Tiny Homes – Inspiration

Green Inspiration from Tiny Homes!

Tiny homes are always popular – but apart from looking at the really nice ones, how many people would really, truly live in one? Full-time , I mean.

I’ve wondered about that.

I see plenty of people who have tiny homes – but as a second home or a holiday home or cabin the woods.

Well, that’s nice, but it’s not reducing their carbon footprint.

So I’m always interested in people who have gone green and downsized, and live in tiny homes permanently.

It saves a HUGE amount of money, and tiny houses are kind to the planet too – less resources to make, very little energy to heat and cool, and of course, easier to maintain than a large house.

So, have a look at this video where the owner shows off her absolutely gorgeous tiny home (you’ll love it!), and then read below to find out what really struck me about it.

I like that the owner mentions right up front that you need to be clever with the design and layout of tiny homes – you’ve got to make every inch count. and as the video progresses, you see some of the innovative measures she’s used, such as clever, multi-purpose furniture.

An advantage of tiny homes that isn’t often discussed is that, because they are small, you often have a choice as to which way the home faces (this may not be possible with a normal-sized house on a small plot of land).

Siting tiny homes in the best position for your local area means you can take advantage of passive heating and cooling – in her case, her tiny home faces South. She gets sunlight all day in her main living space, without heat gain.

I love that she doesn’t waste water, and that her used water has helped to create her idyllic surroundings.

And oh, don’t you love the idea of watching the birds and looking at the stars as you fall asleep!

But most of all, I appreciate Vina’s comments about working so hard to pay for a big house (together with a big car or cars, big screen TVs, gadgets and more) – when it’s really family, and quality time that’s more important.

And to me, that identifies what green living is all about.

I used to work for a large corporation, and yes, the money was great. But I’m so much more content now that I’ve downsized and live a simpler life. (But no, I’m not (yet)  in a tiny home, just a small one!).

If you want the details, Vina’s house is just 140 square feet (about 13 square metres),  has one bedroom and 1 bathroom, and cost  $40,000. It’s in Ojai, California. You can read more about it here at Houzz.

For even more inspiration, have a look at my Tiny Homes board on Pinterest – what’s nice is that it’s not just pictures of gorgeous tiny homes, there are also lots of ideas for small space living and clever storage.

Warm regards

How can you downsize – even if it’s simply de-cluttering, or deciding not to work so hard for more “stuff” to fill your home. Or have you already downsized? Let me know in the Comments below. 

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