Tiny house, big idea: the paradox of the sustainable living movement
Winter Fashion
Written by cjhammon in Life in Yesterday's Clothes
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Have you ever thought about how much time you spend just taking care of your stuff? Cleaning it, fixing it, insuring it, keeping utilities (or gas) in it or just putting it away after you use it?
Then there’s all the time you spend shopping and wishing for new stuff that goes with the stuff you already have. If you’re like me, sometimes you have so much stuff that you have to donate the older stuff to make room for the newer stuff. And, of course, there are the countless hours you spend working to make the money that buys all this stuff.
I never realized how much stuff I had until I traveled abroad and saw how simply people in other countries live. Weekend junkets where we have stayed in old cottages with no closets or storage also remind me of all my stuff. The people who once lived there probably had two or three changes of clothes–one for school, one for work and one for church.
A few months ago, I felt brave when I committed to limiting most of my purchases to used or DIY clothes–a great move toward a more sustainable way of life. But that’s not good enough, especially if I ever hope to fit in my dream home. Which is. A Very. Tiny. House. Between 130 and 554 square feet to be exact.
Here’s the cool thing about these homes: you can choose between a mobile option or one that sits on a permanent foundation. Since I work virtually, how cool would it be to haul a mobile version to different locales a few times a year? Or simply to try the permanent version as a weekend getaway on a lake somewhere?
This summer I’m attending a Tumbleweed Tiny House workshop where you can learn how to build a tiny house yourself. Meanwhile, I find myself more attached to my stuff than I ever realized as I try to picture giving things away. And rationalizing. I thought, “Hey, we’re not getting rid of our current house, so I wouldn’t really have to part with my things.”
This is the whole paradox of the sustainable living movement, isn’t it? Often, we’re ill-prepared to make truly revolutionary changes. We want to hang on to our old lifestyle while pretending to live differently. Some people, like Jay Shafer, the owner of Tumbleweed Tiny House, have found a sort of middle way by renting out their original home and living in a tiny house.
What do you think? Could you ever live in a house this small? Do you think a fashion nut like me could ever part with most of her clothes and accessories to live this small? Which would you choose–a mobile small house or one on a permanent foundation?
9 comments
April 24, 2013 at 10:03 am
I have been a fan of these tiny houses for years although I still haven’t built myself one that tiny. I did make a huge change in our lives two years ago when we sold our huge house in Texas and moved home to our family farm in Mississippi. We built a small house that has no mortgage! We got rid of useless things and downsized considerably.Life is simpler. And happier than ever.
April 24, 2013 at 11:23 am
We live in 874 sq. ft. and have pared down considerably from life in the 3000 sq. ft. home era. Even though we go through our closets at least twice a year, and I have made a serious commitment to e-books over purchasing first editions and collectibles, we still have a lot of stuff (notably, I have a lot of stuff.) I submit though that there is an “attitude of possession” that can dictate how you relate to your stuff. Several years ago when I was newly single, I was blessed through the generosity of friends to live in several different places until I was ready for a place of my own again (6 addresses in 2 years.) Traveling light was the order of the day, and having come through a divorce where one party was reluctant to part with anything, I had that moment of clarity in which I realized it really is JUST STUFF. It’s amazing how much simpler life became when I let go of the need to own things, how much easier it became to focus on what is truly important in life without the distraction of
the drive for acquiring possessions.
Does that mean I don’t enjoy my stuff? No, I enjoy it mightily. I am a woman with 150 plus pairs of shoes! But it doesn’t rule my life because it is not what makes my life meaningful. God, family, friends. They transcend any closet and unlike physical possessions that are only temporary, they are lasting and travel with me where ever I find myself. I am so appreciative of the lessons learned from starting over. That “reboot” was life changing, and knowing I can start over with little or nothing is incredibly freeing.
So I don’t know that I would choose to live in 200 sq. ft., but I wouldn’t let my stuff stand in the way if that was a choice that had to be made. 🙂
April 24, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Linda, wow is that ever a testimonial to the merits of this idea. As one of your personal friends, I’m the beneficiary of your well-ordered life. I look forward to seeing you next weekend! It’s going to be a great time!
April 24, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Thanks for an encouraging story from the other side! I’ve got some real work to do, but it sounds like it’s really worth it. Thanks, Julie!
April 24, 2013 at 5:11 pm
My dream house is a 350 to 500 foot cabin with solar power and a garden. Call me hippie trash all ya want, I just don’t really see why people need more than that. Living with only the things you truly need and that truly make you happy, and being more self-reliant for food needs, is downright revolutionary and honestly it’s becoming just more and more necessary.
April 24, 2013 at 8:15 pm
I am very much looking forward to seeing you and hoping we can look at another possible dinner/movie outing. 🙂
April 25, 2013 at 11:08 am
Coming from an Northeast, urban area (I’ve lived in my neighborhood of Boston for nearly 20 years), most houses are smaller than the sprawling Mc Mansions of the ‘burbs. (The show House Hunters makes me so crazy at times…the same $300K that purchases a 3500sf home in Texas, will get you an 800sf condo in a 1900s triple decker, with on street parking in my ‘hood. If you’re lucky.) So I look at Tumbleweed homes with a different perspective, I suppose. I happen to rent a gorgeous, old apartment, and have about 1200sf, and my stuff still overflows their containers. I desperately need to clean out my closets and make some serious decisions and just get rid of some stuff, but I am definitely nostalgic about my stuff and have a hard time letting go.
However, I know I’ll most likely buy one of those 800sf places eventually and have to cull some of the stuff I have overflowing my 1200 sf. 🙂
April 26, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Very thought provoking post. It really does make us realize how much ‘stuff’ we really do have. I adore the tiny house but I don’t think I could do this, I simply enjoy entertaining my friends and family way too much to leave them out. This is truly the only reason I enjoy a larger or roomier home. All items inside are just that ‘stuff’ and I could give them away if I needed to. I just wouldn’t give away my friends and family.
May 10, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Recently made the same decision,to scale back ,let go of stuff. Glad I stopped by again today. Yes, I dream and I am committed to adopting a minimalist lifestyle. See my living with Lee blog posts. Love what you do here. Thank you.