The tiny house trend is a social movement and everyone and their mother is jumping on the bandwagon. It’s all about, you guessed it, downsizing and living with (much) less…
As home prices and living costs in general keep increasing, many are living by the mantra of “less is more” and moving into very small spaces.
Although a small home is essential if you want to actually be a part of this trend, it’s about much more than where you live, and those of us who live in regular spaces can also learn some lessons from the tiny house movement.
So what is the tiny house movement?
Whether you choose to live in a built structure or a movable home (yes, we mean a mobile set up like a van or trailer), is up to you. And although that might not seem ideal to those currently living in large homes, there are definitely many advantages to downsizing. You’ll spend less money on home maintenance, you’ll have more freedom to move around, a lock-up-and-go setup is hassle free and, the best part, it’s beneficial for the environment and has loads of potential for environmentally friendly supplies.
We bet you’re wondering “just how small is small”, right? Well, think around 35-50 square meters and you have yourself a tiny house.
This is where the whole “less is more” line of thinking comes in: it’s all about quality over quantity
Less space means you’ll have to be more conscious about what you buy, because, let’s face it, there might just not be a spot for that coffee table you’ve been eyeing. This, of course, leads to less consumption, spending less cash on material items you don’t actually need and in essence having more of that cash to spend on experiences.
What about South Africa?
Although this trend hasn’t launched as widely in South Africa as in the USA and Europe, there are many who are embracing the benefits. Container homes and retail spaces are popping up everywhere and make a great alternative to expensive-to-construct buildings.
One South African has taken the tiny home trend to a whole new level. Garth Ensley is an artist who is living the sustainable life in the Garden Route. He’s passionate about the tiny house movement, lives in a mobile home and has his own YouTube channel documenting his lifestyle.
Another South African living in a tiny home is Cindy Alfino, a blogger who packed up her whole family (husband AND three kids) and is traveling the country in a camper van which will be their home for a year. You can follow Cindy’s adventures on Instagram
What do you think? The tiny home trend might not be for everyone, but it definitely has an appeal we can’t ignore. If you’d like to try your own tiny home, Umnyama Ikhaya converts shipping containers into eco-friendly, off-the-grid tiny homes!