Tiny Home adventures are about lifestyle choices and choosing the right setting for your home should be at the forefront of your decisions. When making the investment to relocate to a simpler lifestyle, consider your choices of landscape. Whether you prefer forest, beach, city or mountain, there’s a landscape that will help you achieve your goals.
Things to consider
- Work– Does your setting affect your work? Do you want to live in an area close to your job? Do you work from home and have a desired setting that motivates you?
Climate– Climate can play a big role in your lifestyle. Choosing a climate that better suits your personality or needs will improve your lifestyle. Do you like the four seasons? Does the heat of the summer exhaust or motivate you? Are you depressed in the cold winter or refreshed?- Accessibilty– Are you happier with the world at your fingertips? Or would you prefer to be hard to find? Some of us are more self sustaining than others. Some of us enjoy social settings and entertainment more than others.
Property– Tiny homes come in just as many varieties as any other home. Would you like a small manicured yard or would you prefer to live in the city? Your property can be an inspiration to your work creativity or a perk for your downtime.- Personal Needs– Different settings will have different effects. Which one will better suit your lifestyle needs? Would you prefer a setting that increases your oxygen and reduces stress? How about a setting that lets you connect with nature or one that socially connects you in the “city that never sleeps”?
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Mobility– Let’s not forget the growing RV population! How can we not include these as tiny homes?! I have met many retired couples that escaped the high cost of living (and property taxes!) by selling their homes. Investing in an RV allowed them to enjoy their lives by saving money and traveling. The country is filled with facilities that accommodate RV’s allowing anyone to travel long stretches or stay long term. One of the most interesting abilities in this choice was the freedom to visit family members anywhere in the country. This is especially important with families becoming so divided and spread out throughout the fifty states.
Our Choice
We were looking for…
- a home within a 30-40 minute work commute
- a good public school district
- decent accessibility to stores and restaurants (20-30 minutes)
- privacy- enough distance from town that we didn’t get surprise visitors
- relaxation- a view from the windows that would promote relaxation
- preference- the water is always a preference in our family, the closer to the ocean and the beach, the better
We found a quaint tiny home on the bay in a suburb on Long Island. Our adorable beach cottage is in an active neighborhood, but because it is located at a dead end street at the bottom of some stairs we don’t get unplanned visitors. Our drive to the nearest store is about 20 minutes since we are at the end of our neighborhood. The nearest town is very active so mass transportation is nearby with the railroad only 20 minutes away. I work locally which makes my commute no longer than 25 minutes. This home was a terrific find. Real estate on Long Island, especially Suffolk County, especially by the water is exorbitant! We were fortunate to strike a deal, but to be honest, I don’t know if we had much competition. Tiny living hasn’t hit this area of “bigger is better” yet.
The peaceful setting of our tiny home was a good choice. We love the water and find it very invigorating. There’s plenty of quiet (with the exception of nature sounds) so I can relax and do work from home when needed. The bay has been a terrific place for my son to hang out with his friends. They even found a swimming nook with a footbridge to jump off of. There’s always a nice breeze to keep things cool and our home is pretty shaded with the rainforest-type conditions on the North Shore. This home is a good fit!
What type of setting would you choose?
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