Tiny House Journey – July 2018 –
What are the cons of living in a Tiny House? I’m asked this question all of the time, and it has always been a difficult question for me to answer. Is my Tiny House perfect? Of course not! But I do love it, and I think I’ve also learned to love my home’s imperfections. Contrary to popular belief (on HGTV anyway), the tiny lifestyle isn’t always butterflies and ice cream. I get frustrated with my home. There have been moments when I wanted to move out. Sometimes I gaze longingly at my friend’s large apartment, with its modern kitchen and futuristic appliances (re: oven and dishwasher). These moments of doubt eventually pass, and I remember all of the benefits of Tiny House living. After I come back to my truth, I tell myself to stop complaining.
But, today I’m not going to do that. Today I’m going to complain, and you’re going to hear exactly what I don’t like about my house and my lifestyle. Are you ready for this? Because I’m serving you up a big slice of reality-check-pie! Here are my top 10 cons of Tiny House living.
1). Tiny Homes Get Dirty Really Quickly
Everyone always talks about how easy and fast it is to clean a Tiny House, but they don’t tell you that it’s even easier to get it totally filthy! I can turn my house from a sterile hospital room into a disgusting dumpster in a matter of seconds. One bowl of cereal falls off the counter… my house is a wreck. It’s laundry day and I’m hanging clothes inside to dry because it’s raining outdoors… total chaos. My dog roams in with muddy paws… game over. I feel like I’m constantly cleaning, and that’s a big con for me.
2). Explaining My Compost Toilet to Guests
Funny thing I’ve learned: adults do not enjoy being potty-trained. Unfortunately, every time I have a guest over I have to go through the awkward explanation of “how to pee and poo in my bathroom.” I’m sort of used to it by now, but I always get the same abashed look from my guests when they receive their toilet lesson…. especially when it’s a guy I’ve just started dating. I can imagine the story they will tell later…
“So I went over to her house and she instructed me that I had to sit to pee in her bathroom… weirdest date ever!”
3). Making the Bed in the Loft
I’m pretty sure I deserve an Olympic medal for making my bed every day in just 40 inches of space.
4). Smells
In a Tiny Space, it’s really difficult to avoid smells – good or bad. A single scented candle can be overwhelming. Opening the windows helps a bit, but some smells – such as burnt toast or a campfire – will imprint themselves on my curtains, clothes, and sheets for days on end.
One of my few dinner parties!
5). Ability to Have Guests Over
No matter what anyone tells you, there is a limit to the number of people you can have over in a Tiny House. I don’t have parties, and I rarely host dinners. I also have a hard time housing my friends or relatives when they come to visit, because they have to sleep on my futon couch and be “okay” with my compost toilet. Some people would consider this a good thing, but I enjoy company, so it’s on my list of cons.
6). Limited Wardrobe
Sometimes I really enjoy not having a lot of clothes, but there have been several occasions when I curse my tiny closet and the lack of contents within. For example, one summer I was invited to several weddings and I was photographed wearing the exact same thing to each and every one. It was embarrassing. I felt unfashionable and poor, and I’m neither of those things.
7). No Room to Grow
As I evolve in my life and I start to think about having children, I just don’t think I could do it in my current Tiny House. I know other Tiny Housers have children, but they carefully planned and designed their homes for that purpose. I was 27 when I built my house and it was designed for two people to travel. Things change. Life happens. In a regular foundation home, you could potentially expand. My house is limited by the size of my trailer.
8). Weight Limitations
Speaking of limitations, my house is restricted by weight, which is determined by the size of my axels. I can’t add a marble countertop or a tile bathroom to my house. I’m almost maxed out as it is! I have to think about every single item I bring in to my home. Often, when I’m deciding between two things I choose the one that weighs the least.
9). Parking & Insurance
Ah yes, one the biggest cons of the Tiny House movement. Overall I have been lucky in these areas, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t received an eviction or that I didn’t have to deal with a bad insurance agent in the past.
10). Judgy People
My least favorite thing about living tiny is that “normal” people will judge you. When you live alternatively, there is really no way to avoid the scrutiny of others. It’s something you deal with. I receive A LOT of criticism because I choose to share my life and experiences online. I’m broadcasting my life to the masses, and if they don’t like it, I hear about it. Normally I wouldn’t complain, but today I said I would… so I am!
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