It’s been two months since we left our 250 square foot home. There have been lots of mixed feelings about the move and after two months of settling in, we have some surprising opinions.
At first…
When we moved our meager belongings from our tiny home into our new 1100 square foot apartment, we couldn’t imagine filling up the space. The apartment felt too roomy and awkward compared to the tight quarters we had gotten used to.
Then…
T
here was so much space it felt freeing. I could spread cooking a meal across abundant counter space. Dishes could be piled into the sink and left overnight if needed. We could do cartwheels in the living room!
And then…
We emptied our storage unit into the apartment and the rooms started to shrink. I immediately thought, “Why didn’t I get rid of this stuff?” There was barely anything that we unpacked that was needed. I came across more clothing that children grew out of (again!), toys and decorations nobody wanted anymore, way too many framed pictures and awards, and a few furniture items we probably should toss, but now use to store things we haven’t gotten rid of yet. I felt overwhelmed and back to where I started before our “tiny” adventure.
I reminded myself that I already reduced our possessions by 80%. It was time to do another round of “spring cleaning” and cut these items down by at least 50%. However, first we had to sort through them.
I unpacked the things I thought I wanted to keep and made places for them in the home. I stowed the rest of the items back in their boxes and tucked them away in a back corner. Out of sight…
By the end of the month…
Time has passed and we’re settling in. I haven’t had time and motivation to find new homes for our boxes of unwanted stuff so it sits there for now lingering in the back of my mind. When I do relax, I notice the items I wanted to keep just sitting around collecting dust. I’m really starting to wonder, “just how much do I need?” Apparently, when it comes to happiness you don’t need much. I decided to pare down the “keepers” after I empty our home of the already boxed storage items.
Dragging forward…
The bigger space comes with a bigger price tag. Clearly, living in a tiny home has spoiled me. I’m thinking of road trips and fun things to do with my family, but the commitments to work and bills gets in the way. I’m feeling like I’m spending too much money on housing already and it’s only been two months. This increases my motivation to get rid of “stuff” and revert back to Tiny Living.
Finding motivation…
The wheels are turning. I enjoy watching my dog chase his tail in the middle of the living room floor. It’s great to have room for guests when they visit. I love having a little more space in the kitchen for cooking and food storage. My son and I definitely need our own individual personal space. It’s definitely nice to keep books, photos, and mementos accessible. And, of course, enough room here and there to show off our artistic decorating approach. We would live well in a space between 400 and 750 square feet, so it’s time to design a tiny home that accomplishes all of these goals.
The light at the end of the tunnel…
Writing about Tiny Living has prompted me to do quite a bit of research on tiny homes. Our experience of living in a tiny house for six months has enabled us to truly see what we need. The next step is to design our own tiny home that fits all of our needs, yet stays within a budget that allows us to live fully and hopefully enjoy home ownership.
Input…
I would love to know what ideas you have on designing your own tiny home. What are the things you would consider in your design? Is there anything you must incorporate or couldn’t live without?
Start at the beginning… Tiny Living
So true … living tiny spoils you. Watching you design your tiny living area will be a great education for all of us!! Thanks for sharing your experiences!!
Thank you for the uplifting response! I can’t wait to begin!
Tiny living seems like the best thing, I find myself buying stuff and wondering why, then it gets put in the basement.
I’m writing about KonMari this week. Check out Marie Kondo! You’ll clear out that basement!
I’ve not lived in a tiny home, but I think I’d need some personal, alone space. That might not be a priority for you. Some people don’t like solitude. If it is, I’d encourage you to build that into your design.
Richard Yadon | http://www.RichardYadon.com
YES! Personal space is a definite priority and we will definitely be building some into our design. Personal space was one of the first things we noticed when we began our tiny home adventure. Our 250 sq. ft. home had a second floor (not a loft) and we wouldn’t have survived without it. I don’t know how families live in the same room like we often see in the media.