There seems to be a growing trend lately in people paring down their possessions in an effort to simplify and minimalism. Maybe it was the recession {Or maybe it’s always been there and I am just slow on the uptake? Totally possible.}, but lots of people seem to be tired of the rat race, where stuff owns them and not the other way around. Have you noticed this?
In addition to owning less, I’ve seen “tiny” houses more and more in a lot of my magazines and articles I stumble onto. I have to admit, I kind of like the idea of simplifying life. Stuff takes time to organize and maintain. Don’t get me wrong, some stuff–the stuff that really gets used and enhances life is awesome, but how much is enough? A couple of days ago, I found this article in the New York Times about a woman, Dee Williams, who sold her 3 bedroom home in Portland, built herself a TINY 84 square feet house {which is parked in the backyard of a friend} and pared down all of her personal belongings to 305. 305 items! Mind blown.
Her decision to change her life so drastically came after she received a diagnosis of congestive heart failure {don’t it always seem to go that you don’t make the bravest, boldest decisions until you’re faced with your own humanity?}. A 30 year mortgage seemed like a waste of time and resources to her, so after reading an article about tiny houses, she set out to build one for herself. The house runs on solar power, doesn’t have running water, a fridge or stove, but does have a propane one burner to cook on {this is totally the extreme of paring down, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t do it}. Now 10 years later, she’s written a book, detailing her experience.
Ms. William’s tiny house obviously is doable because she is just one woman. It would be pretty darn miserable to do this with a family, but still, it does beg the question, how much stuff do we really need to be happy? Any minimalists out there who have a count on their belongings?
~Mavis
The Big tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir
Cheryl says
I have a friend who did this last summer in preparation of going on the mission field. He limited himself and family to 100 items apiece- and that included clothing. He was able to load his iPad with all of his music and books and still count as one item. An IPad is easier to pack than a shelf of books or CDs . He and his family were able to move from their large suburbia house to a small apartment in Turkey with just a couple of trunks.
Mavis Butterfield says
Pretty awesome if you ask me. 🙂
R bennett says
I love the minimalist idea behind the tiny houses. My only problem with them, is that they are always parked on somebody else’s lot, using their electricity and water. I think if you really want to have that big of an impact on your on life, you shouldn’t be utilizing somebody else’s stuff and should be totally self contained.
marko99 says
It does seem that these trailer houses generally need to leech off others – if not for electricity, then for water and parking space. Would like to see more ways to implement (i.e. retrofit) the solar energy savings for those of us who like to live more conventionally, yet still save the environment.
Susan says
Agree!!
Cathy says
She could have gotten a trailer they come in all sizes , and saved money,plus buying a used one would be a wise way to recycle.
There is a group of women who go Glamping , who buy older tear drop or airstream trailers and glamping them up. Or Add frills.
Not that she didn’t do a good job. It just looks like a wooden trailer.
Claire Bacon says
I saw Dee Willams’ book the other day on FB and was so intrigued to read her story, I just had to buy the book. Now
I have more stuff! Lol
Seriously, looking forward to reading it.
Debbie says
It’s appealing, but no running water is a deal breaker for me. lol
Joni says
I admire what this woman is doing but I would need running water.
Diana says
I’m so inspired by these stories. While others draw their ‘dream house’ plans, I draw up little cabin plans. Then I start listing the few amenities I would need. Things like running water, a microwave, and safety/security seem essential. I also agree with what R Bennett implies above, that freeloading isn’t an option. That means having a plot of land…and taking care of it. And then there are housing codes and zoning ordinances virtually everywhere, that must be complied with. And what to do for a mailing and delivery address for items that can’t be delivered virtually. In the end, it would be a complicated transition to tiny house living, and that is all in addition to the process of actually culling and purging the material possessions. Yet it is still my dream.
Laura says
I never use my microwave! I have a small cast iron pan that fits into my toaster oven so everything I either heat up on the stove in a small pot or in that pan in the toaster oven. Although I bet I could easily heat it up on the stove as well. I find food also tastes much better that way and stays warm for longer. One day I dream of having a wood stove I can heat everything up on (and in).
Diana says
Interesting thoughts about the microwave and the wood stove. I have an antique wood stove from a log cabin in my house. It is something I enjoy ‘messing with’ on winter weekends, but I haven’t figured out how to effectively make it a more useful part of my daily routine.
coleen says
Wow! I would love to be able to live like that, but I’m attached to all my stuff…. LOL
Colleen says
I’d like to be a minimalist like that, but I’m afraid I’m kind of a maximalist.
Nancy says
The Tiny house movement is a very interesting concept to follow and one I have followed for a number of years and contrary to what many of your followers seem to believe- those who chose to live in a tiny house usually do not usually leech off of someone else. They pay rent to the property owner for water, electricity, etc. to park in their yard and are usually required to meet specific codes within the city; pay rent to park on a property to the property owner and many times have their own solar power, rain water collections systems, etc. Because their living expenses are less they can choose how they spend their time – working to build funds for a “normal” house or doing whatever they want. I would not like to live in a Tiny house as I am not a minimalist but reducing my carbon footprint is important to me and providing for my needs requires less income when I am less dependent upon others to provide the food and products that I buy. I am working at getting debt free which will free me to not work so much and provide for my needs.
Mavis, you are trying to save $ and improve your family’s diet by growing your vegetables, having chickens, etc. You are trying to improve your family’s life and these people within the Tiny house movement are doing the same thing just a bit different than you and I.
Wendy says
I am currently looking for plans to build my own small house on my sons block. I have been following Tiny Houses through an Australian site for awhile and although I do not think I can go tiny I have been looking at plans to build a small house on my sons block. I am in the process of deciding what I cannot leave behind, it is hard with so many years worth of treasures, but I keep thinking this would all go when I died, and my children would be the ones to have to clear it all. With this thought it is making it easier. Best Wishes Wendy
Staci says
I used to have a lot of “collections”. I loved things. Something changed for me about 9 years ago and both my husband and I {me more than he} decided we wanted to pare down things and spend more time on life and experiences. We bought an 1100 square foot 149 year old farmhouse and taught ourselves not only how to have less things but to live homemade as well. It’s been challenging, I’m not going to lie, but so worth it. I don’t, however, know how much smaller I could go. Not because of things but, rather, because of space. It’s a very cold winter and hot and humid summer here in the Northeast, so we do spend a good amount of time indoors during extreme temps and I’ve just got to have space. I understand the desire, though, to not spend so much on housing including upkeep and monthly bills, just don’t think I could go that extreme myself. 🙂
Amy W says
Be mindful in your own way, but be mindful of the impact your lifestyle choices have on your future self.
Jessica says
There are five of us in 950 sq. feet, we have a love-hate relationship with our house.
Pros: it takes less time to clean, takes fifteen minutes to have the living room tidy if you in a pinch
makes you more aware of what’ you have, I trained myself to stop buying junk, for myself and my family.
cheaper utility bills, sooo much cheaper to heat than a big house.
you become more organized, a place for everything and everything in it’s place
Cons: you have to clean up a lot, really, a lot, I have pets and kids so, EVERYDAY!
makes you aware of what you have, we have to purge our house twice a year just to make sure we don’t start looking like an episode of Hoarders.
it’s hard to be alone, with the small space I really don’t have a place to escape.
Right now it the pros outweigh the cons, it works for us. In the future I know we will need more space.
Stephanie says
Similar here…1026 sq ft for 4 people plus a large dog. We decided to add to our family and have another child about 18mths ago. This meant 2 kids in a small bedroom and utilizing every nook and cranny possible to store our stuff. But in the long run, I feel fortunate. 1000 sq ft is alot compared to other parts of our country and world. We have no debt (other than mortgage), we are healthy and happy!
Christina says
I can totally relate. Seven of us in a 1500sq ft house. And all the kids are still little. Imagine how much more space they’ll take up when they’re bigger! But it is better, and I try not to complain since so many in the world live with significantly less.
OneHundredDollarsAMonth.com says
Awesome attitude!
Christina says
So glad you posted this. I would love to be able to do something similar to this, but with a family of seven it would be hard. I suppose having a 1500 sq ft house with 7 living would be similar in comparison, each of us having 214sq ft. We could always pare down our possessions. It’s hard though with my husband being so attached to stuff!