
Nowadays, we are seeing more and more people take an active interest in how they can reduce their environmental footprint on the world around them. It’s a great movement and one that tiny houses contribute to. As mentioned above, because you’re using fewer utilities, you’re not only saving money, but you’re also having a lessened impact on the environment. You can even choose to go off-grid and reduce your footprint even more significantly by implementing features such as solar panels or wind power. There is an extensive range of environmental benefits that can be enjoyed when living in the tiny house movement.
Who can join the tiny house movement?
The short answer is that anyone and everyone can enjoy the benefits of living in tiny houses. As long as you understand the sacrifices you may have to make, such as reducing the number of items you own, you can enjoy all that tiny houses have to offer. However, it does seem to be that there are two main groups of people that are attracted to tiny house living – young people or couples who don’t have children and people who are beginning their retirement.
Younger people
Younger people who find themselves wanting to embrace living in tiny houses often have the flexibility to be able to make fast lifestyle changes. As you begin to have children or become more relied upon in your job, the harder it will be to pick up and change your lifestyle suddenly.
Retirees
Having worked hard all your life, the idea of relaxing and decluttering your life suddenly becomes incredibly appealing. No massive house bills, or unending chores around a huge house, tiny houses offer a laid-back lifestyle that allows you to reconnect with what’s important. That’s why people entering retirement seem to be more interested in the idea of living in tiny houses. After all, there are so many benefits to living in one.
How do I join in the tiny house movement?
Many people who’ve joined the tiny house movement have fully embraced their new lifestyle, allowing minimalism and simplicity to become their new guides. On the Sunshine Coast and around Australia, more and more people are finding their new homes in tiny houses and are living in bliss whilst being afforded the luxury of being able to pick up and leave at any moment.
After the pandemic particularly, there’s a renewed drive to reconnect with nature and escape the city. People are wanting to try new experiences and live their lives in the way that they dream, and for many, tiny houses are helping them to achieve just that. Living in a tiny house can bring a sense of coziness, comfort and warmth, which sounds like heaven.
To start your journey to living in your dream tiny house, get in touch with our team today, and we will happily chat with you to work out exactly what you’re looking for.
