Tiny House Living Expectations: Simplifying or Roughing it?

Reset A− A+ Tiny House Living Expectations: Simplifying or Roughing It? Article by Laura LaVoie

This post on the realities of tiny house living over at Trying on Tiny was brought to my attention. In it, Audrey mentions the unexpected things they’ve had to face since moving into their tiny house; and not all of them have been pleasant.

Audrey and Tomas chose to downsize their lives and hired a builder to construct their tiny house. Because of their lifestyle, they weren’t able to be with the builders on a regular basis and it wasn’t until they had their little house delivered to their doorstep that they realized that there were some things they hadn’t considered.

Audrey mentions some of the challenges that have come up including mold issues surrounding a leaky drain and chores they took for granted in their old life.

She calls her expectations something of a “Tiny House Fairy Tale.” Audrey had a perception that downsizing their lives and moving into a cute little house would solve all their problems not create new ones. She writes, “It’s simple to flush a toilet; it’s not as simple to carry a urine bucket outside and ‘fertilize the garden’.”

Matt and I had a bit of a different experience. Because we built the house on our own we were very aware of any issues that could arise such as mold. We chose not to add indoor plumbing or a built in stove eliminating issues surrounding those systems. However, I understand that not everyone who wants to experience tiny house living can go through this process. Since Matt and I “camped” on the land while we built the house we got quite use to living off the grid so moving into the house just felt like an extension of that.

This is why I think having an expansive online presence is so important for the tiny house community. Stories like Tomas and Audrey’s can go a long way to educating others about what tiny house living is really like. Some people, like Matt and I, offer the story of the building process and the living process. Other bloggers have their homes built, like Tammy and Logan, who were a big part of their own building process. These stories matter in our community because we can learn from each other.

What have you learned from living in a tiny house? What do you think tiny house living will be like? What are your expectations?

To receive more posts like this on tiny house living join our free tiny house newsletter!

Laura LaVoie is a writer who has been living off the grid in her own tiny house in the mountains of North Carolina. To learn more about her visit her blog.

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Laura LaVoie

Contributor and Tiny House Owner at 120SquareFeet.com

Laura M. LaVoie is a professional writer living in the mountains of North Carolina in a 120 Square Foot house with her partner and their hairless cat, Piglet. Laura graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Anthropology. She has been published in magazines and anthologies on the subjects of mythology and culture. She spent nearly 15 years in the temporary staffing industry before deciding to become a full time writer. Laura works closely with the Zulu Orphan Alliance volunteering her time and the skills she's learned building her own small house to build a shelter for orphans and other vulnerable children living near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Laura also enjoys simple living, brewing and drinking craft beer, and popular culture.

Latest posts by Laura LaVoie (see all)

• Top 5 Things to do on a Rainy Day in Your Tiny House - October 20, 2013
• Top 5 Reasons I Love My Tiny House in the Fall - September 24, 2013
• 3 Tips You Should Know Before Building From a Tiny House Builder - September 18, 2013