What Is The Tiny House Movement?
It actually is a movement first of all. So many people are tired of maintaining larger homes and spaces these days. Downsizing is a new buzzword that you see in lists of trends, books and self-help videos. Americans have accumulated so much stuff and now have become overwhelmed with it all. As the pendulum swings back the other way, the house movement is picking up steam.
Tiny houses, small houses or micro housing are just some of the terms used to define these little spaces that people are now wanting to live in. I first became a fan when I saw a documentary called Tiny, a short film about a couple that builds a tiny little home. The movie shows the couple as they plan and then build the structure. These little homes are perfect for many people. People who live in an area where housing costs are super high might consider a tiny house that can fit in the back yard of a friend who has space. Other people might just want the freedom that a little house provides. You can't collect anything extra when you live in such a small space. Every single item you bring inside with you has to have a real purpose. That can be very freeing for many people who are currently hoarding too much stuff that they will never really need.
Sustainability is a big reason that people are jumping on the micro housing bandwagon. Shipping containers are sometimes recycled into homes. These might seem large to those who like to build their own home on a flatbed trailer. Whatever the shell or platform, many builders like to scour salvage yards and home donation stores to find inexpensive items to use in their micro house. These places will often have things like doors, moldings, sinks and windows for sale at a very low price.
Today I made a visit to the MicroDwelling exhibit at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix to see a selection of small homes and structures that people have built and live in. The exhibit was outdoors of course and it was interesting to see the ten little structures and get a real idea of how people can actually live like this. Several of the buildings were just for this exhibit I think but a few of them looked like they actually had residents. One had a TV hanging on the wall. I thought the spaces were all unique and it was great to see the ingenious use of every inch of storage.
If you're familiar with the show "Portlandia" you'll like this little skit about tiny houses on YouTube.
This is a funny take on the real-life idea of tiny houses. Can most people live like this? I doubt it but it is a growing movement and should be investigated by those who really desire to downsize their lives as well as their housing budgets. In the "Tiny" documentary, the couple builds their little dwelling on a flatbed trailer making it very portable. They end up parking the house on a pice of land near Hartsel, Colorado. Therein lies the rub. Hartsel, Colorado is really booniesville! If you know the TV show "South Park," its not far from Hartsel. Christopher Smith is the builder of the tiny house and lives there part-time. He and Merete Mueller designed and built the house and enjoy the time that they get to spend there. Hartsel isn't a glamorous spot but the wide open spaces make land inexpensive and the mountain views are spectacular. Winter weather extremes might prohibit them from really enjoying full time living in the house but it certainly could be done. It's funny that we think these tiny houses are so extreme but the miners that lived in the Colorado mountains in the 1800's were probably the first "tiny house" dwellers as were the plains Indians who lived in teepee structures. Really they had everything they needed back then so why can't we do it now? There are many blogs and resources talking about the micro housing movement. Click here to learn more about Christopher and Merete's life in their little home.
If these tiny homes are too extreme for you, check out the list below of slightly larger homes for sale in Scottsdale. Most people could never live in a home under 130 square feet but they can certainly live in something that is 900-1600 square feet. We have lots of great properties for sale in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas that work great for those who are ready to downsize their life and keep the luxury amenities such as clubhouses, pools and golf. Contact me to take a look and see what you think.
