Everything I love about tiny living
The benefits of downsizing
Hi lovely reader 👋
First of all, if you're new here, my name is Sophie. I’m on a journey to slow down, reconnect with nature, and live more intentionally. After moving off-grid, I’m sharing lessons on rewilding, simplicity, and finding balance in a busy world, without any of the fluff.
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I was scrolling through housing ads at the weekend, as I often do. It’s a bit of a pastime, something fun to do, see what’s out there. As I was scrolling, I came across this romantic-looking Tudor-style villa. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms. High ceilings, big bright rooms, dark wooden beams, combined with white stucco panels. It was stunning.
“Look at this beautiful place,” I told my husband.
“Oh, let’s buy it, let’s live maxi. No more tiny house living,” he said without missing a beat.
For a second, we dream: I could have a library filled with books, he could have a computer room. We could have a bedroom that doesn’t double as a living room. A big spacious kitchen for all my kitchen appliances. I bet this villa would have enough electricity to run a toaster. So many possibilities.
But then, instantly, we’re reminded: what would we even do with all those rooms?
“Can you think of all the cleaning?” I say.
“Can you imagine if something breaks down?” he says, “Imagine if you need a new roof, or new electrical wiring.”
No, tiny house living is where it’s at for us.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about the downsides of downsizing. And it’s true that tiny living isn’t all rainbows and unicorns; it’s good to be aware of the downsides. But truth is, I wouldn’t trade my tiny house for anything, not even a Tudor-style villa. I love small spaces, I love having everything in one place, I love the convenience, I love that I can pick up my house and go if I ever need to. So, let me highlight all the benefits of living tiny for you here.
1. Less overwhelm
I’ve done the always ‘on’ life, with its constant input and constant distractions. Been there, done that. With tiny living, there's no room (literally) for clutter or chaos. There’s no room for overwhelm. Everything you bring into the house, everything you do, has to be an intentional choice. And while that can be difficult at times, it’s also truly liberating. It’s about simplicity. There’s no need to consume, there’s no need to buy more decorations for your house — there’s no room for any of that.
2. We’re in it together
No separate wings of a mansion for us. Imagine being in a house so big you never had to see each other. Imagine how lonely that would be, knowing there’s someone else home, but they’re in a completely different part of the house and you could spend an entire evening not seeing or speaking to each other. That just seems odd to me. No, I’m quite happy with our intimate spaces. It’s an invitation to spend intentional time together.
3. It aligns with my values
Depending on the building style and the exact set-up of your tiny house, this one could be debatable. For us, our tiny house has a smaller ecological footprint, and many tiny homes are similar in this regard. There are more options to reduce the footprint, to really think about how we fit in with our environment. Whether it’s the building materials used (a lot of recycled materials for us) or whether it’s hooked up to rainwater and solar panels. All these options enable us to have a home that has less of an impact on our environment, and additionally allow us to live more in line with the natural elements.
4. Nature as an extra space
Because the house is just not that big, we’re automatically forced outside. Added bonus of having your toilet outside, and you find yourself in the fresh air several times a day. This set-up, which is often unique to a tiny home, really encourages us to go outside and to see nature as our ‘bonus room’. Instead of reading a book on the couch, I’ll read it outside. Instead of watching TV, I’ll go outside, observe the birds and make up entire stories about them. Instead of making dinner inside, I’ll make it outside on the BBQ. There are so many small ways in which nature has become part of our everyday routine and it’s helped me get my daily dose of sunlight.
5. Maintenance is minimal
Going back to the Tudor-style villa: imagine all the cleaning I would have to do. Last thing I want to do is spend my weekends dusting rooms, tidying up different spaces, cleaning dozens of windows. That is just not how I envision my life. I’d rather spend my time doing other things, like writing, spending time outdoors or just doing nothing at all. Living tiny includes the gift of time, time not spent on doing household tasks. Vacuuming the house takes about five minutes and tidying up is done in minutes as well — it’s so easy to keep on top off the household.
Of course, it needs to be said that some of these things are made easier, or more difficult, due to the fact that our tiny house is also off the grid. Off the grid living, for example, comes with its own maintenance issues, but it also significantly reduces our environmental footprint. It’s all about balance. In essence, living tiny has allowed me to find a home where I can be myself, where I can simply live without worrying about too many other things, and where I can slow down and relax. I’ve lived in many other houses, including a cool beach house, but I can honestly say that tiny living has been the best choice for me.
Something that inspired me this week:
I finally finished Brene Brown’s classic self-help book The Gifts of Imperfection. A few years back I had listened to the podcast episodes about this book, but I never really took the time to read the actual book.
gave me the perfect opportunity with her readalong over on her Substack Humans Leading. Over the course of a few weeks she condensed the core ideas of the book down into easy to read chapters and it inspired me to finally pick up the book (in audio format). The ten guideposts Brene outlines in her book ring so true to me and very much align with all the things I want to cultivate in my own life, like authenticity, creativity and stillness.
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