If you’re on the fence about choosing to live tiny or not, this post may be able to help you in your decision! This could also be a good read if you’re just curious about the tiny lifestyle too ^_^.
When referring to living “tiny”, it is most in reference to living in a mobile home. This could be a motorhome, RV Trailer, customized Van, or a custom mobile home on a trailer bed. A small cabin or cottage would fit the description as well. Here is a list of some Pros and Cons that I have felt personally as a result of choosing to live tiny.
Pro: Freedom
You can start your day in one location, and travel somewhere new before heading to bed! When you live in a motorhome/van/tiny-home you have freedom in being able to choose where you want to live, work, or explore on any given day.
Life on wheels is highly flexible and liberating in this way. It also is an incredible opportunity to start an online job so you are able to work and travel at the same time.
Con: Mechanical Setbacks
If you live in an older motorhome like us, you are inevitably going to run into some mechanical issues. These can add up to bills and stress. However, everything is a learning opportunity, and I believe in having no regrets!
If you are mechanically inclined, then you don’t have a lot to worry about. Make sure to reach out for help when you need it.
Pro: Learning to Live Simply
When you live tiny, you get to experience a cleansing lifestyle change. It becomes clear what things in your life are important, and what is just clutter to be rid of.
This includes material items (100%), as well as relationships, jobs, insecurities, etc… It is empowering to be able to thrive with less! This also is a strong factor in bringing about peace of mind, which is priceless.
Con: Reduced Storage Space
This is a pro AND a con because as mentioned above, it is so healthy and amazing to learn how to live simply. However, if you are living in your tiny-home full time, it is difficult to carry a multi-season wardrobe on board for example.
You must be deliberate in what you choose to bring with you, and what gets left behind. If you are someone who doesn’t mind folding their clothes and making do without a proper dresser, then you’ll be just fine! hehe
Pro: Becoming a Home Owner
When you buy a motorhome like ours or transform your van into a home on wheels, you are now a homeowner. How cool is that? Every tiny square inch of your apartment on wheels is YOURS.
Rent is optional, and in theory, you can live for free anywhere where there is free parking. No strata fees, no overpriced rent fees, and no noisy neighbours. Also, did I mention that you can have a different view out your window every day? No apartment building can offer that!
Con: Wildlife Indoors
Mice will be one kind of wildlife that will be near impossible to avoid, as well as the typical critters such as spiders, flies, and ants.
If you can’t handle a little bit of nature finding its way inside your home now and then, maybe think hard before committing to tiny-living. It isn’t always for the faint of heart!
Pro: Everything You Need
Everything you could possibly need is about three to five steps away when you live on wheels. The things you need that come externally such as groceries become a great opportunity to go for a drive.
It is always a fun feeling when you are able to transfer heavy groceries directly from the store into your home that’s waiting moments away in the parking lot (#lifehack). Additionally, our motorhome supplies us with ample heating through our propane powered furnace, cooking options (stove, oven, kettle, etc…), a functioning washroom with shower, a loft bed, and juust enough space for a slow dance.
There is also a dining table and sofa to relax on too. I know of many #vanlifers who keep their pets with them while on the road as well! There is enough room for pets even in a tiny home if you designate the space for them.
Con: Counter Space
We are fortunate to have a nice amount of counter space in our home, however, finding a place for all of your items becomes more difficult as you accumulate things/mementos over time.
If you are considering the option of moving into a tiny home, keep in mind that you will need to be creative when finding enough counter space for various activities including cooking, baking, crafts, office work, etc. Staying organized is a constant battle when living small.
Pro: Individualization
Excluding the matter of budget, there are no limits to how you can decorate, redecorate, or renovate your home on wheels. Also, it is substantially cheaper than if you were trying to do the same to a regular sized house.
It takes a lot fewer resources (materials + finances) to renovate your tiny home, and there are NO RULES set by someone else that you must follow! Your home is truly your own, and you can alter it in any way you like at your own pace. What an exciting opportunity to express ourselves.
Con: Limited Resources (Depending)
If you are wanting to live fully off the grid, you’ll need to calculate roughly how much water you will need based on the length of your trip. Motorhomes and travel trailers come equipped with water-holding tanks for this very reason. If you are in the midst of a van conversion, you will need to install some kind of custom system.
When you live tiny (and remote), you learn to be frugal with your resources, especially water! For example, this could mean taking less frequent showers. A great way to reduce your grey water usage is to use a bucket in your sink while washing dishes. This way you are able to dump a large percentage of your grey water outside and avoid filling your tank too fast.
In our Class C motorhome, we are equipped with a water pump that utilizes the water in our holding tank, as well as the ability to hook up to an independent waterline. We are grateful for our flexibility in this area!
Pro: Community
As more and more people gravitate towards this lifestyle, a new community has emerged. Finding like-minded people or groups on social media and various websites has become increasingly easy for those of us who value the warmth of community.
It’s wonderful that life on wheels has the capacity for tranquil isolation, as well as building new and strong connections.
All in all, I and many others feel that living tiny has been the greatest lifestyle choice. A decision that has promoted having vigor for life, gratitude for the present, and contentment in all the little things.
A life of freedom comes with some quirks that you will learn to work through, because freedom to live is what life is all about. Let me know via the contact page if you have any other pros and cons of this lifestyle that I may have overlooked!
BONUS Pro: Greater Peace of Mind
When you choose to live tiny, it generally entails a shift away from big cities, steady wifi connections, and overflowing calendars. None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but sometimes it does us good to take a break from them.
Tiny living provides us with this break in the most liberating of ways. We are able to separate ourselves from the hustle of city life and relax into a lifestyle of living with less. However, life can always be busy when we allow it to be!
Tiny living only enhances our likelihood of moving away from the clatter of superfluous worries and tasks. It doesn’t guarantee that we actually will follow through. My main point is this: Peace of mind is best achieved when you are able to be content with less, not more.
When you choose to live tiny, you are embracing the challenge of what it means to be happy, successful, and content in this complex life. I wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors toward tiny living, or life in general!
Images borrowed from rawpixel.com
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