Tiny Houses Aren’t Right For Everyone: And They Shouldn’t Be

Reset A− A+ Tiny House Blogger Ryan Mitchell recently posted an anti-tiny house article that appeared elsewhere on the World Wide Web.

His post specifically showcased the not only negative but often ignorant comments from that original article. He made the deliberate choice not to link to the original article, which was written with a tone of superiority and implied that tiny house builders are all just Unibombers waiting to happen.

Here is the thing that I think many people seem to forget: We aren’t part of a tiny house army intent on taking away everyone’s 1,000 or larger square foot homes and replacing them all with tiny structures.

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Why Tiny Homes ARE NOT For Everyone

I have often made the mistake of allowing negative online comments to get to me. After an interview with the Huffington Post I was shocked by the precise type of negative comments feeling many of them were misdirected at best. If someone doesn’t like what I am doing that’s one thing but when someone tells me I am doing it wrong its kind of another. No one can tell anyone that their experience is incorrect or invalid, yet we have a culture where countless internet trolls do just that. And yes, if I am going to be a blogger I need to have some pretty thick skin – but beneath my skin is a real human with real feelings and it is a constantly struggle not to let the bullies win.

So why do we keep allowing these individuals to have a voice in our community? In the world of instant internet communication there is no way to stop negative comments on our blogs. What we can control are our reactions.

Here is a key point the tiny house community needs to make: We believe that everyone should live the way that is most comfortable for them and that makes them happiest. We would like the same consideration back for our choices. Live deliberately and don’t harm anyone else in the process.

The tiny house movement does have something to offer. We can show people,  if they are willing to look beyond our ridiculously small houses, is how to simplify and downsize, spend less and save more money, and have a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. We also need to learn our audience. Not everyone is interested in these values and whether or not we think they should is kind of beside the point. It is all about targeting or even marketing. Who would be interested in these topics? College students? Alternative religious communities? Non-profit organizations?

I applaud Ryan for taking some time to bring this topic up on The Tiny Life. I do think we need to discuss not only why people write or say such negative things, but also how we react to them.

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As someone interested in alternative living, how do you choose to engage in the greater community? What things do you want people to know about the tiny house movement. In what ways can we make a real difference?

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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.

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