The 11 Best Tiny Home Kits That Won’t Break The Bank

March 11, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

Do you fancy slow living and getting closer to nature? Perhaps you’d like to try tiny home living. The nomadic lifestyle will inspire you to travel to places and embrace a minimalist way of life. Tiny homes are practically space-saving and eco-friendly.

If you think the tiny house living is so far out of reach, then you’re wrong. Building your tiny house is within reach, thanks to tiny home kits that are widely available. These kits are affordable and require little or no construction experience.

As long as you follow the manual and have the right tools, raising your own tiny home should be dead simple.

Check out the 11 best tiny home kits we’ve gathered below. You can thank us later.

7 Best Tiny Home Kits in Amazon

You can buy almost everything on Amazon: toilet paper, sneakers, bags, and even a new house. Yes, Amazon has it all. Amazon has a selection of tiny homes, from glasshouses to sleek solar-powered studious to expandable dwellings.

The online shopping hotspot also has tiny house kits that come with a complete step-by-step instruction along with all the necessary materials.

Sunset Log Cabin Kit

Manufactured by: BZBCabinsAndOUtdoors

The inside of this tiny home is just 162 square feet, but make no mistake, this dwelling might be small, but it has big potential. It comes with double pane real glass doors and windows and offers a porch just waiting to be filled with cushioned chairs.

This cabin is perfect for tiny house aspirants who want to get close with nature.

Price: >$9,000

Features:

Inside size: 162 square feet; Wall logs: 2-¾” (70mm)
Inside dimension: 14’4” x 11’4”; Wall height: 7’1”
Double pane real glass doors and windows

Check it out on Amazon.

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Allwood Dreamcatcher

Manufactured by: Allwood

Isn’t it cute to live in a high-quality spruce wood tiny home with an impressive French door to welcome your guests? Allwood Dreamcatcher is the best choice if you want a tiny house with extra space for your hobby or as a family guest house.

What’s more, the assembly of this tiny home only takes about 10 hours for two adults. It doesn’t require many tools, and it comes with step-by-step instructions.

You can also add canopy roof storage.

Price: >$10,000

Features:

French door: 66-15/16” x 71-11/16”; Window (2x) 46-⅞” x 34-¼”
Inside size: 14’4” x 14’4”
Inside floor area: 205 square feet
Terrace size: 14’7” x 6’7”
Durable and slow-gown Nordic spruce
Wall thickness: 1-¾ (44mm)
Height overall: 10’8”

Check it out on Amazon.

Allwood Bella Cabin Kit

Manufactured by: Allwood

tiny home kits — Image source: Allwood Outlet

Bella Cabin Kit is another masterpiece from Allwood. It’s made from high-quality Nordic wood for guaranteed durability and aesthetics. It’s quick to assemble; two adults can build this tiny home for only 16 hours.

Price: >$17,000

Features:

Doors: Exterior (2): 62-⅛” x 76–⅛”; Interior (1) 32-½” x 78-⅛”
Windows: Front: 36” x 36”; Back: 54-⅛” x 36”; Left: 27-⅝” x 46-⅞”; Right: 21-¾” x 68”
Snow load capacity: 46 lbs/sq ft
Wall thickness: 2-¾” (70mm) – dual T7G wind block pattern
Ridge height: 12’8”; Back wall height: 8”
Functional floor plan: 324 square feet (237 sq. ft. downstairs + 86 sq. ft. loft)

Check it out on Ama z on.

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Timber Frame Post and Beam Vermont Cottage

Manufactured by: Jamaica Cottage Shop, Inc.

Does living in a little cottage sound dreamy to you? You can turn that into a reality by purchasing the Timber Vermont Cottage. The cozy wooden structure has a 240-square-foot first-floor space, 80-square-foot porch, and 96-square-foot loft spaces.

It also comes with windows with screens, so that no bugs can enter your home. The kit also includes a thick pine door, corrugated metal roof, and all the necessary hardware.

Price: >$12,500

Features:

Comes with post and beam framing built of Eastern White Pine Siding and Rough Sawn Hemlock
Kit includes all lumber, fixed window and fastening hardware, single pine door, and 29 gauge corrugated metal roofing
16’ Gable-end; 20’ bearing wall
4 x 16 porch; 8 x 16 loft; and 16 x 16 interior space
Dimension: 240 x 192 x 186 inches
Assembly is approximately 40 hours for two adults
Weight: 9,900 lbs.

Check it out on Amazon.

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Allwood Solvalla Studio Cabin Kit – tiny home kits

Manufactured by: Allwood

Getting a tiny home is within reach with Allwood Solvalla Studio Cabin Kit. Not only is this home kit affordable (costs about $7000 only), but it’s the perfect studio cabin for those who just want an extra one-room escape to relax and wind down.

The tiny home includes glass windows to welcome natural light to enter the room. It also boasts a porch perfect for early morning coffee and reading.

Price: >$6,900

Features:

Inside floor area: 172 square feet
Wall thickness: 13/16” (21 mm)
Assembly time is approximately 8 hours for two adults
Ideal guest house, home office, or backyard recreation lounge

Check it out on Amazon.

Allwood Arlanda XXL Tiny Home Kits

Manufactured by: Allwood

When it comes to tiny houses, Allwood really knows how to play the game. The Allwood Arlanda features a 273-square-foot living space, which makes for a perfect studio cabin. This tiny house is suitable for environments where the cabin style homes do not fit.

The contemporary urban style will surely lure the millennials to downsize and admire the tiny house living.

Price: >$10,000

Features:

Total floor area: 273 square feet
Floor area: 238 square feet
Front height of structure: 8’6”; Back height of structure: 8’7”
Floorboards: ¾”; Roof/ceiling boards: ¾”
Roof pitch: 2 degrees
Door (1): 37-¾” x 75-¾”
Windows (4): 25-9/16” x 67-⅝”
Wall thickness: ¾” (19mm)

Check it out on Amazon.

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Allwood Mayflower Garden House – tiny home kits

Manufactured by: Allwood

The Mayflower Garden House is a fancy tiny house on wheels. But make no mistake, the wheels are not the typical ones you see on mobile tiny homes. This Garden House uses wheels like the wagons that were used to journey out west.

Made from high-quality Nordic wood, Allwood Mayflower Garden House is a place to zen out, do painting, and welcome your visitors.

Price: >$7,000

Features:

Outside dimension: 7’11” wide x 15’9” long
Total floor area: 117 square feet
A no-wheel variant is also available
Wall studs: 1-¾” x 1-¾”
Wall sliding: ¾”
Roof arches: Glue laminated 1-¾” x 23-⅝”
Wall height: 6’3”; Ridge height: 7’10”
Floorboards: ¾”; Roof/ceiling boards: ¾”
Double door (1): 47-⅛” x 72-⅞”
Dual-pane glass windows (2): 23-⅝” x 63-⅛”

Note: the wheels are for decorative purposes only. This cabin cannot be moved.

Check it out on Amazon.

The 4 Best Tiny Home Kits From 84 Lumber

Imagine being able to buy a tiny home kit at your local hardware store… well, not you can do that if you live near 84 Lumber. This home improvement store has a line of tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) that you could construct yourself or buy them assembled already.

The company has four THOWs available: (1) Roving, (2) Degsy, (3) Shonsie, and (4) Countryside.

Roving Tiny Home Kit

Live big in a small house. Roving from 84 Lumber features a 154-square-feet living space with an intricately crafted walnut stained vaulted ceiling. It also comes with an accent wall and barn door for privacy.

And the kitchen? Stunning! It features a butcher-block countertop outfitted with a stainless-steel sink and a smooth electric cooktop surface.

Price:

Trailer and plans: $6,884
Shell, trailer, and plans: $19,884
Fully outfitted: $49,884

Specifications:

Living space: 154 square feet
1 loft bedroom
1 bath
Exterior: 6’-10” x 16’-4”
Porch: 6’10” x 3’-0”

Features:

Walnut-stained vaulted ceiling
Custom-designed barn door
Fire extinguisher included
Upstairs loft bedroom with a full-sized bed, windows, and lighting
Energy-saving LED lighting
Dual-split HVAC system
Tankless water heater
Closet
USB outlet, and more.

Bath:

Composting toilet
Full-sized shower unit
Exhaust fan

For full specifications, visit 84tinyliving.com.

Degsy Tiny Home Kit

If you prefer a single-level tiny home with contemporary style, then Degsy is the best choice. It features robust and smooth-lapping siding, which makes the exterior a truly wonderful piece. This tiny house on a steel trailer has all the good things so you can zip the road safely.

Some of the key features of this modern tiny house are the oversized windows that let natural light fills the room, a larger bathroom, HVAC, and additional storage.

The high ceiling and beautiful floor will impress you and your guests. The French closet doors and sliding pocket door for the bathroom are an eye-catcher. Inside the toilet are built-in shelves to keep your toiletries, a hand-held showerhead, and a vessel sink.

Whether you’re off-grid or on the grid, Degsy is the way to go.

Pricing:

Trailer and plans: $6,884
Shell, trailer, and plans: $24,884
Fully outfitted: $69,884

Specifications:

Floor space: 160 square feet
Two bedrooms
One bath
Exterior: 7’-5” x 19’-2”

Amenities:

Walnut floors
Dual-split HVAC
Fire extinguisher
36-gallon freshwater tank
Tankless Energy Star water heater
USB outlets, and more.

Master bedroom:

French closet
Queen-sized mattress

Bath:

Composting toilet
Medicine cabinet with mirror
Vanity
Full-sized shower stall

To check the full specifications, visit 84tinyliving.com.

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Shonsie Tiny Home Kit

The cottage-style Shonsie is an exquisite home feature a picturesque front porch, interior and exterior for expensive aesthetics, elegant red metal roof, and beautiful polymer composite siding. The sliding glass patio doors give you a clear view of the outside while making your home extravagantly stunning.

This tiny home includes rafter ceiling, a striking red epoxy floor, a rolling library ladder, and a folding dining table you can easily stow away for more space.

It also features an elegant kitchen with a solid-surface countertop, classic designer faucet, a stainless sink, an electric cooktop, and a ceiling storage compartment.

If striking red isn’t your liking, you can opt for the gleaming blue for more elegant feels.

Pricing:

Trailer and plans: $6,884
Shell, trailer, and plans: $22,884
Fully outfitted: $59,884

Specifications:

Floor space: 154 square feet
52 square feet loft
One bedroom in the loft
One bath
Exterior: 6’-10” x 16’-4”
Porch: 6’-10” x 3’-0”

Amenities:

Exposed rafter ceiling
Custom-designed sliding door
Loft storage compartment
Fire extinguisher
Energy-saving LED lighting
30-gallon freshwater storage tank
Tankless water heater
Dual-split HVAC system

Kitchen:

Butcher block countertop
Smooth surface electric cooktop
Designer faucet
Energy-star refrigerator
Folding dining table
A fold-down storage area in the ceiling

Bath:

Composting toilet
Exhaust fan
Full-sized shower

To see the full specifications and features, visit 84tinyliving.com.

Countryside Tiny Home Kit

Spacious, rustic, and refined, Countryside is beyond compare. What makes this tiny house a step higher than the others is that it has extra storage, bamboo flooring, and a permanent staircase that will escort you to the roomy sleeping loft.

The kitchen in Countryside brags a custom butcher block countertop, raised bar for dining or working, electric cook-top, and an Energy Star refrigerator.

Meanwhile, the bath features a distinctive vanity that boasts nothing but rustic charm.

Pricing:

Trailer and plans: $6,884
Shell, trailer, and plans: $31,884
Fully outfitted: $79,884

Specifications:

Living space: 203 square feet
Main space: 150 square feet
Loft: 53 square feet
One bedroom in the loft
One bath
Exterior: 8’-3” x 23’-3”
Storage: 8’-0” x 3’-6”

Amenities:

Bamboo floor
Upstairs loft bedroom with a full-sized bed, windows, and lighting
USB outlets
Fire extinguisher
Energy-saving LED lighting
Tankless water heater
Day bed with storage
36-gallon freshwater storage tank

Kitchen:

Butcher block countertop
Energy Star refrigerator
Smooth surface induction cooktop
Stainless steel fridge
Two upper cabinets
Designer faucet

Bath:

Composting toilet
Full-sized shower
Exhaust fan
Vanity with sink

To see the complete specifications and features, visit 84tinyliving.com.

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As you may have noticed, 84 Lumber has different pricing. The semi-DIY package (which consists of the shell, trailer, and plans) is the best choice if you want 84 Lumber to help you with the heavy tasks, like framing the structure.

If you prefer building the tiny house yourself, you can opt for the cheaper option (which starts at $6,884). This kit includes the building plans, a materials list, a trailer for towing, and technical support.

For those who want a move-in ready tiny home, they can choose the fully outfitted option.

84 Lumber offers financing to help you make your dream tiny house come true.

Other Tiny Home Kits

Shelter in a Day

Shelter in a Day offers safe and secure tiny homes for those who are displaced by natural disasters. They are also for those who are looking to downsize.

Their tiny homes are robustly constructed and are rust-, termite-, and rot-resistant. The tiny houses are crafted from recycled, waterproof wood fiber material. You can build the shelters within a day, even without tools or electricity, thanks to their patented Tool Free Joint.

Pricing: $4,999*

* Tax and shipping are not included.

Features:

144 square feet home, 12’ x 12’ design
Tool Free Joint tiny home; no skills, electricity, or tools needed for assembly
Constructed with precision cut components
Made from waterproof recycled MDF (Medium-density fiberboard)
Choice of one or two lockable doors
Four screened and lockable windows
Screened air vents

If you wish to expand your Shelter in a Day home, you can purchase the extension kit for only $950 for every 4-foot increment.

Keep in mind that you will need a solid foundation to build this tiny shelter.

Visit the official website of Shelter in a Day for more information.

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses

This company offers a wide variety of tiny houses and tiny home kits. To help tiny house aspirants get to know how it feels to live small, Tumbleweed offers tiny house hotels, so that potential customers could try tiny house living before making big decisions.

They also let you design your tiny home. The price of a custom-design tiny house depends on how you would create it. You can choose from four of their models: Cypress, Elm, Farallon, and Roanoke.

Each model has different shells. Adding more house features will cost extra. They also offer financing.

Tumbleweed Models:

Elm – available in three variants: 26’ Equator, 30’ Equator, and 30’ Alta.

Elm 26’ Equator Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 1 + 2 in loft
Main floor – 204 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Elm 30’ Equator Key Features:

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 1 + 2 in loft
Main floor – 259 square feet
Dry weight – ~14,500 pounds

Elm 30’ Alta Key Features

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in loft
Main floor – 259 square feet
Dry weight – ~14,500 pounds

Cypress – available in five variants: 20’ Overlook, 26’ Equator, 26’ Horizon, 30’ Alta, and 30’ Equator

Cypress 20’ Overlook Key Features:

Length – 20’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 2 in the loft
Main floor – 164 square feet
Dry weight – ~9,500 pounds

Cypress 26’ Equator Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 1 + 2 in the loft
Main floor – 215 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Cypress 26’ Horizon Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 2 in the loft
Main floor – 215 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Cypress 30’ Alta Key Features:

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Main floor – 249 square feet
Dry weight – ~14,500 pounds

Cypress 30’ Equator:

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’5”
Sleeps – 1 + 2 in the loft
Main floor – 249 square feet
Dry weight – ~14,500 pounds

Farallon – available in four variants: 26’ Vista L1, 26’ Alta L1, 26’ Pacific L1, and 30’ Alta L1

Farallon 26’ Vista L1 Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Main floor – 183 square feet
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Farallon 26’ Alta L1 Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Main floor – 183 square feet
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Farallon 30’ Alta L1 Key Features:

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Main floor – 212 square feet
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Farallon Pacific L1 Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Main floor – 183 square feet
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Roanoke – available in four variants: 20’ Clear SL, 26’ Pacific L1, 26’ Alta L1, and 30’ Alta L1.

Roanoke 20’ Clear SL Key Features:

Length – 20’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Sleeps – 2 downstairs
Main floor – 139 square feet
Dry weight – ~9,000 pounds

Roanoke 26’ Pacific L1 Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Sleeps – 2 in the loft
Main floor – 184 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Roanoke 26’ Alta L1 Key Features:

Length – 26’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Main floor – 184 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

Roanoke 30’ Alta L1 Key Features:

Length – 30’
Width – 8’6”
Height – 13’4”
Sleeps – 2 + 2 in the loft
Main floor – 213 square feet
Dry weight – ~12,000 pounds

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Tiny Heirloom – tiny home kits

Tiny Heirloom is one of the leading companies that specialize in custom tiny homes. For them, living in a tiny house doesn’t mean you can’t live luxuriously big with a small carbon footprint.

The company offers tiny home kits that include the trailer and shells of your preferred tiny home model. To help tiny house aspirants make no mistake (which sometimes could be costly), they offer pre-built and even pre-loved tiny homes.

DIY packages from Tiny Heirloom start at $15,000.

Jamaica Cottage Shop

This company specializes in cabins, storage, garden, and tiny living. They offer a tiny house on wheels which you can order fully assembled or as tiny home kits.

Building the tiny houses is easy as all materials in the precut kit are color-coded, part numbered, and stacked in order. Jamaica Cottage Shop offers financing terms, so that you can build your dream tiny house without hurting the bank.

The tiny house on wheels starts at $9,198.00. Installment plans are available for as low as $297 per month.

If you want a charming little cabin, you can opt for the Potting Fort. It could be a backyard retreat, bunkhouse, or hideaway. You can purchase it fully assembled or as a complete precut kit.

Final Takeaway

Tiny house living is within reach. They are way more affordable than traditional homes. Another great thing about tiny homes is that you can build them yourself. As outlined in this article, you can buy tiny home kits that won’t break the bank.

Building a traditional house could take weeks, even months. But with tiny home kits, you can have your house standing tall and proud within a day or two. Most tiny home kits don’t require professional construction skills, tools, or electricity.

How Much Electricity Do Tiny Homes Use?

February 16, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

When it comes to finding a new home, it’s not only the size and location that we need to consider. These days, power consumption has become an important factor to include in the checklist, especially that the electricity rate is increasing.

Regarding tiny homes, you’re confident that no matter how you power your house, you’ll consume far less electricity than big, traditional houses.

The structure of tiny homes is intended to limit your power consumption. And because you have limited space in your house, you will likely use fewer appliances and utilities.

However, just because you live in a tiny house doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be using too much electricity. Your power consumption will depend on several factors: (1) the size of your home and household, (2) the quantity and quality of the appliances you have, (3) and how frequently you use your household items.

Logically, the more appliances you have at home, the bigger your power consumption will be. And big power consumption means a high electricity bill. And you don’t want that, especially if you’re living on a budget or off the grid.

How Much Electricity Do Tiny Homes Use: Your Power Consumption

Living in a tiny home doesn’t exempt you from a high electricity bill. Several factors can impact your power consumption. It’s essential to take note of these factors so you’ll know what to do to save energy or at least lower your utility bill.

The Size of Your Tiny House

The size of your home matters when it comes to your power consumption.

Nowadays, people build bigger and bigger homes. According to the latest data, the average family house in the US has been steadily increasing in size—from 2,057 square feet in the year 2000 to 2,386 square feet in the year 2018.

A large, spacious house is good. For the most part, big families prefer capacious homes. But large houses pose a lot of concerns, high utility bills included.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, the average annual consumption of a US residential utility in 2018 was 10,972kWh. That’s about 914kWh per month.

The bigger the house, the higher the electricity bill will be. Likewise, the tinier the home, the lower the utility bill will be.

A tiny house is… you know… little. The average size of tiny homes is 120 square feet (8 x 20 ft). Because you have limited space, you have the notion of avoiding using high-powered appliances.

Your Household Items

Household items can impact your power consumption.

When it comes to appliances, the size doesn’t really matter. A small machine doesn’t always mean less energy. A conventional blender, for example, uses 500 watts, while a powerful blender uses a blasting 1500 watts.

A window air conditioner uses somewhere between 500 to 1500 watts (depending on the brand, make, and size). Using it for 8 hours is equal to 8,000Wh (or 8kWh).

Let’s say the price of electricity in your state is 16 cents per kilowatt-hour. If you use your air conditioner 8 hours a day for 30 days, it will cost you about $40.

The price may be higher if you use your air conditioner longer than 8 hours in a day. The price will also vary depending on the rate of electricity in your locality. Same goes for electric heating, you can find the best electric heater and calculate how much power it consumes.

The Price of Electricity

The rate of electricity varies from state to state. According to the EIA, the average electricity rate for residential houses is 12.89 cents per kWh. Below is a table that shows the average price of electricity in different states per kWh.

8 cents per kWh

Idaho

North Dakota

Washington

Arkansas

Utah

Louisiana

Wyoming

9 cents per kWh

South Dakota

Nebraska

Kentucky

West Virginia

Oklahoma

Oregon

Montana

Missouri

Tennessee

10 cents per kWh

Indiana

North Carolina

Mississippi

Iowa

Kansas

Virginia

New Mexico

Minnesota

11 cents per kWh

South Carolina

Arizona

Georgia

Alabama

Colorado

Ohio

Texas

Illinois

Florida

Nevada

13 cents per kWh

Michigan

Wisconsin

Pennsylvania

Maryland

District of Columbia

Delaware

14 cents per kWh

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

15 cents per kWh

California

Maine

16 cents per kWh

Vermont

New Jersey

New Hampshire

17 cents per kWh

Alaska

18 cents per kWh

Connecticut

New York

33 cents per kWh

Hawaii

Take note, the rate of electricity may change from time to time.

The Size of Household

The size of your household can also impact your power consumption. This means the number of people living in your tiny house will determine the number and intensity of use of appliances.

For example, the more people there are in your home, the more intensity needed by your air conditioning or space heating to maintain a specific temperature.

The Outside Temperature

The outside temperature can also affect the intensity of use of air conditioning or space heating.

During the hot summer season, you might use your air conditioner longer than you usually do. And chances are you probably will adjust the air conditioner to the lowest temperature to give you that cool breeze.

Likewise, in the winter season, you might use your space heater longer than usual. A space heater uses somewhere between 600 to 1,500 watts (depending on the intensity).

The Amount of Time Spent Outside the Household

The longer you are outside your tiny house, the lesser you are to use your appliances. But then again, this will be primarily determined by the size of your family.

The Different Types of Energy for Tiny Homes

The type of energy you use for your tiny home also plays a vital role in determining how much power you consume and, radically, how much you will spend for it.

If you build your tiny home on an affixed land, you can easily connect it to an electrical grid. Or you can lease or buy a property that already has a power source. It’s best to talk with your town to get more information about hooking up to a power line.

Using alternative power source shouldn’t be a problem anymore if you’re living on a stationary home unless if you decide to use it to save money, get that off-the-grid vibe, or have a power backup.

Fuel Power

Many tiny house dwellers choose fuel and hot water tanks to power up appliances. Some use some variation of propane, while others prefer other options.

Tiny house owners who promote greener lifestyle like using reused oils, albeit it’s harder to come by.

If you wish to use clean oil to power your tiny home, you will need to have a reliable supplier.

Solar Power

tiny house solar panels — Solar panels for tiny houses

When it comes to power, we can always rely on Mr. Sun. His intense heat can be used to power up your tiny home (even big ones).

Using solar power doesn’t necessarily mean you need to fit solar panels to your roof. You can start small by finding household items that can run on solar energy.

Using solar energy for a tiny house on wheels can be quite a challenge. Your mobile home should always have a clear view of the sun for most of the day.

But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Some solar panels can generate power even on cloudy and rainy days, albeit expensive.

External Generators

If you want to live off the grid, then we recommend using external generators as your power source.

Fortunately, there are lots of generators in the market. These generators are the same generators that you can use to power an RV.

You can use gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity, and even propane to fuel these generators.

For external generators, we recommend Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240,

Getting Off-The-Grid

One way to determine how much electricity your tiny home will use is to jot down the appliances you use and how much power they need.

Check out the table below:

(Note: we’ve added our product recommendations, make sure to check them out.)

Household Item	Watts	Quantity	Usage (in hours on each day)	The energy in watt-hours
Led Lights	6	4	5	120
Cellphone	5	3	3	45
Laptop	42	2	9	756
Internet Router	6	1	24	144
Energy-efficient fridge	83	1	24	1992
Space heater	1000	1	8	8000
Conventional blender	500	1	0.09	45
Table fan	55	2	4	440
Window air conditioner	1000	1	8	8000
Total watt-hours per day				19542
Total watt-hours per month				586260
Total kilowatt-hour				586.26

Formula = (watts x usage in hours) x quantity = total watt-hour

This is just to give you an idea of how much electricity a tiny house uses. In actuality, your power consumption will vary in several factors, as discussed above. The appliances, number of occupants, outside temperature, the intensity of use, and the price of electricity largely impact your electricity bill.

Going back to the example we have above, if, for example, you live in Alabama (11 cents per kWh), you’ll pay $64 for your electricity bill per month.

If you think that’s too much, then you can reduce your power consumption by following the tips we’ve listed below.

How to Save Even More Power

The tiny house movement leads you to an environmentally-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. The tiny lifestyle allows you to live off the grid and use energy efficiently!

The great news is that there’s a lot that you can do to save even more power. The tips below will save you a lot of money from the electricity bill (or fuel consumption). Not just that, by following them, you’ll be able to go greener.

Lightbulbs

Your lightbulbs will probably be one of the most used items in your tiny home. Large, residential homes use anywhere from 20 to 30 light bulbs, while tiny houses use 6 to 10 bulbs on average.

Although you tend to use fewer lightbulbs in your tiny home compared to larger houses, they can still impact your electricity bill.

When purchasing light bulbs, find energy-saving bulbs that can last for several years. These types of bulbs use low wattage, which means using them will not cost you much to power.

And to minimize your use of lightbulb, we suggest doing your activities during the day, so when the nighttime comes, you’ll only turn on the bulbs for a short period.

Windows

You can lessen your use of table fan or air conditioning with your windows.

During the night, you can leave your windows open to allow the cold night air to enter your room.

And if it’s windy outside, allow the wind to enter your tiny house and push the hot air out.

Windows also play a part in giving you good lighting. Sometimes during the day, we tend to turn on the lights to provide us with extra brightness. But if you have wide and open windows, you will not need to switch on your lights on the daytime anymore. Besides, big windows are good, especially if you live in a tiny home with a dog.

Also, make sure that your windows are properly installed, so when you turn on your air conditioner or heater, the heat or air won’t fly out of the house.

Appliances

Choose energy-efficient devices. They’re not that hard to find since they are in high demand.

Buy household items that can use solar energy as a power source. Also, make sure that your appliances are up to date. Appliances of older models tend to consume higher power.

If you have a refrigerator, ensure that the rubber seal is doing its job properly. It must be able to seal the cold air inside. The seal may break down over time, so it’s essential to do a regular inspection on your fridge.

If you plan to install an HVAC in your tiny home, use a system that has a programmable thermostat. It allows you to adjust the temperature automatically at specific intervals.

And also, we recommend using a laptop instead of a desktop. An average desktop idles at about 80 watts, while a laptop idles for just 20 watts.

Ventilation

When your tiny home has proper ventilation, you’re less likely to use a high-powered heater or air conditioning.

How to Get Power for Your Tiny Home

A stationary tiny home can quickly hook up to an electricity grid.

If your tiny house is on wheels, there are options you can choose to power up your home.

A. Connect to a building that already has power

This is the cheapest, and perhaps the simplest way to get the power you need for your house.

If your tiny house is parked full-time beside or behind a friend, relative, or landlord’s house, then you can run an extension cord to their home to power up yours. Of course, if they agree on that.

B. Buy or rent a property that already has a power source

You can buy your property or rent a stationary tiny home that already has a power source. Connecting to a power source is no longer rocket science. Just plug and play!

C. Use fuel or solar power

As mentioned above, if you want your tiny house to be off the grid, then the best power source would be fuel or solar power. Either of the two can work well for tiny houses.

Bear in mind, though, that both have advantages and disadvantages. As for the fuel, finding a supplier of clean fuel can be quite a challenge, especially if you’re always moving from one place to another. Also, the price of fuel changes occasionally.

Solar powering is good, but it’s usually pricey. Solar panels and batteries can cost anywhere between $4,000 to $10,000, depending on how much power you need.

Conclusion

The electricity a tiny home uses depends on several factors. But one thing is for sure, you’ll consume far less power than large, traditional houses.

There are things you can do to save even more energy. By following the tips we’ve listed above, you can go greener and avoid a high electricity bill!

How many solar panels does it take to power a tiny house?

The number of solar panels you must use will depend on how much energy your tiny house needs. For example, if your tiny home requires 2kW (or 2,000 watts) of solar panels to make 100% energy, then you would need seven 300-watt panels.

How do tiny houses get water?

You can hook up your tiny house to a town water line or a well.

What are the Different Types of Tiny House Trailers?

March 22, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

The trailer of a tiny house is an aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked because this serves as the foundation.

Your tiny house trailer is where your tiny house journey begins. This is because the trailer serves as the foundation of your tiny house. And, a good foundation is very important in every new venture.

There are a lot of things that go around when building a tiny house. As unique as each tiny house is, having them built on trailers has become popular throughout the years.

There are actually a few types of tiny house trailers that you can choose from. The choices might be few, but it can surely confuse you most especially when you have no idea about such things. With this in mind, we have created a list of the types of tiny houses trailers and some other things that you need to know before settling into one.

4 Popular Tiny House Trailer Choices

Mobile tiny house. Great for outdoor experiences and wildlife. Lots of mobility and pure adventure. No need for special authorizations, only a decent car to pull this tiny house and off you go. — When choosing a trailer, make sure that you will get what it fitted to the design of your tiny house.

1. The Deck-Between Trailer

The Deck-Between trailer has a flatbed in between the wells of the two wheels. This means that the bed sits a little lower from where the tip of the wheel well reaches. Due to this, the tiny house bed can’t be wider than the space between the two wheels.

The width of the bed is confined by how far apart the wheel wells can be. With this, the floor of your tiny house will be very limited.

The advantage of using the deck-between trailer is that it sits nicely to the ground since it is very low. This makes it easier to build a taller tiny house in as much as it makes it possible to build a two-story tiny house.

2. Deck-Over Trailer

As the term implies, the deck over trailer is a trailer type where the bed is placed above the wheel wells. Typically, such trailer types measure around eight feet wide.

The deck over trailer gives extra space on each side of the tiny house. But, it is too far from the ground which means that a loft is not advisable. This means that the only choice for you is a one-story tiny house.

3. Dove Tail

The dovetail trailer can either have a deck-between trailer or deck-over trailer. What makes a dovetail trailer different from deck-between and deck above trailers is that it has angled towards the ground sections on the rear.

This feature is usually found on trailers that were once used to move around cars, trucks, or any other vehicles. The benefit of the dovetail section is that loading this trailer is much easier compared to other trailer types.

On the other side, the dovetail section makes it a little awkward to build a tiny house on the flatbed. But if you still want to pursue this type of trailer, then you will have to apply additional welding in as much as modifying the dovetail before building your tiny house is a must.

4. Gooseneck

This type of tiny house trailer can either be a deck over model or a deck between trailers. It was named after special hitches that it has. Moving around this trailer type requires you to have a pickup truck.

The head of the pickup truck has a ball hitch. The trailer’s gooseneck then reaches the tailgate of the truck in order to be attached to the installed hitch.

This type of trailer is well-fitted for the tiny house for a few reasons. First, moving it around is easier due to the pick-up truck. Second, it is light. And lastly, it’s size is real for tiny houses.

Gross Weight Vehicle Rating

Regardless of what trailer type you would like to use as the foundation of your tiny house, knowing what Gross Weight Vehicle Rating or GWVH is very important.

Basically, the GWVH is how much weight the axles are able to carry. The axles are the parts of the trailer that attach the wheels. It is also known as the weight limit for your specific vehicle which was set by automakers.

In computing the GWVH of your trailer truck, the base curb weight of the vehicle and the weight of any optional accessories, cargo and passengers are added. To be safer, you should not load your trailer truck more than what it is capable of.

If you overload your trailer truck then the breaks might not be enough to stop it when needed. The suspension components might not work. It is also possible that break under the added strain which might make the tires generate more heat for it to explode.

GVWR is not the total weight of the trailer. The total weight of the trailer is called gross vehicle weight or GVW. GVWR is constant while GVW is changing.

To understand further, take a look at this example:

You and your friend are riding the same vehicle. Your friend went out of the vehicle. Since your friend exited the vehicle, the GVW is reduced while the GVWR still remains.

One thing to always keep in mind when towing your tiny house trailer is that the total weight of the trailer is not a part of the GVW of the vehicle. However, the weight of the part of the trailer that is attached to the trailer hitch known as the tongue weight is part of the GVW of the vehicle. Neither of the two affects the GVWR.

Trailers have their own GVWR. If you want to find out the GVWR of your vehicle, labels are usually found in the area where the driver’s door latches. If you can’t find it there, you can look for it on the internet.

Things to Consider

Mobile tiny house. Great for outdoor experiences and wildlife. Lots of mobility and pure adventure. — There are a few things that you have to consider in order to choose the best trailer for your tiny house.

There are a few things that you need to consider when choosing a trailer for your tiny house. First things first, the trailer should have a place where you can place your license plate and brake lights, of course. Otherwise, you will be legally charged for it and you won’t even make it long on national roads.

So, here are some of the things that you have to consider when buying a trailer:

1. Size of Your Trailer

Ideally, you should already have the design of your tiny house before buying a trailer. However, there are limitations to trailer sizes that you need to know.

Legally speaking, the maximum width for trailers is 8’6″. Also, in most states, tiny houses are only allowed 13’6 inches off the ground. But in some Western States, they allow as high as 14′.

The allowable measurement for trailers is 53′. If it goes beyond that, a special permit is needed.

With that in mind, trailers for tiny houses should not be more than 28′. When choosing the trailers, do not forget to consider the length of your hitch as well.

2. Hitch

There are five different types of trailer hitches available. But regardless of what type of trailer you end up with, the only hitch that you can use for a tiny house is the Class V trailer. The Class V trailer hitch can max out as much as 17,000 pounds, enough for your tiny house to be moved around.

Hitches have this so-called tongue weight which refers to its own capacity for weight. In other terms, this is the total weight the hitch can shoulder. Make sure that you consider this factor into your final trailer weight calculations.

But before you can calculate the final trailer weight, you must know first that too much or too little tongue weight affects the rowing of your tiny house. If you already know the weight of your tiny house, you can simply ask the towing vehicle manufacturer the right amount of the tongue load.

This means that your ball mount and hitch ball should be rated for Class V too. Thankfully, these are available in almost any auto body store at a very affordable price.

3. Towing Vehicle

The towing vehicle might not be connected to the trailer at all times but it is needed in order to move around if you want a mobile tiny house. In most cases, a full-sized truck is enough to do the job.

If not a full-size truck, a large SUV is a good choice too. But if what you have is a gooseneck trailer, then what you will need as a towing vehicle is a pickup truck.

There is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to towing vehicles. This is because the towing vehicle that you will choose has something to do with how heavy your trailer, your tiny house, and your things are.

Here is a guide on how you will choose a towing vehicle for your tiny house.

a. Light to Medium Duty

Light to medium-duty vehicles refers to either light trucks, minivans, or sedans. These vehicles can handle more or less 3,500 pounds. Honestly speaking, it is almost impossible for a trailer truck, a tiny house, and all your stuff to just weigh 3,500 pounds.

b. Medium to Heavy Duty

Medium to heavy-duty vehicles should handle as much as 5,000 pounds. Usually, these vehicles have two dual axle trailers or one large axle. The problem is, such towing vehicles come in different types. These vehicles could vary when it comes to towing capacity by as much as 3,000 pounds.

c. Extra Heavy Duty

Extra heavy-duty vehicles refer to commercial vehicles that can tow up to 10,000 pounds. Using an extra heavy-duty towing vehicle will take so much controlling power which you have to find out from the dealer or manufacturer.

d. Super Heavy Duty

If the total weight of your tiny house and trailer is more than 10,000 pounds, then certainly, you will need this type of vehicle.

The good thing about towing vehicles is that knowing their capacity is not a guessing game. And, if you can’t afford to buy a towing vehicle at the moment, you can simply hire one as long as you have your own hitch.

4. Cost

An average trailer cost around $3,000. But if you can’t afford the price, you can settle for a used one. You can also modify it if you want.

Trailers have been long debated because basically, it serves as the foundation of a tiny house. Some people choose to spend more on it while others prefer to allot more to the tiny house itself.

Ideally, you should know the price of different trailers first before you settle into one. This will help you know what goes within your budget or how much you need to get the trailer that you want.

5. Tiny House – Specific Trailers

The popularity of tiny houses gave birth to trailers specifically for them. These trailers ensure heavy-duty steel construction and axles, unlike regular trailers which barely have wood decking. Tiny house-specific trailers have steel beams where the tiny house is secured.

There are already a few companies that build such trailers. Aside from the better features that these trailers have, they can also be of help to figure out the other aspects of a tiny house that you need to understand.

6. Where to Park

One of the most important factors to consider when it comes to trailers and tiny houses is where you are going to park it. The answer lies in the zoning regulations that each state has. Each state has different zoning laws and regulations which makes it very important to find them out before you park.

Some of the thing you have to look into include:

a. Minimum square footage for tiny houses

b. Legal parks for RVs

c. Whether you can live temporarily or permanently in an RV or tiny house

f. If the accessory dwelling unit or ADU is allowed or not

Conclusion

Choosing the right trailer for your tiny house is a very important decision. This is because the trailer will serve as the foundation of your tiny house. And, foundations should be strong and made out of high-quality materials to ensure safety. At the end of the day, what you will choose tells how your tiny house will last.

Tiny House Rooms: 25 Amazing Decorating Ideas

March 13, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Tiny house rooms can be challenging to decorate. However, don’t let that frustration overwhelm you.

Just remember that amazing can also mean practical and functional, which is the essence of the tiny house movement.

That’s why we listed these 25 amazing decorating ideas. These will help you spruce up your existing tiny house rooms. These concepts will also clear your head if you’re designing a blank tiny room.

Get a load of these ideas and start creating to-do lists!

Tiny House Rooms: 25 Amazing Decorating Ideas

These decorating ideas range from designing with a better approach to choosing materials from rugs.

We don’t expect you to follow them all at the same time. However, these ideas will inspire you to decorate a tiny room with a clearer and more purposeful direction.

1. Start with a minimalist approach.

tiny house rooms - minimal design in living room — A minimalist approach will let every element shine.

Undeniably, this is the most common approach for decorating tiny houses. Not only will this make your room look more spacious, but it will give it a sophisticated look.

It’s a good space-saving method since it will force you to use only the essentials. Fewer items mean less clutter.

If you’re a little tight on the budget, an industrial-themed room would be a great ‘go-to’ theme.

Gray palettes are often the safest shade in tiny house rooms if it’s formal. Other shades that work well with this theme are sea-foam green, rose pink, and cherry red.

Check out this stunning gray Vonanda Ottoman Folding chair that also works as an ottoman and bed.

2. It’s all in the lights.

With the right lights, you could achieve an exceptional room ambiance. You don’t even have to break the bank to buy expensive centerpieces.

Make the most of natural lights. If possible, avoid blocking windows with curtains to let natural light flow in.

However, if you need to add curtains, go for sheer or light-colored fabrics. Add shiny wall pieces or mirrors to reflect more light inside the room.

If the room has large windows, opt for glass windows instead of thick window treatments that absorb light. Frosted windows would work in spaces where you’d want more light but with some privacy.

Moreover, adding a few task lighting in certain corners boosts the illumination inside the room.

Try using overhead lighting, a small chandelier, or scones to add accent to any room without sacrificing function. Take a look at this elegant chandelier light from Laborate Lighting.

3. Buy functional but elegant furniture.

elegant but functional furniture. vintage. telephones and candles on top. — This storage-bedside table fits perfectly in a minimalist home.| Photo Source

If you want your tiny house rooms to look more comfortable, choose furniture that stores the bulk of your items in one place.

Popular stores like IKEA have small tables or chairs that act as storage cabinets. Unique pieces such as shelf floor lamps act as a shelf and lamp at the same time. It would also make a great centerpiece to accentuate a room.

Floating shelves would be ideal for decorating small spaces. Not only are these functional but these also provide storage for small items such as phones, keys, and decorations.

Though not the sturdiest shelves, these are items that would make a nice alternative to bulky cabinets.

4. Go for DIY projects.

If you’ve done some woodwork before, you can create pieces such as sliding shelves, hanging clothing rack, and murphy desks to fit a small room.

With imagination and determination, you can create pieces with your desired functionality.

You can also check out unique items such as console tables and stacking furniture.

How about this DIY industrial pipe shelf?

5. Small spaces, big personalities.

tiny house rooms - pink and black interior and furniture — Setting your mind on a color theme will give your tiny space more personality.

You can give each room a distinct personality. Tiny house rooms are limited so it’s crucial you know what colors or themes to work with.

Don’t be afraid to use sharp colors like yellows, reds, and greens together. But if this eclectic design throws you off, you can add centerpieces.

A perfect piece would be this elegant Urban Shop Faux Fur Saucer Chair.

You can hang artwork, decorations, rugs, ottomans, sofas, or even bright vinyl desks on neutral-colored spaces.

6. Be smart about your storage spaces.

Finding places to put your stuff can be a challenge with tiny house rooms.

The bed does take most of the space, and a big cabinet and an extra table can make the room even smaller and more cramped than it already is. To resolve this problem, you can invest in smart furniture with built-in storage spaces.

For example, how beautiful and smart this Lift Top Coffee Table w/Hidden Compartment is?

You can also use all available surface space in the room. The windowsill is a great place to put lighting, decor, and your other knick-knacks—just make sure to arrange them in a neat and orderly way.

Adding wall mounts or built-in bookshelves is another nifty idea to save floor space in your room.

You may also want to keep large items, such as your luggage, under your bed if there is enough space. This way, you get more space for your other furniture.

7. Use mirrors to your advantage.

circle mirror in the bathroom — Mirrors add *oomph* to a teeny space like the bathroom.| Photo Source

Tiny house rooms lack in space, and there’s nothing we can do about that. However, you can make it look wider by adding mirrors.

This is also useful if your small room is not blessed with a lot of natural light, as it can reflect light around the room.

Check out this classic wall mirror from 4Ever Beauti.

But simply hanging a mirror on the wall is not enough. Strategically place mirrors on your wall for you to get the full effect. Consider adding a mirror gallery of different shapes and sizes on your wall.

Lining your wall with a large mirror can also give you the same results. Leaning a large modern mirror against your wall is another good trick to make your room appear bigger.

8. Let natural light in.

Tiny house rooms can look smaller if they are left in the dark. Therefore, if you have access to natural light, let it pour in to make the room look more open and airy. Use light-colored curtains or semi-sheer shades instead of dark and heavy ones.

However, if your room does not have enough windows where natural light can come in, you can make up for it by adding a lot of light sources.

If you have a relatively high ceiling, you can add sconces or wall-mounted lighting. Meanwhile, if you don’t have a high ceiling, table lamps will also do the trick in giving your room a bright and cozy atmosphere.

Want more privacy? No worries! You can apply window film to your glass window for more privacy without blocking the light from beaming to your tiny house.

9. Use multi-purpose furniture

triple-purpose furniture in shades of dark blue, white, and light brown. — Your house will never be complete without triple-purpose furniture! | Photo Source

Space has always been the number one concern for tiny house rooms. But no matter how small your room is, you still need a bed and a desk, especially if you work at home. But you don’t need them 24/7, right?

So, why not consider investing in a sofa that doubles as a bed when the metal frame underneath is unfolded? Installing a folding desk is also another smart space-saving strategy that can help you free floor space.

Of course, when using a folding desk, you also need somewhere to sit. A big and bulky chair does not fit into your decor, so make sure to use a slim but comfortable foldable chair.

How about a kitchen table that extends? This is perfect for when you have guests. Check out this beautiful Livinia Extending Dining Table.

10. Pay close attention to scale.

Just because tiny house rooms don’t have enough floor space doesn’t mean that you have to make do with pint-size decor and furniture.

You can add large pieces in your room, as long as you don’t overdo it. You can also use large-scale art and regular-size furniture. Check out this very classy storage cabinet in oak finish.

However, you will need to work with fewer pieces in the room. That’s why you need to be smart and only choose a few statement pieces that will stand out and draw the eye.

11. Don’t overcrowd your room.

tiny house interior. clean and made of wood, — Even semi-essential furniture and appliances shouldn’t be in a tiny house.

The key to styling tiny house rooms is choosing the right furniture pieces and finding the right place for each one of them.

Avoid pressing them up against the wall or tucking them tightly together, as it will make the room smaller than it already is. Make sure that there is enough space between furniture pieces.

Additionally, leaving a little space between the wall and your furniture is the magic effect you need to make the room look and feel wider.

You also need to make a few compromises to save space. This means you may need to discard furniture that you don’t use on a daily basis, such as accent chairs and side tables.

12. Pick the right rug!

When choosing a rug, it might be tempting to choose a small one because of your tiny space. But that is the exact opposite of what you should do.

A larger rug—even the ones with a bold pattern—can make a small room feel bigger. For example, stripes can create the illusion of a wider space. You might want to check this intricately designed nuLOOM Moroccan Blythe Area Rug.

Also, make sure to choose a rug large enough to accommodate most of your furniture.

Don’t skimp on the material, either. For tiny house rooms, you can try vibrant sheepskin rugs. Choose a solid color you would love seeing every time you wake up or before you go to sleep. Rugs with bright hues suit the hallways.

13. Keep the design dynamic but cohesive.

See how the interior looks intricate but not too crowded? That’s balance.| Photo Source

Having a small space doesn’t mean you can’t play with color, scale, and decor. However, there are only so many things to look at in a small room that it’s so easy to spot anything out of place.

There’s nothing wrong if you want to add color to your room, as long as you don’t overdo it. Sticking to a limited color palette is a good start.

Moreover, choosing furnishings that complement each other can help prevent the room from looking cluttered.

14. Take advantage of your vertical space.

Floor space is a big problem for tiny house rooms. That’s why you need to utilize every free space you have, including the walls. Think vertical instead of horizontal.

Wall-mounted shelves and lights. Built-in shelves. Floating shelves. There are all excellent additions to a small room for storing your trinkets, books, and other stuff.

Furthermore, hanging draperies as close to the ceiling as possible adds airiness and height to a small room.

Make sure to extend the rod on both sides of the window by at least four inches to make the window look wider.

Plus, it’s a good trick to allow more light in since you can pull the curtain all the way to the side of the window.

15. Position your furniture wisely.

tiny house interior with loft - tiny house rooms — Know were to put your couches, coffee tables, and chairs to improve mobility.

Knowing where to place your furniture can help you save floor space, as well as make a small room look less cramped.

For example, putting the bed against the window and curtain can help create a natural focal point.

Installing sconces is another good way to save space, as they remove the need for a side table where you can place your lamp.

Adding swing chairs can also help you save floor space. Plus, they are super fun and look cool from a design perspective.

16. You can also embrace the Furniture-Free Movement.

The title says it right: you can live with tiny house rooms, happy and content, with the least number of furniture. The reason for doing this is simple.

You want to encourage more range of motion that can strengthen your musculoskeletal system. You also end up spending less time slouching and living like a couch potato.

How do you achieve this? Take, for example, your living room:

Exchange your tiny sofa with big floor cushions.
Swap your carpet or rug with a yoga mat.
Keep your tables low so that they will force you to sit.
Place your exercise equipment, such as dumbbells or balls, nearby.
Hang a steel or metal bar near the doors for your pull-ups.

17. Go for the extreme minimalist lifestyle.

extreme minimalist room with greenery — You can even go beyond the minimalist life. Go with little to no furniture in your bedroom to save more space!| Photo Source

“Extreme minimalism” is minimalism on steroids. It’s removing everything that you don’t need in your tiny house rooms. This way, you can reclaim your space and fill yourself with things that are more essential. It may be a peace of mind, self-care, and even savings.

To do it, here are a few ideas:

Significantly limit the number of items you own. If minimalism cuts your clothes by half, further pare them down until you have, say, 20 of them.
Pick experiences over collections of possessions.
Opt for a hammock instead of a bed.
Follow the principles of furniture-free living.
Set limitations. You can get your travel bag and then try to fit in all the essentials you need. If you can’t get everything in, then it’s time to minimize further.

18. Extend your tiny house rooms to the yard.

Extending some parts of your home outdoors can free up a lot of space in your tiny house. You won’t also feel cramped inside.

A good example is the dining area. Attach a porch or a small deck outside and add a table a few chairs. Voila! You can now experience al fresco meals anytime!

A pair of sturdy and classy outdoor folding chairs would be a nice idea. Check out this heavy-duty reclining foldable chair from TechCare.

Got kids? You can’t expect them to roam around a tiny home, but certainly, they can have all the joy they need outdoors.

19. Go up, up, up…

loft in a tiny house — If you have a high ceiling height, add a loft. It’s versatile.| Photo Source

When you’re living in a home the size of a flatbed trailer or a camper van, it’s difficult to have specific sections—that is, unless you decide to go up.

If you want clearly defined tiny house rooms, such as a bedroom or a lounge area, then go for a loft! This design will give you ample space underneath while fully maximizing your vertical space. You can also enjoy some privacy.

Can you make it fancy? Of course, you can! Install a tiny sunroof or use French windows. Add an ornate rail or put up some tiny plants like succulents for barriers.

When it comes to stairs, you can use ladders or, even better, built-in step cabinets and bookshelves. This way, you get extra storage.

20. Decide what matters most.

Many people decide to live in a tiny home, and it’s not always about paying less to zero mortgage. Some do it because they want to downsize and spend less time accumulating material wealth.

The question then is, what is a tiny house for you? When you know the answer, then you can decide more appropriately about the layout and the number of rooms your space will have.

Consider these other queries:

Do you really need a living room when you already have a deck?
Can you wash your clothes outside, so you don’t need a laundry room?
How often do you like to go outdoors? If it’s frequent, then perhaps you can do away with entertainment systems, such as television.

When you try to make an inventory of your passions and reasons, you can have a tiny house that reflects who you are… and you’ll love to live in it!

21. Make your tiny house rooms work harder.

tiny house rooms - lots of knick-knacks — Every wall- and floor space is imperative in a tiny house.

If you can have multipurpose furniture, definitely, you can design multifunctional rooms. Consider these ideas:

Add a sofa bed so you can convert your living room into a master’s bedroom or a “guest bedroom.”
Combine your shower and toilet to create a wet room.
Buy a small washing machine that you can fit underneath the kitchen sink.
Convert your porch into a dining room.
Spare a part of your long kitchen counter, put up some stools, and you now have a dining section for two.

Remember, a little ingenuity can go a long way when it comes to breaking down your space.

22. Follow the open-plan concept.

How do you avoid making a tiny home feel even smaller and cluttered? It’s easy: go for an open-plan concept. There are many ways to do it while still defining your tiny house rooms:

Maximize the walls so that you can free the space in the middle.
Consider an L-kitchen design to create a boundary between the living room and dining room without obstructing the view.
Place the ladder or stairs to the loft to the side.

23. Create the illusion of more space.

Sunroofs will improve the lighting and create more breathing space. | Photo Source

Besides adding many windows to let natural light in, you can create the illusion of largeness through the following:

Consider a high ceiling, perhaps three feet from the floor. This will also give you enough space for expansion, such as if you decide to add a loft.
Put up curtains near the ceiling, not on the upper edge of windows. Even if you don’t have a high ceiling, it feels like you do.
Exchange bulky-looking furniture to leaner ones.

24. Be creative with your doors.

Do you know that doors can take up a lot of space? Just try to open a standard door and then observe what happens. The good news is you can be creative about it.

For example, you can use barn doors and sliding doors instead. It can even make your room appear sleeker. If you’re on a tight budget, go for curtains as dividers.

You can use it for your bathroom or bedroom. When you want to see more space, all you need is to open them!

25. Paint the house with creamy colors.

tiny house rooms - featured photo — Creamy colors and tiny houses are the best pair.

Perhaps your favorite color is black, but it may not be the best choice for your tiny house rooms. Darker shades can usually make your space appear smaller.

The best paint hues for tiny houses are stark white, cream, ivory, and butter. Painting any of these colors alone will already make your room appear bigger.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can never have anything red or orange or brown on your walls. They may be better off as accents than your primary colors.

You can even go for a touch of sea green for a fresh ocean vibe in your small room.

Hate the smell of paint? How about applying wallpaper instead? Try this self-adhesive wallpaper that comes in different colors.

Clean tiny house rooms: Upkeep tips to follow

tiny house rooms - library above bed — In cleaning a tiny house room, you should be realistic.

You now decorated your tiny house rooms for maximum efficiency… Now, you have to figure out how to keep clean. Start these five tips!

1. Clean one space at a time.

It’s a small room, so you should be patient and start small. Don’t attempt to do everything at once.

So, don’t be afraid to ditch your plan to do an overall cleaning routine.

Well, maybe you can start a “general” cleaning routine—but start with small things like your bookshelves, for example.

Categorize your books and magazines. You can even donate those old ones you have read before.

You’d be surprised by the space it can empty!

In tiny house rooms, being realistic and starting small can help you achieve your cleanliness goals.

Make sure to equip yourself with a cleaning tool kit that can perform the job well.

2. Buy a good vacuum.

And one that will not occupy a lot of space in your closet. Make no mistake, though—these small vacuums are just as powerful as the regular ones.

For instance, cordless stick vacuums wouldn’t clog your closet. Still, it can clean and suck tough to clean dirt like spilled rice grains or cereals.

If you want a long-lasting vacuum though, opt for compact and lightweight plug-in vacuums.

Space shouldn’t be your only consideration, though. You also need to take into account if you have many carpets or if you have hardwood floors.

Looking for the best-selling vacuum that doesn’t hurt the pocket? Try MOOSOO Vacuum Cleaner.

3. Make your bed every day.

There are actually more benefits of making your bed, besides cleanliness in the room. For example, making your bed will give you a jumpstart to a daily habit of cleaning.

Starting your day with it, it will give you a sense of accomplishment, improving your mood. As a result, you will be more productive and respectful of yourself.

Being consistent with this habit will help keep your tiny room squeaky clean.

We recommend using an easy-to-clean microfibre sheet like this AmazonBasics Lightweight Super Soft sheet.

4. Practice the Wabi-Sabi principle.

Wabi-Sabi lessons work especially in keeping tiny house rooms clean. That’s because its essence is appreciating imperfection.

In a tiny house room, you may be pressured to keep everything place and have every essential you require. However, you should be at peace with the fact that you won’t always achieve those goals.

Through accepting that, you will not be pressured to hoard. As a result, your tiny house rooms will be cleaner and leaner!

5. Categorize your stuff and keep them in place.

This is a good way to stay organized in a tiny place. Assign areas to your things, whether you use them all the time or you don’t.

For example, if you have a workspace in your bedroom, you can divide the whole room into spaces for business and leisure.

Through this, you can easily categorize your things and assign them positions. If you’re a morning person, your desk and office supplies can go to the place where the sunlight hits during the day.

Meanwhile, if you’re a night person, you can keep your desk and office supplies in that certain spot where the light fixture hits.

This Winsome Halifax Storage can help you keep your files and things organized.

Tiny house rooms: The 5 underrated essentials you should have

The ultra-versatile pegboard for pans.| Photo Source

You may think that you only need your bed, cooking equipment, couch, and tiny shelves in your tiny house rooms.

We disagree. We know we blab about minimalism a lot, but you should never forget to add these underrated staples in your tiny house rooms.

1. Pegboard for pans

Of course, this tiny house staple won’t disappear in an “essentials” list. Pegboards, because of their versatility, keep any room organized, especially the kitchen.

If you’re decorating a kitchen-dining area, don’t forget to hang a pegboard for your pans.

Most pegboards are made of aluminum steel, so their weight will increase as you add more pans. Therefore, make sure you choose a lightweight one. You can go for a 12 or 13-pound pegboard.

2. Sink-toilet combo

To save even more space in your bathroom, go for a sink-toilet fixture.

The best thing about these fixtures is that they recycle the water you use for washing your hands. The used water will be used to flush your waste, which is an effective way to save water.

The designs and functions of sink-toilet fixtures can vary. They are commonly seen in Japan.

3. Wall-mounted baskets as shelves.

A column of wall-mounted baskets can store a variety of things—tropical fruits, office supplies, beauty products, cooking utensils, and more.

The great things about wall-mounted baskets as shelves are that they are easily accessible and removable in case you’re doing a remodel. That’s why you should only store things you frequently use or grab when you’re cleaning or cooking.

You can buy regular baskets and then turn them into wall-mounted baskets with some nails, a wooden board, and maybe some wood glue.

While shopping for baskets, we suggest you choose those made of metal or plastic. They should also be clear, so you can see what’s inside every basket.

We don’t suggest baskets made of cloth. Besides not being transparent, they will also hold moisture and gather dust. You will also need to wash them regularly, unlike metal baskets.

4. Shelf dividers

It’s not enough that you have closets and baskets for your clothes and toiletries. Inside, you have to divide and conquer. Do it with shelf dividers!

You can find shelf dividers in different designs, most of which are minimalist. These can come in acrylic, wood, or metal. However, we suggest you choose acrylic shelf dividers because they are more durable and pleasing to look at. How about these Acrylic Shelf Dividers?

While looking for the best brands, we found sets of shelf dividers that cost from $9.00 up to $25.00. Each divider might cost you less than $4.00. The metal ones are usually the most expensive.

5. Stacking stools

Last but definitely not least are stacking stools! Some tiny house owners often forget that they are living in a tiny house and buy regular stools.

You have to opt for stacking stools. Floor space is your currency in your tiny abode, so you have to take advantage of your high ceiling height (that is if you have one.)

What’s that? They’re not that comfortable? Well, you don’t have to sacrifice comfortability if you choose stacking stools with padded seats.

One example is the Fat Catalog Assorted Color Metal Stack Stool. These stools have thickly padded seats and four legs made of metal.

Best themes for tiny house rooms

Can’t decide which of the 25 decorating ideas you’ll start following? You might want to take inspiration from these themes, first!

1. Scandinavian

tiny house rooms - scandinavian — Scandinavian interior is known for its refreshing elements.| Photo Source

The Scandinavian theme suits tiny rooms because it involves lighter shades, light brown wood, and clean lines.

The details will not overwhelm you, providing you with a sense of relief every time you enter your room. It’s simply eye-pleasing.

In your tiny room, you can emulate a Scandinavian room by “muting” the elements in the room. For instance, you can hang black and white photos. Rugs, sheets, and pillows can be in the shades or cool grey, stark white, or icy blue.

Meanwhile, for the furniture pieces, you can opt for wood with the hues of cream, dark grey, or dark brown. They will go along with your rugs and bedsheets.

However, don’t hesitate to add a pop of color. Seafoam, turquoise, or aquamarine will brighten up the room.

2. Japanese teahouse

tiny house rooms - japanese tea house — This Japanese living room incorporates the essential aspects of the Chashitsu.| Photo Source

The Japanese teahouse or “Chashitsu” embodies the simplicity and sophistication of Japanese architecture.

This theme is inspiring to a tiny house since a Chashitsu is a tiny room as well; however, its elements give its occupants an incredible feeling of peace and spiritual satisfaction.

If you want to emulate those elements in your tiny room, then take pointers from the qualities and features of Japanese teahouse design. Here are some of them.

The Chashitsu uses sliding doors covered with translucent paper, so the sunlight can enter the room without being too bright.
Use little to no furniture, if possible.
In your loft, you can create a small alcove for one single bed or storage space. The alcove in the Chashitsu contains the altar.

How about decorating your tiny house with some Artificial Cherry Blossom Flower Vines Hanging Silk Flowers?

3. Mid-Century Modern

Ah, this theme never loses its shine. Mid-Century Modern is not just the beautiful set design in the 60s-themed TV series, Mad Men.

MCM is a design style that involves clean lines, streamlined forms, organic shapes and materials, and a lack of intricacy. It’s all about the iconic look and feel of the 1930s–1960s.

This theme suits a tiny room perfectly because it already speaks so much by adding little to no decorations. For example, just look at this tiny house interior:

The MCM chandelier is already the star of the room. Remove the rug and the artwork, and the room will still turn heads.

Now, that is the charm of a Mid-Century Modern theme. You can say so much without bothering to make everything coherent and adding multiple details.

4. Romantic

tiny house rooms - romantic interiors — This living room is almost blushing.| Photo Source

No, we are not talking hearts, roses, and rom-com movies. Romantic architecture is derived from the Romanticism movement.

Romanticism in Architecture means the celebration of grandeur but out of place. You can take for example the mix of Egyptian and Asian aesthetics in a European building.

Therefore, if you want your tiny house rooms to stand out, you can follow the elements of Romantic Architecture. Don’t be afraid to decorate your room and make the elements seem out of place.

Maybe, just maybe, you can create something sublime.

5. Contemporary

contemporary room — Nothing says more contemporary than vertical lines and neutral hues. | Photo Source

If you want modernity and sustainability to reign in your tiny house rooms, then you should go for this theme.

Contemporary architecture consists of building elements derived from the 20th century onwards. We’re talking about crystal-esque facades, aluminum, concrete, and glass.

However, more importantly, contemporary also means eco-friendly. That means the structure or room is designed to save or sustain energy.

How can you make a tiny room contemporary? Just like our other tips, it’s important that you start with the basics, but it’s even more crucial that you apply these, particularly:

Go for smooth materials for your floorings—wood, vinyl, or tile.
Limit your room’s hues to black, white, and neutrals.
Give your room a “voice” with metal or stone accents.
As for dinnerware, look for those with geometrical shapes.
Choose furniture pieces made of linen or wool.

The future of decorating tiny house rooms

3d-printed houses — These are 3d printed tiny houses.| Photo Source

As technology progresses, the lines between home and work also blur even more.

Tiny houses aren’t just “shrunken” versions of regular homes anymore. They are gaining an identity and a set of design principles on their own.

This is especially evident in interior design.

Working at home

Many people are now working at home. According to Global Workplace Analytics, more than 4 million employees are now working at home.

Therefore, it’s unsurprising if many buyers will look for prefab tiny houses with home offices or mini workspaces.

It’s only imperative for designers and manufacturers to address concerns for space and sound efficiency in tiny houses.

Need an office table? Get the IRONCK Industrial Computer Writing Desk. Keep your cables organized using this cable organizer.

More aggressive technology

We already have a variety of smart homes for quite some time now. How about smart tiny houses? Well, they are on the rise, too.

Tiny houses with integrated gadgets and systems are becoming more common in developed countries. These devices will have more to do with monitoring the occupant’s health and wellness.

Beyond that, 3d printed tiny houses might become more prevalent, just like those ones in Eindhoven.

The 3d building process of these tiny houses might not be all the rage right now. However, it’s definitely in the works since it’s more eco-friendly and affordable than traditional building methods.

Final thoughts

Building your dream home shouldn’t be a drag. While space may be limiting, it shouldn’t put your imagination in a cage.

After all, each space has the potential to become beautiful on its own. So, pick up your creative hat and make this project your work of art!

Do you like our decorating ideas?

Tell us which of them is your favorite in the comments below!

Tiny Houses Legality: Everything You Need to Know

March 8, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

About 10 years ago, tiny houses became popular. Since then, a lot of people have embraced minimalism through the tiny house lifestyle. Much more than a simpler lifestyle, tiny houses have helped people save money while saving the environment as well.

Due to its increasing popularity, states across nations have developed building codes and zoning regulations specifically for tiny houses. These building codes and zoning regulations have a direct impact on the construction and placement of tiny houses.

Whether you are planning to build a tiny house right on your own property or move into a tiny house community, you must know the tiny house legalities in your area.

Before you finally move into a tiny house, it pays that you carefully review the state and local regulations. Knowing so will help you get the most out of your tiny house right at the moment you step foot on it.

Here is everything that you need to know about tiny houses’ legality.

Building Codes for Tiny Houses

The following standardization for tiny houses are made in compliance with the International Building Code (IBC)

Ceiling Height

The ceiling of a tiny house in common spaces must have a minimum height of 6 feet 8 inches. Bathrooms must have a minimum of 6 feet 4 inches while lofts are allowed to be less than 6 feet 8 inches.

Windows

There is no existing law that requires how many windows a tiny house should have. However, the law requires tiny houses to abide by the standard requirement, which is to have at least one window that can be used as an emergency exit. This is important so that you can easily escape in case an emergency happens.

The bottom of the opening of the window shall not be located more than 44 inches above the loft floor.

Plumbing

One separate bathroom is required for each tiny house. This is required for sanitation purposes. It would be unhygienic to place your bathroom right inside your tiny house without a wall to keep it separate from the rest of your tiny house.

Mobile tiny house interior. Great for outdoor experiences and wildlife. Lots of space and pure adventure. — There are parts of the tiny houses which follow certain standards as some codes require.

Lofts

The code does not include the loft in the maximum floor area that a tiny house can have. However, the code requires a minimum floor area and dimensions for a tiny house if it will be used for living and sleeping.

According to Section AQ104 of the IBC, lofts shall have a minimum floor area not less than 35 square feet and shall not be less than 5 feet in any horizontal dimension.

However, there are portions of the loft that are not included in the minimum floor area and horizontal dimension that is required. If a portion of a slope is less than 3 feet from the floor to the ceiling, then this is not included in the minimum area required for a loft.

Stairways

Tiny houses are required to have stairs in order to reach loft areas. Stairways above the handrail height shall not be lower than 17 inches while the stairways below the handrail height shall not be less than 20 inches in width.

Risers shall not be less than 12 inches in height and not more than 7 inches in width. To get the accepted riser height of a certain tiny house, the following formula is used:

15 inches – ¾ of the Tread depth = Risers Height

Tread depth, on the other hand, is calculated using this formula:

20 inches – 4/3 of the riser height = Tread Depth

A landing platform shall be built from the top tread and the riser of the stairway accessing the loft area. The landing platform shall have the following measurements

and dimensions:

16 inches to 18 inches in height from the landing platform to the loft floor
18 inches to 22 inches in depth from the nosing of the landing platform to the edge of the loft

The handrails and stair guards of tiny house stairs follow the same dimensions that are required in a full-sized house.

Ladders

The rung of the ladders that are used to access the loft area of a tiny house shall have a width that is not lower than 12 inches. The rungs shall have 20 to 14 inches spaces in between.

It is required that a ladder could support a 200-pound load and shall be installed at a 70 to 80-degree horizontal incline.

When it comes to Alternating Tread Devices or Ship Ladders, the required is 20 inches and above below the handrail height. Loft guards shall be placed on the side of the loft that is open. The minimum height for loft guards is either 36 inches or ½ of the height to the ceiling.

live big in a tiny living space - tiny house interior with brown and white hues

Zoning Regulations

In as much as you can’t build a full-sized house anywhere, tiny houses have restrictions when it comes to where you can build or park them. To find out if it is legal to park or build a tiny house to where you are planning to have one, consult your local zoning department.

There are federal laws and local zoning regulations that a tiny house should comply with. However, you are allowed to build outside of the existing codes by applying through your local planning commission. At the end of the day, it all boils down to how tiny-house friendly a place is.

Variations in Tiny Houses

Generally, there are two types of tiny houses – tiny houses on wheels and tiny houses on a foundation. The rules and regulations that govern each of these types of tiny houses vary drastically. Take a further look at the things that each of these types has to abide:

Tiny House on Wheels

Legally, tiny houses on wheels are called recreational vehicles or RV. This means that you have to find a legal place where you can park your vehicle. RVs are required to be registered with the state’s motor vehicles department.

While there are a lot of campsites in the States, most of the states do not allow an RV to serve as a full-time residency. Not unless the campsite has a designated RV parking area.

In most cases, these rules are not followed not unless you give your neighborhood a reason to complain against you.

Tiny Houses on Foundation

Tiny houses on a foundation are legally referred to as an accessory dwelling units or ADU. This type of tiny house may be site-built, or it may be transported to your lot and permanently attached to the foundation. They often come in the form of cottages or granny flats.

Due to the regulations which prohibit purchasing lands for tiny houses alone, most owners opt to build their tiny house beside an existing residential dwelling.

Codes and Regulations for Tiny Homes in Some States

USA map with states - pictorial geographical poster of America, hand drawn lettering design for wall decoration, travel guide, print. Unique creative typography vector illustration. — In the United States of America, laws, and requirements from each state vary.

Whether you own a tiny house or plan to have one, you will surely come across the problem of where you can build or park it. Finding a place where you can legally have a tiny house is not as easy as it sounds.

Finding a place where you can home your tiny house starts with knowing the codes and regulations that each state has. Here are the codes and regulations that each state has when it comes to where you can build or park your tiny house:

Alabama

Tiny House Friendly: 2⁄10

In Alabama, tiny houses are not that accepted. The building codes and zoning requirements drastically differ from one country to another. In fact, some cities in Alabama have their own set of limiting and unique requirements, which makes it hard to make tiny houses.

Thankfully, Alabama has not totally closed its door to tiny houses. Some areas in the state have accepted it. In Jefferson County, ADUs are allowed in certain areas, given they do not exceed 200 square feet.

Alaska

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

Alaska is more open to tiny houses than it is in Alabama. But, there are still considerable differences between counties and towns in the state. In the Anchorage metropolitan area of the state alone, around 40 percent of the state’s population lives there already.

Tiny houses on a foundation are required to secure a conditional use permit and have to meet certain building codes. On the other hand, tiny houses on wheels are considered as RVs, which makes them restricted to R – 5 zones. Also, the state requires tiny houses that are built on municipal properties to be connected to sewage and water.

A point to remember is that Anchorage’s suburbs have specific requirements that vary from unincorporated areas. In addition, Anchorage and the communities that surround it do not have official building codes that are specifically made for tiny houses.

Arizona

Tiny House Friendly: 7⁄10

Arizona is more tiny house friendly than other states. Just like any other state, it does not have statewide tiny home building and zoning requirements. Due to this, tiny houses are subjected to city and county regulations and laws.

In Piman City, which is located on the southern border with Mexico, building a tiny house is legal. Pima City is the second most populated county in the state of Arizona. Tucson and its suburbs mostly compromise this county.

In this county, a tiny house on a foundation can be built on any lot allotted for single-family detached houses. On the other hand, a tiny house on wheels is considered as a factory-built home given that it is located on a permanent foundation, and its suspension and axles have been removed.

The county has building codes that are specifically made for tiny houses. Such building codes include the following:

Tiny houses with loft areas should have stairs or ladders as access.
Tiny houses with lofts must follow standardized safety requirements.
Tiny houses must abide by the special electrical circuit requirements.

The building codes in the county do not have any specific requirements when it comes to the number of windows, doors and emergency exits. It does not also require any specific ceiling height.

As of now, the county places second as the most tiny house friendly area in the state, which is followed by Coconino county. Unluckily, other areas in Arizona do not still have tiny house regulations.

Arkansas

Tiny House Friendly: 2⁄10

It is not a secret that the housing cost in California is expensive. This makes it very thrilling to know that somehow, California is open to tiny houses. Tiny houses are considered to be accessory dwelling units or ADUs in most jurisdictions which means that they are allowed yet with certain restrictions.

The destructive fires in Sonoma County have made it possible to build tiny houses without building permits. It also has permitted the fire victims to build tiny houses without compelling zoning.

Tiny homes on wheels are allowed as a secondary dwelling in San Francisco and Fresno as long as there is an existing residential house in the lot.

This means that tiny houses are only allowed in a residential neighborhood and can’t be built as a permanent house.

One thing to keep in mind when planning to have a tiny house in California is that RVs are not allowed to serve as a permanent house. But this isn’t exactly an issue. Besides, California has one of the highest numbers of nomads.

Nomad is the general term used for people who travel trailers or even their car or the ones who live in RVs. They are the ones who do not have a permanent address. It is advised to reach out to local jurisdictions since laws and regulations vary from one suburb to another in California.

Colorado

Tiny House Friendly: 6⁄10

In Colorado, there is no such thing as national laws or regulations specifically for tiny houses. The good thing is many counties have welcomed people who want to live in this lifestyle.

There are already established site-built tiny house codes in Park County. To be more specific, tiny houses in this county must have a private bathroom and a separate closet. The private bathroom must have a lavatory, a water closet, and either a shower or a bathtub.

Moreover, if the tiny house is for one or two occupants, then it should at least be 220 square feet. An additional 100 square feet is required for an additional occupant.

Tiny houses in Park County should also abide by the standard residential building codes for life safety features, mechanical equipment, ventilation, and lighting.

Also, the kitchen counter’s work area should be at least 30 inches long. If a modular or manufactured tiny house is your choice, then it should at least be 600 square feet. It should also follow local Land Use Regulations.

Walsenburg has a specific regulation when it comes to tiny houses. Tiny homes are required to compel to a lot of building code requirements just like residential houses do. However, the city has certain requirements when it comes to exit door width, stairways, and minimum square footage.

Connecticut

Tiny House Friendly: 0/10

Connecticut is considered as one of the strictest cities when it comes to tiny houses, be it an RV or on foundation. Despite the fact that the city needs affordable houses, the topic of tiny houses is not yet unveiled yet. This is because its zoning regulations aren’t compatible with tiny houses.

Delaware

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

There is no specific regulation for tiny houses yet in Delaware, but there are already advocates who are bringing out the topic. Tiny houses on wheels are considered RVs in Delaware. This means that the owner should secure an ownership title 30 days after purchase.

If a tiny house is greater than 400 square feet, then it is qualified as a mobile home. Thus, it has to abide by existing laws and regulations. On the other hand, if a tiny house falls less than 400 square feet, then it is considered as a trailer.

Florida

Tiny House Friendly: 7⁄10

Most parts of Florida have openly welcomed tiny house dwellers. In Florida, there are already existing tiny house hotels and rental communities which allow everyone to experience the lifestyle. This indicates how open the city is when it comes to tiny houses.

Tiny houses on wheels in Florida are required to be properly registered as RV at the Department of Motor Vehicles. On the other hand, laws and regulations on tiny houses on foundation vary from one area to another.

In St. Petersburg, accessory dwelling units or ADUs that are between 375 and 750 square feet are only allowed in specific zones.

While in Orange County, it is required that an accessory dwelling unit should at least have footage of 400 square feet. Lastly, in Sarasota County, if you plan to stay in the same RV park for 45 days or more then you should build it on a foundation.

Georgia

Tiny House Friendly: 8⁄10

Just like Florida, Georgia has widely accepted tiny houses too despite the lack of statewide regulations and requirements. This is because tiny homes are more affordable compared to traditional houses. Most areas in Georgia have not addressed the issue yet between tiny houses on foundations and tiny houses on wheels.

In most cases, tiny house owners are required to abide by the 2012 International Residential Code. Furthermore, accessory dwelling units or ADUs are not legally available for rent.

Particularly, there is no minimum square footage requirement for accessory dwelling units in Decatur since 2014 under the Unified Development Ordinance.

On the other hand, Atlanta has classified accessory dwelling units as a tiny house that has a kitchen stove. Tiny houses with full-time occupancy are also considered as ADUs. Such tiny houses are only allowed in R-5 zoned areas.

Tiny houses without full-time occupancy or gas stove are considered as a guest house. Guesthouses are allowed to stay anywhere from R – 1 to R – 5 zoned areas.

Hawaii

Tiny House Friendly: 5⁄10

Unlike other states, regulations, and requirements of tiny houses in Hawaii is statewide. Tiny houses are allowed to be built anywhere in the state. Tiny homeowners wanna-be can freely buy land and build a tiny house. But, tiny houses are not allowed in places that are ruled by restrictive covenants.

Hawaii has a unique requirement when it comes to tiny houses on wheels. This is because tiny houses on wheels are considered as ADUs in the state. This means that they have to abide by all relevant zoning restrictions. They are also considered travel trailers so they must be registered to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Hawaii Tiny House Initiative has greatly contributed to accommodate the affordable housing needs of the state’s agriculture workers. Building a house in Hawaii is expensive due to the booming tourism industry that makes it hard for residents to build a home which makes tiny houses a perfect option for them.

County codes have been changed through the Hawaii Tiny House Initiative. Such codes have allowed tiny houses (less than 220 square feet) to be built as special farm dwellings. These special farm dwellings should have a bathroom and a separate living room and kitchen.

Idaho

Tiny House Friendly: 7⁄10

Different types of tiny homes have different definitions in Idaho, which serve as the basis for regulations going forward. Tiny houses in Idaho must comply with one of the following options:

Modular Tiny House – This is a type of tiny home that has been mostly or entirely prefabricated in another place before it has been transported to its intended location. A modular tiny house must follow everything under the HUD construction and safety standards created for manufactured housing. A modular tiny house should at least have a floor space of 150 square feet.
Site – Built – Site built tiny houses are the ones that are built where they are really intended to be placed.vThey are not meant to be moved or relocated. It should also have a floor space of 150 square feet just like the modular tiny house.
Recreational Vehicle – A recreational vehicle in Idaho is defined as a travel trailer, camping trailer, motor home, or truck camper that is designed for emergency human habitation or for recreation. Their maximum width is 8½ feet.

Illinois

Tiny House Friendly: 5⁄10

Most areas in Illinois have not yet accepted tiny houses. Besides, there are areas which really do not accept tiny houses. Chicago and other cities, for example, have not allowed tiny houses to be built in their respective areas at all.

Yet, there are still places that have accepted tiny houses. In these areas, tiny houses are allowed to be built or parked in private properties as well as in mobile home parks and campgrounds.

Whether you can build a tiny house or not on your own land depends on the county-specific rules. If what you own is a tiny house on wheels, then it is classified as a recreational trailer that compels you to register it to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Indiana

Tiny House Friendly: 6⁄10

Building codes for tiny houses in Indiana vary from one place to another. The residential building codes in the state are not applicable to tiny houses that were built for personal use. This is known as The Log Cabin Rule. The Log Cabin Rule is only applicable to tiny houses that are fixed on lands and not on wheels.

You can, however, find tiny home neighborhoods in Indiana. Some residential neighborhoods have also been allowed to build tiny houses near or beside residential homes. Also, the tiny house rules vary in Carmel, Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Bloomington, and others.

Iowa

Tiny House Friendly: 3⁄10

A lot of communities and counties in Iowa can’t build tiny houses because of the set minimum square footage requirements for residential dwellings. This requirement hinders residents from building their own tiny house in their desired area. One particular place with such a rule is Iowa Falls.

In Iowa Falls, the minimum size requirement for residential properties has been adjusted to 500 square feet. So, the city can only allow larger tiny homes as of this time. But actually, the 500 square feet minimum is a downgrade of the 600 square feet requirement before.

Other parts of Iowa greatly discourage tiny homes. In Des Moines, a proposed tiny house development was not approved. This means that people who want to have a tiny house near Des Moines should look for land in rural or outlying areas surrounding the city. These places have less stringent zoning regulations.

Kansas

Tiny House Friendly: 6⁄10

Kansas is more open to tiny houses as long as it is on a foundation and not on wheels. There are county-wide and state-wide regulations in the state when it comes to tiny houses. The minimum square footage for tiny houses on a foundation is 170 square feet.

The 170 square feet floor space should have one room and a second room which can’t be either the bathroom or kitchen. The second room should at least be 50 square feet.

Furthermore, all tiny houses on foundation should be built on a lot with an area of at least 3,000 square feet. RS3 is the smallest zoning district that allows tiny houses.

Accessory dwelling units are not allowed in RS3 or RS5 zoned areas. They can only be built on single dwelling residential zoning areas with the likes of RS40, RS, RS10, and RS7. Composting toilets are banned regardless of where the tiny house is built.

But, propane gas and solar panels are allowed based on IFC regulations. A small wind generation system that does not exceed 35 feet is also permitted.

Tiny houses on wheels are not allowed to park in private lands and parks. They can only be parked on designated campgrounds.

Kentucky

Tiny House Friendly: 5⁄10

Most tiny houses in Kentucky are built in Louisville because of how large the city is. There are specific rules in restriction in the city but all in all, tiny houses are allowed in the entire metropolis.

Site-built or permanent tiny homes are allowed only if they are built on a foundation. And, the process of securing building requests for a tiny house on a foundation is the same as acquiring other residential construction requests.

In Louisville, a modular tiny house is considered as a house with components that are made off-site that will be assembled on a fixed foundation later on. In order for a tiny house to be considered as a modular home, special tiny house construction kits should be used.

Louisville is very open to tiny houses but a special review process is necessary before a permit may be granted. The applicant may also be required to submit additional documentation to secure a building permit.

On the other hand, tiny houses on wheels are required for the zoning restrictions of Louisville. Keep in mind that manufactured and assembled off-site tiny houses are considered as pre-manufactured homes in the state. Pre-manufactured homes in Louisville are subject to special state approval.

Louisiana

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

A lot of tiny home designs are not conducive to Louisiana’s building regulations. This is because compliance with the 2012 International Residential Code is mandatory in the state.

The code requires ceilings of tiny houses to be elevated to at least 7 feet. This includes lofts and all other areas of the structure. Stairs are more preferred than ladders in loft areas. A window that serves as an emergency exit is also required.

Furthermore, one of the rooms of the tiny house should at least have a floor area of 120 square feet. Doors, hallways, and staircases must be 3 feet or wider. The city is open to tiny houses but its restrictions make it hard to build a tiny house.

Maine

Tiny House Friendly: 9⁄10

Maine is one of the few states that has approved requirements when it comes to the construction of tiny houses. To begin with, a tiny house should not exceed 400 square feet. Sleeping lofts with ladders as access are allowed. Skylights in loft areas that serve as emergency exits are also allowed.

Tiny houses on foundation must comply with the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code requirements. These guidelines for tiny houses are statewide, but cities have the power to deny a construction request.

There are areas in Maine too wherein boat houses are converted into an accessory dwelling unit following the time home’s construction guidelines.

Tiny houses on North Yarmouth are considered as camping if it is in the same exact location for more than 120 days of the year. If it exceeds 120 days, then it must comply with the established building codes for tiny homes already. Tiny homes that were built before the effective date of the ordinance are exempted. The same goes for land areas that are more than 30,000 square feet.

Maryland

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

There is no specific definition of what a tiny house is in Maryland. This means that there are no existing tiny house laws or requirements yet in the state. But generally speaking, they consider tiny houses on wheels as recreational activities or RVs.

Since tiny houses on wheels are considered as RVs, they can only be parked on designated RV parks. It is the management of the RV parks too who establishes specific rules for the tiny houses.

Tiny houses on a foundation are allowed in most areas in Maryland. That is, as long as zoning restrictions in urban and suburban areas permit. But since such zoning restrictions do not confirm with tiny houses, most tiny houses then are in rural areas.

Massachusetts

Tiny House Friendly: 8⁄10

Living in a tiny house that meets the requirements for an accessory dwelling unit is an easier option than living in a tiny house on wheels in Massachusetts. Most of the towns in the state allow accessory dwelling units. But, the building requirements vary from one town to another.

They are very open to tiny houses that certain towns allow up to three ADUs with the condition that the third tiny house should not be more than 550 square feet. However, the state has no definite definition yet of what a tiny house is. But certainly, tiny houses do not meet the requirements for accessory dwelling units.

Tiny houses on wheels are allowed for camping purposes in the state as long as they are parked on an RV park. Certain problems may arise for people who want to permanently live on tiny houses on wheels.

Michigan

Tiny House Friendly: 8⁄10

In the entire state of Michigan, zoning restrictions and building requirements are set in order to accommodate tiny houses. There were campaigns before for accessory dwelling units to be allowed in all residential areas as well.

As a matter of fact, Economy Efficiency Dwelling was introduced in Briley Township. An Economy Efficiency Dwelling is a house that has an area between 240 and 500 square feet. The exterior of this dwelling should be between 20 to 30 feet wide and 12 and 20 feet tall.

In addition, it also has to abide by the state’s sanitation and building codes. Economy Efficiency Dwellings is also required to meet all requirements for a Certificate of Occupancy.

They must be built on a permanent foundation. Such houses are only allowed in areas zoned for Residential 2, Agriculture and Forest Rec.

Minnesota

Tiny House Friendly: 7⁄10

For zoning purposes, Minnesota has defined tiny houses in two ways. The first one is, tiny houses on wheels are Recreational Activities or RVs. The second one is, tiny houses on foundations are considered as accessory dwelling units.

This is because ADUs in the state are required to be built on a foundation. Furthermore, ADUs also have to comply with the same building codes for traditional houses.

Finding a place where building or parking a tiny house is legal is very hard in the city. Thankfully, a lot of towns in this state are becoming more open to tiny houses as a more affordable option for seniors and disabled residents.

Mississippi

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

After Mississippi was hit by hurricane Katrina, the state has used tiny homes as emergency shelters. But, the use of tiny houses as a permanent home is not yet allowed in most cities of the state. Generally, Mississippi has not yet officially accepted tiny houses since there are no defined rules and requirements yet.

However, there have been a lot of efforts in order for tiny houses to be fully accepted and be legalized in the state. Tiny houses on permitted places typically measure between 100 square feet and 900 square feet.

Some of the places in Mississippi which have accepted tiny houses include Southaven, Jackson, Vicksburg, Biloxi, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Gulfport, and Tupelo.

Missouri

Tiny House Friendly: 3⁄10

Tiny houses on wheels are considered travel trailers in most parts of Missouri. This limits the place where tiny houses on wheels can park. Travel trailers are defined in the wheel-mounted portable temporary shelter platform.

Travel trailers are not allowed to be parked on streets and in any public place in the entire state. They are also not allowed to be used inside the boundaries of a city. Tiny houses with a living area that is less than 220 square feet are not required to secure special permits.

The cities Saint Charles, Branson, St. Louis, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Columbia, and Springfield have permitted site-built tiny homes on foundations. However, zoning restrictions and construction guidelines vary between cities.

Montana

Tiny House Friendly: 3⁄10

Montana is in great need for affordable housing solutions but has not yet recognized the existence of tiny houses. This makes it important for tiny house owners wanna-be in the state to do thorough research on laws and permissions which might be needed when building or parking a tiny house.

Tiny houses on a foundation are allowed while tiny houses on wheels are considered as RVs or travel trailers. Thus, it must comply with relevant restrictions and regulations.

Nebraska

Tiny House Friendly: 6⁄10

Nebraska has a formal definition of tiny houses. It also has specific building requirements and zoning restrictions when it comes to the different types of houses in the city.

A manufactured or mobile home is an assembled structure based on the regulations of the HUD Federal Manufactured Home. These are the tiny homes that have successfully passed the HUD inspection which qualified them to receive an approval label.

Modular home refers to tiny houses that are constructed under the guidelines and codes of the National Electric Code and the International Residential Code. These tiny houses have received a label that approved their status as a Nebraska Modular Housing Unit.

The last type of tiny house on the list in Nebraska is the tiny house on wheels. Tiny houses on wheels are required to comply with the Park Model Recreational Vehicle Standard, the National Fire Protection Association Code 1192 or the NFPA Standard on Recreational Vehicles.

Tiny houses on wheels in Nebraska are classified as to how travel trailers and motor-homes are classified.

New Jersey

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

Due to how affordable tiny houses are than traditional houses, a lot of residents in New Jersey are getting interested in it. But, there are no zoning regulations and requirements yet when it comes to tiny houses. Besides, there are cities in New Jersey that have totally banned the building of tiny houses.

The Land Use Board did not allow tiny houses in a community that would be used by military veterans. Other areas have passed laws allowing restricted uses of tiny houses. For example, Haverstraw allows you to build a tiny house on a foundation if it will be used by a property caretaker and only if the parcel of land meets acreage requirements.

In Rockland-area communities, a tiny house on wheels that is classified as a recreational vehicle and that is not occupied can be stored on an unincorporated parcel.

North Carolina

Tiny House Friendly: 6⁄10

The legality and acceptance of tiny houses is a hot issue in North Carolina. This is because some netizens think that tiny houses have a negative value on the impact and appeal to their houses.

Others consider tiny houses as an excellent solution to overcrowding in high-density areas and are a good alternative for people who can’t afford a full-sized house.

In the county of Wilmington, a tiny house that is occupied by a single person is to at least have a floor area of 150 square feet. If there will be another occupant, then another floor area which is around 100 square feet should be added.

Tiny houses in North Carolina are subjected to local housing ordinances too. Just like in Winston-Salem wherein accessory dwelling units are allowed to be built on single-family residential lots given that the occupant is the caretaker or a relative.

There are still other restrictions on tiny houses in the entire state so make it a habit to check first before doing something.

North Dakota

Tiny House Friendly: 5⁄10

Tiny houses are of increasing popularity in North Dakota. But there are no specific laws in the state yet when it comes to tiny houses. The requirements in each city and county generally vary which requires a thorough understanding of each of them.

In Burleigh County, residential homes are required to at least 965 square feet floor area. This is too large for a tiny home.

Due to this, tiny houses are only allowed on agricultural lots throughout the area. This requires tiny houses to comply with the Burleigh County Ordinance and the North Dakota Century Code.

Tiny houses are also allowed on lots that are more than 40 acres. In the same county, all residential structures are required to meet all local building codes.

Tiny houses are also required to be connected to public utilities for water, electricity, gas, and sewer.

On the other hand, tiny homes on wheels that are meant to stay one place must be mounted to a permanent foundation. Accessory dwelling units are not accepted yet in Burleigh County. Only specialized granny suites that have met the specific requirements are allowed.

Ohio

Tiny House Friendly: 3⁄10

Ohio has no specific classification system for tiny houses yet. This means that there are no laws and regulations for tiny houses yet in the state.

For example, in Cleveland, residential homes, regardless of their size, are required to at least have 950 square feet floor area. There are no local ordinances yet for tiny houses alongside its unique building requirements. But, accessory dwelling units are allowed in the area as long as it will not serve as a primary house.

On the other hand, other areas have grouped tiny houses with other structures known as a variance. The confusion on the residents is the primary reason why tiny houses are not yet fully grown in the state.

Oklahoma

Tiny House Friendly: 4⁄10

The state of Oklahoma has no specific definitions and regulations yet for tiny houses. But this did not become the hindrance to tiny house owners to spread the lifestyle in the entire state. Besides, there are already tiny house communities in the Wheeler District and in the northwestern region of the state as well.

Tiny houses on wheels are considered as RVs in the state. This means that they should meet all necessary requirements. Due to the unaddressed specific requirements of tiny houses, a lot of Oklahoma residents prefer to have their tiny houses in a rural area which is not under the strict zoning regulations of the state.

Oregon

Tiny House Friendly: 8⁄10

The state of Oregon already has established laws and requirements for tiny houses. There are already existing housing construction and zoning requirements due to the popularity of the state’s Tiny House Hotel.

Tiny houses on wheels across the state are required to secure required documents from the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, the permits and inspections for tiny homes on wheels are not yet under the control of the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

This means that tiny houses on wheels residents must use a commercial hauler. They should also have a special trip permit whenever they want to transfer to another area.

Pennsylvania

Tiny House Friendly: 8⁄10

Pennsylvania is open to tiny houses. Generally, some cities are more accepting while others are not.

The largest tiny house community in the entire USA is located in Elizabethtown, which is a county in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, there is no minimum house size requirement for tiny houses in Philadelphia. But, they should follow the requirements of the International Residential Code 2009.

The tiny house should also have at least one room with a floor area of 120 square feet and above. In addition, another room with a floor area of 70 square feet and above is also required. Unless it is the kitchen of the tiny house, all rooms should be 7 feet and above in length, width or height.

Rhode Island

Tiny House Friendly: 2⁄10

There are no laws and regulations yet for tiny houses in Rhode Island. However, there are passed laws already for accessory dwelling units. The law allows ADUs to be built if the primary home is used by the owner or if the ADU will be occupied by a family member that is 62 years old and above.

South Dakota

Tiny House Friendly: 7⁄10

South Dakota has gone through a lot for tiny houses. Communities across the state have passed different ordinances for tiny houses. For example, tiny houses on wheels are allowed to stay at a commercial campground for a short time.

While tiny houses on a foundation are required to comply with the local zoning restrictions and building codes. A tiny house that will be occupied by one person only should at least have 187 square feet of living space.

If there will be an additional person, the tiny house should expand by around 50 square feet. The tiny house must have a width ranging from 8.5 feet and 20 feet.

Texas

Tiny House Friendly: 9⁄10

Tiny houses are not yet that popular in Texas but there are established regulations already. These codes and regulations are based and determined by local jurisdictions.

In Breckenridge, tiny houses should be permanently fixed on a foundation. They should at least have a floor area of 320 square feet. While on Spur, there is no required floor area. Tiny houses on wheels are also allowed as long as the wheels have been removed and the home is anchored to the ground.

Conclusion

Generally speaking, the laws which authorize tiny houses vary from one state to another. This makes it a must for you to check the existing laws and regulations in your target location. In as much as possible, avoid areas that are very strict when it comes to tiny houses to avoid any problem from arising.

Best Tiny Houses: 20 Jaw-Dropping Tiny Houses That Will Leave You Wanting One

March 6, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

The best tiny houses are simply captivating. They are not just houses, either—it’s safe to say that they are works of art.

Something about these houses just reels you in—it makes you never want to leave when you start living in one.

If you’re planning to build or buy one, get inspiration from these jaw-dropping tiny houses.

Best Tiny Houses: Top 20 Jaw-Dropping Tiny Houses

These 20 structures captivated our eyes and our curiosity. If you’re thirsty of inspiration, take a squeeze out of these breathtaking and interesting houses.

1. “The Lily Pad” by Creative Cabins LLC

front view of The Lily Pad, black stairs leading to a black shipping container cabin. — The Lily Pad will keep you cozy.

First on our list is this dark but inviting vacation rental in Ohio. The Lily Pad is a tiny house made of shipping containers by Creative Cabins LLC.

Located in Hocking Hills, Logan Ohio, it’s open for renting to couples, families, and individuals who want a peaceful retreat in the woods.

The Lily Pad is small but packed with amenities. For cozy nights with your buddies, you can crack a cold one open at their covered outdoor living space, gas grill, and swing bed.

It even has motorized blinds if you need privacy real quick. And if you’re feeling a bit social, you can also rely on their internet for a quick Snapchat update.

If you ask us, this would be a perfect spot for reunions of small groups of friends who are also adventurous. The Hocking Hills is home to waterfalls and cliffs and all of its parks are free. So, you would totally enjoy your time here if you’re a hiking junkie.

2. “Helm” by CargoHome

Rear view of The Helm, lots of greenery, sunny afternoon. — The Helm, a lovely tiny home.

Helm is another wonderful shipping container rental, which you can find in the most tiny house-friendly state, Texas.

At first glance, its glass-wood exteriors will make you think it’s a modern house from the pages of BluPrint. You wouldn’t think you can get something that looks big in such a small package.

Built by CargoHome, it welcomes vacationers in its two-bedroom premises. It also has two bathrooms, a dining room, and a living room.

It even has a deck where you can read a book and share a cig with your significant other. Any couple or family can enjoy a great time in this fully-functioning tiny house.

Would we rent Helm? Of course! Its spacious bathroom is especially our favorite, considering it’s a bathroom in a tiny house.

The interiors don’t also scream “cargo container”, which is a good thing. It’s certainly one of the best tiny houses out there.

3. “Coodo Homes” by Coodo

coodo white tiny houses on the desert. plenty of shrubs. afternoon sun. — The future is finally here with Coodo’s designs.

Do you know that dystopian Netflix TV series, Black Mirror? Coodo’s modular mobile homes look exactly like it came straight out of Black Mirror. However, don’t let this alarm you. These houses won’t suddenly come alive—they just look futuristic.

The Coodo 32 series, the company’s flagship series, will make you gasp with its clean, round features made of white Aluminum.

The frontal design of the three models, which resembles the teeth of a USB connector, looks that way to let more natural light in. Meanwhile, if you’re not fond of the white Aluminium series, they also have a wooden series made of Siberian larch.

Would we buy a mobile house model from Coodo? Yes, it might look like a giant USB connector from Apple, but the specs aren’t too bad. Every model also comes with its own water tank, solar panels, wind turbines, and even a recycling station.

With those features, it’s easily one of the best tiny houses these days. The Jetsons would downsize, they would probably choose this series.

4. “First Light Tiny House” by First Light Studio

Front view of First Light Tiny House. Black tiny house on wheels. Greenery. — There’s a Yin and Yang quality to this tiny house on wheels.

This tiny house on wheels designed by First Light Studio’s Anna Farrow can be deceiving.

On the outside, it can look stand-offish with its black corrugated steel exteriors. However, on the inside, the soft glow of the interior lighting and birch plywood walls are comforting and welcoming. Truly breathtaking.

Handcrafted by Build Tiny, a tiny house builder, this off-grid ready house comes with a full kitchen, which shows the client’s affinity for whipping up meals and pastries.

It has a wall oven and grill complete with a range hood. The kitchen sink has a folding table beside it. At the top of the loft, of course, sits the solar panels.

The First Light Tiny House is a real standout, not only with its aesthetic quality but also with its functionality.

Confused about whether you should choose a mobile or stationary house? This model has the best of both worlds, making it one of the best tiny houses nowadays.

5. “The Getaway” by Tiny House Building Company

exterior of The Getaway. blue skies. green trees. — The Getaway brings you retro vibes from the 80s.

If you want to downsize but also relive the 1980s’ bubblegum pop aesthetic, The Getaway could be your permanent home.

The pink door, the big chill retro pink appliances, the awning, and the walls—these will remind you of a Barbie dollhouse or an ice cream parlor toy set.

Inside, the white and grey trimmings help in lighting up the room. If you want to secure your stuff, you can put them in the storage steps and the hitch outside. And if you are sleepy, you will feel comfy at the two king-size lofts.

pink fridge and pink electric stove. beige kitchen. white trimmings. — Your very own dollhouse. Now available.

The Getaway also comes with a customized chandelier package, a bathroom with the Best washer and dryer and a fully furnished kitchen. You can use the freezer, microwave, and electric cook-top as well.

The Tiny House Building Company has a wide array of tiny houses on wheels, but The Getaway is unique for bringing that vintage, homey vibe in a mobile home.

If you can’t start your nomad lifestyle, this tiny house will bring that comfort in every ride. It’s another bright example of the best tiny houses at the moment.

6. “Athens 520” by Park Model Homes

Athens 520 - front view, sunny day, blue skies. — Get ready to live like a thinker in Athens 520.

Like its regal-sounding name, Athens 520 comes in a larger size than the others on this list. Nevertheless, it’s still a tiny house; however, its wrap-around porch, in which the fireplace and the chairs are located, makes it appear bigger.

Crafted by Park Model Homes, Athens 520 is one of the 15 models in their Champions series. It’s also one of the most popular ones, qualifying as one of the best tiny houses you could purchase today.

Inside, Athens 520 has a wood-burning fireplace, perfect for those cold December nights. After hanging out with your siblings or children in the comfy living space, you can snuggle with your partner in the king-size bedroom.

If it were up to us, the Athens 520 would be an ideal space for granny or grandpa. There is no loft, so any climbing would be unnecessary.

Moreover, the wrap-around porch would be a perfect avenue for breezy afternoon teas and gabfest with their amigas.

7. “Zion” by Mustard Seed Tiny Homes

Zion front view. — Zion is nothing but homey and pragmatic.

The look of Zion fits its name—it’s modern design screams luxury. Notably, it doesn’t look too brutalist like other tiny houses. You can liken Zion to a shrunken version of a modern residential structure in a suburban neighborhood.

Despite being a premium park model, Zion’s white exterior walls, dark brown roof, large french doors, and wooden porch will make you reminisce of grandma’s house in the summer.

However, going inside the house, the refreshing in-the-now fittings, amenities, and furniture will greet you.

We think Zion is definitely one of the best tiny houses for couples who want to start a family. You and your partner can share pancakes and sip your coffee at the breakfast counter.

Besides the master bedroom, it also has a loft that is spacious enough for two toddlers. Mustard Seed Tiny Homes can also quote you some upgrades if you request it.

8. “Bellevue” by West Coast Homes

Bellevue. bird's eye view. Sunny day. — It’s always sunny here in Bellevue.

When you think of tiny houses, you might instantly imagine tight spaces. Bellevue goes the other way. With its open floor plan, Bellevue’s design reflects the gregariousness of the west coast lifestyle.

This high-end park model by West Coast Homes is apparently a refreshing take on their older unit, San Juan. It now features an extended porch, a deck you can access through a stair outside, a spacious main floor, and a loft for sleeping.

Inside, you can whip up your meals in the single-wall kitchen and store food in the cabinets beside the dining area.

This model is a good choice for couples because of the open floor plan. It wouldn’t be a problem if only the two of you can see each other’s business, right?

Besides, if you have guests, the extended porch and the deck is available for small parties. If they get too boozed up, they can always stay the night at the loft. With its versatility, it’s one of the best tiny houses one can opt for these times.

9. Modular Shipping Container Homes By Cocoon Modules

Cocoon House, another front view — Live, work, play, or hide in this Cocoon house.

If you’re going for all-out minimalism, these transportable 320 square feet houses by Cocoon Modules might fit you. The Modular Shipping Container Homes are just like a turnkey giant block of wood with a few glass doors and windows.

Like the Bellevue, it has a simple open floor plan—the kitchen, living area, bedroom, and bathroom are all beside each other. At the rear end of the house, there’s an additional glass door.

Cocoon Houses - Front View — Set up a lounge outside this tiny house.

Moreover, because it’s tiny and rectangular, it also boasts energy-efficiency and earthquake resistance. Cocoon Modules even has a class A certification in energy-efficiency.

This mini container house is suitable for those who are dead serious about downsizing. Everything is tiny in this house; but if you can find a spacious lot, you can park there, set up a lounge area, and host a film viewing for the family. It’s certainly one of the best tiny houses made of shipping containers.

10. Shipping Container House by Ty Kelly

Best-Tiny-Houses-Shipping-Container-House-2-by-Ty-Kelly — There is bliss in this Ty Kelly shipping container house.

This Ty Kelly project in Seattle is another minimalist wonder. In the day, it’s an undeniable piece of modern architecture.

Up close, you can see the gorgeous patterns of the wooden panels and neon green details. Inside, the house is full of symmetrical features and design. The Shipping Container House comes even more alive at night.

Even though it’s not that tiny, it has the elements of good design, which is so much better than being tiny just for the sake of it.

Best-Tiny-House-Ty-Kelly-Shipping-Container-House — Isn’t that a nice contrast of neon green and light wood?

Going inside, you will see a wide common area with eye-catching artwork on the walls. Just beside the living room is an island kitchen that also serves as a breakfast countertop. There is even an extended porch at the front.

We believe the Shipping Container House is one of the best tiny houses because it’s the epitome of container architecture done right. It’s obvious that the designer did not sacrifice form for the sake of function. Who says you can’t have debonair in sustainability?

11. “The Wedge” by Wheelhaus

Best-Tiny-Houses-The-Wedge — Spend time with your significant other in The Wedge on a peaceful night.

From one quick look, The Wedge looks like a small luxury beachfront cabin with its 400 square feet size. However, one would be surprised to find out that it’s a fully functioning one-bedroom unit, complete with turnkey appliances.

This cornerstone model by Wheelhaus is designed with timber and steel. It has exterior siding and higher ceilings made of reclaimed Wyoming snow fencing, which is unique for a tiny home.

The windows and sliding glass doors are also designed to welcome sunlight. The private deck is an inviting addition, like a cherry on top of a sundae.

If you’re into natural materials without sacrificing contemporary elements, this turnkey model could be your dream tiny house. Truly, it’s a convenient luxury for tiny house enthusiasts.

If you’re tired of the common notion about tiny houses having poor quality, then you can buy this house and rub it off the naysayers’ faces.

12. “The Brillhart House” By Brillhart Architecture

Best-Tiny-House-The-Brillhart-House — The Brillhart House is brilliantly crafted.

Despite its magical simplicity, The Brillhart House is one decorated house. It won the AIA Miami Honor Award in 2014 and the AIA Florida Honor Award and the Best Single Family House in 2015. Phew. It must be that great, right?

Well, it truly is. The Brillhart House is a bigger tiny house, but its mystique oozes even from just one glance. The front facade has a wide porch covered with rows of shutters. That very porch, apparently, brilliantly connects the indoor and the outdoor spaces.

Best-Tiny-Houses-The-Brillhart-House-2 — Sunlight falls on this well-designed house.

Inside, there’s a glaring, wide living room, a kitchen with earthy tones, and a zen bedroom, which is separated by glass sliding doors from the rest of the house.

The true magic of the Brillhart House lies in its functions. The house itself was designed with the purpose to provide an essential habitat for an individual and a community. Beyond that, it was crafted to reduce environmental impact.

The result is a beautiful house with a winning design and superior efficiency. And the awarding bodies clearly agree that it’s one of the best tiny houses they have seen.

13. “Cahill Cabin” by Cushman Design Group

Best-Tiny-Houses-The-Cahill-Cabin — It’s not just a cabin in the woods!

The Cahill Cabin by Kelley Osgood and Chad Forcier is an actual cabin, but it has a unique quality to it.

Like The Wedge, it’s a fully functioning house with complete amenities. That, together with its warm contemporary elements, made it qualified to be featured in Katie Hutchison’s “The New Cottage”.

Inside the cabin is a dining area, living room, and kitchen, all wrapped with glass sliding doors. You can stay warm by the fireplace while enjoying the outside view of the greenery and the river.

The Cahill Cabin is located in a fishing camp in rural northern Vermont. Its two bedrooms mainly have wooden furniture and walls.

Not only is the Cahill Cabin a good vacation dwelling but also a functional and compact home. It gives a new meaning to cottage living, which is often misunderstood by many, unfortunately.

With that defining quality, it’s one of the best tiny houses you can find today.

14. “Highlands Escape” by Benn and Penna Architects

Best-Tiny-Houses-Highlands-Escape — Escape into this small but voluptuous house.

All these rectangular tiny houses… Where are the curvy ones? Enter Highlands Escape. This sophisticated dwelling by Benn and Penna Architects is anything but boring.

From one look, you might mistake it for a Zaha Hadid piece because of its wavy design. Zaha Hadid designed the famous Heydar Aliyev Center in London.

However, Highlands Escape is a unique delight on its own. Its wavy exterior look with horizontal lines is actually corrugated Colorbond, which is a famous long-lasting roofing material.

It has an extended porch, which leads you to the front door. Because of its curved shape, the interior space allows the occupants to contemplate. In fact, the living room is surrounded by a wall of bookshelves.

The designers of Highlands Escape were apparently inspired by Marion Mahony Griffin. Like his quote, “a tiny house, like a tiny temple, can be the perfect work of art”, the architects crafted Highlands Escape in such a way that it’s a tiny masterpiece. It’s undeniably one of the best tiny houses that’s built today.

15. “Honey on the Rock” by Daniel Weddle

Best-Tiny-Houses-Honey-on-the-Rock — Honey on the Rock: Quirky, tiny, and sweet?

From wavy to whimsical, we now discuss the quirky Honey on the Rock. Unlike the others, the Honey might look like a McDonald’s play place, but make no mistake—it’s a working tiny house!

Daniel Weddle went all out with wood on this project. Inside, you’ll be met with detailed wooden paneling, circular windows, and rustic metal accents.

With its tiny size, you’ll be delighted to know that a second-floor deck exists, which you can access through the outdoor spiral staircase. Had enough quirk? We’re not even finished yet—there’s a secret door inside the sleeping area!

We can definitely see creatives living in this house. They will be inspired to remain deviant to the mundane with The Honey’s design. However, they won’t be uncomfortable because it’s still a functioning house in which one can live.

16. “Cali Duo 2” by Sustain Design Studios

Best-Tiny-Houses-CaliMini-Duo-2 — A visual representation of Cali Duo 2 by Sustain Design Studio

We’re done with the curvy and the quirky. Let’s go back to the elegant rectangular houses. First up is the Cali Duo 2, which is a larger tiny house with a front porch. Like the earlier houses that we listed here, it’s like a modern suburban house that’s been shrunk into a more compact size.

For a prefab model, Cali Duo is a 10/10 looker. It has gorgeous Cedar siding and deck, Baltic Birch Ply interior walls, and cork floors. This model also comes with appliances such as a dishwasher and a fridge.

As for energy efficiency, it’s equipped with a tankless hot water heater and a ventilation system. You can also let them install an air-to-air heat pump.

A small family who’s cautious with their environmental impact can surely move into this large tiny house.

In the Cali Duo 2 structure, Sustain boasts of an absence of vinyl, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and drywall. An off-grid system will also depend on the homeowners.

17. “Working Amp House” by Brian Crabb

Best-Tiny-Houses-The-Working-Amp — This groovy tiny house will rock your world.

With its look that resembles a giant amplifier, the Working Amp House is one groovy tiny home.

Its violinist owner, Asha Mevlana, hired the services of her brother, designer Brian Crabb to create a tiny house with a unique look and function. She didn’t just want an ordinary tiny home, hence the amplifier-shaped house.

The Working Amp’s main house is shaped like an L itself, but the other star here is the extended deck. This is where Asha can host mini-concerts for her friends, family, and neighbors in Arkansas.

She’s also planning to invite other local musicians for music festivals in her home. Inside the house, you will admire the high ceilings.

This is truly a unique piece of work. If it were up to us, it could even become a rental property that will draw a lot of renters because of its fun look. It could also be a tourist attraction if Asha decides to move to a new tiny house.

18. “AirShip 002” by Roderrick James Architects

Best-Tiny-Houses-Airship-002-2 — The unique rental, AirShip 002 | Photo courtesy of Hypebeast

Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut or a pilot? How about going to Mars? You may not reach that dream now, but you can take inspiration from this tiny house that’s shaped like an aircraft. The AirShip 002 is a one-of-a-kind tiny house that will instantly turn the heads of passers-by.

Inside the house, you’ll feel like flying because of the circular windows that resemble those in airplanes. Interestingly, the walls and furniture are a combination of wood and metal, giving you that rustic feel, somehow.

Make no mistake about the AirShip 002. You might think it’s not a liveable house, but once you go inside, you can see that the elements work together just fine. There’s even an island counter that serves as a breakfast table.

The AirShip 002 is available for rental on AirBnB.

19. “The Slim Fit” by Ana Rocha

Best-Tiny-Houses-The-Slim-Fit — The Slim Fit at dusk.

You’ve seen tiny houses that are whimsical, curvy, shaped like an amplifier and an airship… Now, brace yourself: a vertical tiny house!

The Slim Fit is a tall tiny house, with its three floors and 538 square feet of liveable area. Indeed, its name is very fitting. Pun intended.

Ana Rocha of Ana Rocha Architecture crafted this house with Ayous hardwood and birchwood. Outside, it resembles a stack of Jenga blocks and a wooden version of The Powerpuff Girls’ house.

But even though it has an intimidating look, this house is notably a downsizing wonder with its small carbon footprint. In fact, each floor is only 176 square feet!

The Slim Fit is ideal for people who want something out of the ordinary, but still a comfortable and practical living space.

It’s certainly not for those people with mobility difficulties or people with worsening back pain because of the stairs.

20. “Wave House” by Abdolrahman Kadkhodasalehi

We have finally arrived at the final house. Since this list is colorful with the different designs of tiny houses, why not end it with an oddly shaped tiny house?

The last one on our list is the Wave House, which is, you’ve guessed it—a wavy tiny house.

The Wave House was actually a competition winner. In February 2019, the Wave House won the Ryterna Modul’s Architectural Challenge. It was a contest for the houses with the least impact on the environment. The Wave House beat the others with its curved structure and large glass windows.

The Wave House is truly an architectural feat not just because of its shape but also because of its recycling technology. It has a refinery tank, which recycles and purifies the used sink and shower water.

The curved structure also serves as a storage for the water supply for the heaters. The design is nothing but revolutionary.

Best Tiny Houses: Design Trends in 2020

Do you want your tiny house to stand out in the crowd despite its size? Tiny houses are known to lose value quickly. Therefore, if you’re planning to make it a rental business in the future, you have to spruce it up. A well-maintained property will retain value easily.

You can take a hint from these 2020 design trends.

1. Scandinavian interiors

Scandinavian interior design has been a superstar in the design world for a long time now. However, it never goes out of style because of its roots in minimalism, functionality, and impeccable style.

For your tiny house, you can embody this design movement using light wood, warm textiles, metallic-wood accents, and neutral-colored flooring.

2. Pop a color of Jester Red

And do it in small doses. In a tiny house, neutral colors are ideal since they create the illusion of a larger area. However, too much beige will become boring eventually.

As a result, you have to breathe life into your rooms. Why not try Jester Red? This maroon-red hue will bring an elegant and sexy atmosphere to a tiny house washed with muted colors.

3. Grandmillennial Style

Grandmillennial Style is another term for a “New Traditionalist.” This design trend incorporates the elements of a granny’s lifestyle and home decor. However, this time, they’re adding a Millennial twist to it.

We’re talking about floral wallpapers, botanical prints, chandeliers, vases, etc. It may sound like this trend is about clutter, but you can avoid that by being selective with your statement pieces.

4. Marrying the old and new

Another hot trend is mixing old and new interior decors. More homeowners are grabbing luxurious period pieces and partnering them with contemporary lighting, rugs, and couches.

This approach is not new, but if you can pair contrasting accessories with each other, then it will never stay out of touch.

5. Gravity-defying furniture

Furniture pieces without legs or with unusual shapes are becoming big. As more people are being into granny pods and container houses, their furniture choices will also downsize.

The good thing about going “legless” is that they look lighter in the house. They are also easier to clean. The only drawback is that if they’re mounted on the wall, you can’t easily move them.

Final thoughts

These tiny houses are not just homes—they can also be works of art.

If you are still planning to build or buy a tiny house, you could borrow an element or two from any of the dwellings we listed above.

Remember, a tiny house could also be your investment, too. Why not opt for something special when you’re planning the design, right?

Do you know any other awesome tiny houses that exist? Share them to us below!

Tiny Home Safety: Top 26 Life-Saving Tips From the Experts

February 28, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Tiny home safety is one of the most crucial concerns of new homeowners.

How can one stay safe and secure in such a small abode?

Tiny houses are not entirely dangerous. However, you should never be complacent—authorities have been strict with tiny houses for valid reasons.

Moreover, the critics’ disapproval of tiny houses is not baseless. After all, they are only advocating for the highest safety standards for properties.

Therefore, if you’re really hell-bent on living in a smaller home, then tiny home safety should be your utmost priority at all times.

In this blog post, we shared 26 tested and proven safety tips from experts.

Tiny home safety: Inside your home

Whether you live alone, with an elderly, or with your kids in your tiny home, you should take notes from these tiny home safety tips. Don’t worry, we have something for everybody.

Bathroom

Did you know that the majority of accidents and injuries happened to people who were in their bathrooms? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 14 percent of those people get hospitalized.

With a bathroom that’s even teenier, how does tiny home safety work? Similar to regular houses, you need to do some few tricks to keep you safe while showering, soaking, etc.

1. Install grab bars.

Falling is one of the top five causes of unintentional home injuries. Every year, slippery bathroom floors cause 80% of falls in the elderly aged 65 years and older. So, it’s no surprise that bathrooms are more sinister than you think.

Therefore, whether you live with an elderly relative or not, you have to add grab bars to ensure tiny home safety. Besides being secure fixtures against falls and slips, these metal bars can serve as towel racks near your bathtub or your shower area.

We found the best-selling grab bar in the market. Check out this AmeriLuck Stainless Steel Bath Grab Bar.

2. Don’t just dump anything in a composting toilet.

Composting toilets’ prices and installation processes can be expensive. But besides their price, take good care of composting toilets because they’re the most convenient type of toilets for tiny houses on wheels. You don’t even need to frequent dumping places to release their waste.

Prolong your composting toilet’s life by not throwing anything in there, except your waste and absorbent materials like untreated sawdust. Absorbent materials will create an odor barrier, minimizing the bad smell. Avoid throwing trash like baby diapers and tissue paper as well.

Get yourself a high-quality trash bin that locks odor. We found this iTouchless 13 Gallon SensorCan Touchless Trash Can with Odor Control System.

3. Add anti-slip accessories.

Metal grab bars, although effective for tiny home safety, are not enough to prevent slips. You have to make sure your floor and walls are not that slippery when wet. Good thing you rely on affordable but effective anti-slip accessories for bathrooms such as stickers, mats, and tapes.

If you’re still in the process of building your tiny house, you can even install anti-slip, textured tiles. Meanwhile, if you already have tiles, you can apply an anti-slip treatment, which is a solution that adds traction to smooth and shiny tiles. One example is Stone Grip.

4. Add tamper-resistant outlets.

Tamper-resistant outlets are great tiny home safety accessories, especially if you live with kids or pets. Also known as tamper-resistant receptacles (TRR), these outlets have safety shutters that block the access of any foreign object into the receptacle.

With the safety shutters inside, it will only work if you insert a fully functional plug. You can’t insert broken plugs with jagged edges—otherwise, the safety shutters inside won’t open and you can’t use the outlet. We suggest you add these outlets everywhere in your house, especially in the bathroom.

5. Install night lights.

Night lights will increase tiny home safety and cultivate your kids’ independence. These are small lighting fixtures that don’t produce an overwhelming brightness but are still effective in lighting a dark room.

If your kids are scared of going to the bathroom at night, you can teach them to turn on the night lights. Plus, they don’t consume that much power, so you don’t have to worry about unnecessary energy loss at night.

The Vont ‘Lyra’ LED Night Light is one of the best selling night light that we found. Go check it out.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where you prepare your kid’s meals, boil water for your coffee, and wash your dishes, mugs, and plates. That only means you should be steadfast in ensuring this area is contamination-free and accident-proof.

Bathrooms can be dangerous, but your kitchen can be lethal, too. Take note of these tiny home safety tips in the kitchen.

1. Use a cast-iron skillet.

Not only this is life-saving (you can fight zombies with this!), but also space-saving. Cast-iron skillets may be a bit expensive, but they have many qualities that compensate for the price. Cast-iron skillets have an ellent non-stick surface, chemical-free material, and great heat-retaining quality.

Best of all, they are space-saving because they’re versatile—you can cook them on open-fire or on a gas stove. So, if the situation calls for it—like a family barbecue or camping with your buddies, you can rely on cast-iron skillets. You don’t need to bring another type of cooking pan to the trip.

This AmazonBasics Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is highly recommendable!

2. Stock on hooks.

In this blog post, we explained why hooks should be staples in every tiny house. However, hooks should be the most present in your tiny house kitchen. Besides being affordable and durable enough to carry heavy objects, they are also highly versatile, which is ideal for a small kitchen.

You can use hooks to hang caddies for spices and herbs, baking tools, glasses, plates, and mugs. You can mount a single hook to hang a drying towel or use several to dry pots and pans. Need something customizable? Use two durable hooks to put up a pegboard, which you can use for multiple things.

We bet you will love this Love-KANKEI Floating Shelf Wall Shelf. It comes with a sturdy shelf and hooks, perfect for your kitchen!

3. Prevent gas buildup in your propane stoves.

You can use propane stoves to cook meals inside your tiny house, but make sure to prevent gas buildup. To avoid that, make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated, so the toxic fumes to exit your kitchen area. Moreover, when you’re cooking, open your windows or turn on an exhaust fan. Propane stoves generate a lot of heat.

Moreover, don’t forget to turn off your propane stove when not in use. You will also need a carbon monoxide detector in case the gas leaks. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, so you will need a detector to prevent contamination during a leakage.

4. Avoid/eliminate electric stove hazards.

Electric stoves are safer than propane stoves, but they still have fire hazards. Therefore, you need to eliminate those and follow safety measures. First of all, be mindful if they’re turned on or not. Propane stoves are easier to detect when they’re running since they smell. Electric stoves, on the other hand, are silent and odorless.

Another hazard to eliminate is excessive heat generation. Again, it’s not easy to notice right away that an electric stove is turned on. When an electric stove gets too hot, you might accidentally burn your hand if you’re not alert enough to notice that it’s turned on. So, if not necessary, don’t use too much heat.

5. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

And learn how to use it! Knowing how to prevent fires in the kitchen is not enough. You also need to know how to put them out. Since you live in a tiny house, you should keep one under your kitchen sink—before a fire from your burning mac and cheese engulfs your home.

You can buy fire extinguishers best used for houses. Since we’re talking about kitchen fires here, a standard fire extinguisher can already help you. It can put out Class A, B, and C fires, which are ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and gases, and electrical equipment fires.

If you don’t have a fire extinguisher yet, you might want to check this Kidde 21005779 Pro 210 Fire Extinguisher.

Bedroom

Your bedroom is the space where you rest, dream, and recover. Nothing should go wrong, right? Well, don’t be too relaxed. You still have outlets, wirings, and windows here, right? Therefore, to truly achieve peace of mind, you should also ensure it’s a secure environment. Follow these tiny home safety tips for your bedroom.

1. Prevent bed bug-friendly moisture.

Bed bugs love humid environments. If your bedroom doesn’t have good indoor airflow, they will grow in no time and might trigger adult on-set allergic reactions. Bed bugs might even cause skin irritation, asthma attacks, and anaphylaxis shocks.

Therefore, do your best to prevent bed bug infestation. Air out your mattress frequently. If you can, wash them every week. Choose a high-quality material, too, if you haven’t bought one yet. Most importantly, don’t forget to open your windows every day at certain periods to let the stale air out.

2. Use dust-proof pillow and mattress covers.

Dust mites also thrive in cramped, humid places, so it’s very likely that you will have them in your bedroom if the air doesn’t circulate properly. Also, did you know they love your skin flakes? Yikes.

To prevent dust mites from growing in your bedroom, use a dust-proof pillow and mattress covers. If you can, avoid putting carpets in your room. Use sheets and rugs with fine threads. You also have to dry your newly washed pillows and mattresses in a hot dryer.

3. Attach your drawers and storage boxes to the wall.

Even if your tiny house is on a foundation, you still have to make sure those heavy boxes will not tip. You’ll never know when earthquakes will strike. Those sharp edges must also be covered and those drawers should be locked, especially if you live with a child who’s in his/her “terrible-twos” stage.

Besides securing your shelves, drawers, organizers, and boxes to the wall, we also don’t suggest putting freestanding items in your bedroom. Apart from occupying your precious floor space, they will also just contribute to the dust-gathering convention in your bedroom.

Tiny home safety: Outside and beyond

Traveling/On-road safety

tiny home safety - tiny house on wheels with a lush green background — Before you live that mobile life, make sure your towing vehicle is capable to tow the heavy load behind it.

Do you have a movable tiny house? Tiny houses on wheels are known to be trickier to handle since you have many things to consider such as the weight distribution, load limit, and other road hazards. Plus, you’ll be traveling most of the time, so you will do more upkeep frequently.

With that said, get a load of these tiny home safety steps for when you’re traveling.

1. Follow the required service schedule.

Your towing vehicle has a service schedule, which is indicated on the car’s dashboard’s warning light or its manufacturer’s manual. Now, you should follow this schedule to prevent fluid leaks, on-the-road malfunctions, and engine trouble. Plus you will save yourself from expensive repairs and replacements in the future.

Moreover, by taking care of your towing vehicle, you can preserve its resale value. Many homeowners and critics don’t like tiny houses because they lose resale value quickly. If you keep the car in good condition, then your mobile house’s value won’t dwindle that much.

2. Ensure there’s proper weight distribution.

Tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) have the same materials as normal houses, so they are a bit heavier than most RVs and trailers. Therefore, you should be meticulous with keeping stuff inside to avoid surpassing the weight limit and improper weight distribution.

Many states in the U.S. also impose a weight limit on tiny houses on the road, which you should adhere to. Meanwhile, for a smooth-sailing towing, your tiny house should have a proper weight distribution.

The standard ratio is that from the trailer tongue to the center point of the axle, it should weigh 60% of the total weight. The remaining area from that center point to the rear area of the THOW should weigh 40% of the total weight.

3. Make sure your vehicle has a great towing capacity.

There are heavy-duty SUVs but there are also large vehicles exclusively designed for towing. Therefore, choose the latter but with even greater towing capacities. Remember, your tiny house’s weight will increase as you put more stuff in it.

The brands of the best towing trucks for tiny houses are Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan, and Ram. These big boys can pull more than 30,000 pounds. The Ram 3500, particularly, has a towing limit of 31,210. That’s monstrous even for tiny houses.

Also, make sure to use the right towing kit. We totally recommend Reese Towpower 21536RAK.

Storms, hurricanes, etc.

tiny home safety - a dark cloud looms over a tiny house — Will your tiny house withstand a storm?

There are dozens of reasons why some states in the U.S. impose strict standards on tiny houses, two of them being storms and hurricanes.

They can mess up even the bigger houses—can a tiny house withstand them? Yes, they can. Just follow these tips for securing your tiny home against extreme weather and reducing the damage it causes.

1. Elevate your tiny house.

The simplest and most affordable countermeasure to avoid flood damage is to move your tiny house to higher ground. If this isn’t an option because your house is stationary, then you can do a preventative measure like elevating the whole structure.

Meanwhile, do your part and get insurance for your house. Before, it was challenging to insure tiny houses, but it’s definitely better now. Insuring tiny houses can cost $500 to $600 per year.

2. Toughen your roof against strong winds.

The roof, doors, and windows are the parts that usually get damaged over time. So, you need to make them “tougher” against the strong winds, which are especially brought by hurricanes.

For example, the Journal of Light Construction suggests you tighten your roof by applying a high-wind-rated roof covering, re-nailing the roof sheathings, or using wind-rated asphalt shingles.

3. Weatherstrip and caulk your windows, doors, and walls.

As for moisture, leaking, or rust, get ahead of those by weatherstripping your windows and doors and caulking your house. Weatherstripping is done by applying a seal that endures friction and external elements, prolonging the life of the fixture.

Here’s a reliable MAGZO Foam Seal Tape if you’re looking for one.

The Dept. of Energy particularly suggests vinyl and metal weatherstripping since they are durable and they last years. Vinyl is typically used for weatherstripping garage doors, but it can be a bit pricey.

4. Secure your appliances.

You secured your roofing and your fixtures—how about your appliances and wiring? Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean they are safe.

Therefore, make sure to ground your solar panels to avoid electrocution and fires, even though most models are waterproof. Invest in weatherproof appliances and cords. If you have solar batteries, keep them warm in snowstorms by charging them.

5. Invest in your insulation.

Proper insulation not only keeps you warm during the bad weather but also saves energy. Storm windows and doors, particularly, bring those benefits. They help regulate your tiny house’s temperature, preventing energy loss.

To insulate effectively against storms, you can use fiberglass insulation. It’s an excellent and easy-to-install insulating material, plus it’s not too heavy or expensive. Other good insulation materials are cotton, spray foam, and Rockwool.

Protection against theft

a robber pries a door open — Tiny house theft is becoming more common these days.

Tiny house theft has been rampant, so you can’t be too complacent with your mobile home. It’s small and movable—it’s no wonder it’s red-hot on the criminals’ radar. Therefore, it’s essential for you to invest in security methods and gadgets.

1. Use wheel clamps and claws.

Wheel clamps and claws are anti-theft wheel locks, which prevent your towing car or RV from getting stolen.

Clamps lock the lug nuts, which secure the wheels to your car’s axles. They are pricier but more effective. Claws, on the other hand, help immobilize your wheels—having these will prevent your vehicles from rotating and turning.

2. Purchase heavy chains.

Heavy-duty chains will also make it nearly impossible for a robber to tow your tiny house away. These chains may have clevis grab hooks on both ends, which prevent the chains from slipping.

Heavy-duty chains are being used to tow large vehicles with tons of cargo, so they won’t break easily. It’s better if you tie it to a permanent structure—yes, even if your tiny house is built on a foundation.

3. Get trailer hitch locks.

Simple, cheap, and easy-to-install, a hitch lock will help foil a sneaky robbery attempt. Hitch locks fuse the cargo and the trailer’s hitch, preventing any thief from towing it. A trailer hitch lock can be made of aluminum, which is a tough kind of metal.

If you search for hitch locks, look for ones that design suit your tiny house or RV. Great hitch locks can resist crowbars, saws, and even sledgehammers. If you want our recommendation, then we vouch for Connor Trailer Hitch Lock.

4. Buy an alarm system.

Alarm systems are not just for regular houses. There are actually plenty of fully-functional alarm systems for RVs and small homes.

The prices of alarm systems for tiny houses start at $29 and can go up to $700. Some devices will set off and call the police, fire, and medical dispatches. Others will let you sync it with your phone in an app. They can even have wireless motion sensors.

5. Conceal a tracking device in your tiny house.

Concealing a tracking device inside your tiny house will be your last line of defense. These devices are waterproof and they can recharge from your RV’s battery. They will also send a notification to your phone.

When shopping for a tracking device, check the reviews if its motion sensors are highly sensitive. This is ideal because once the trailer moves, it should send an alarm to your mobile phone ASAP.

Conclusion

Your tiny house is not just your home; it’s your investment. Unfortunately, it’s small and mobile—many confident robbers will try to snatch it in a snap.

Therefore, regardless of its value, you should do everything you can to protect it.

Also, remember that it’s not easy to get a tiny house in most states in the U.S. If you’re lucky enough to live in one, then do your part and invest in safety measures.

Besides, you can’t trust anybody these days even if you live in a tiny house community. Better be safe than sorry!

Can’t get enough of our safety tips? We have more here.

10 Surprising Reasons Why Critics Don’t Like Tiny Houses

February 27, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Many happy individuals and families have praised the tiny house movement. Still, there are many reasons why critics don’t like tiny houses.

In the U.S., tiny houses have been all the rage in recent years. People from all walks of life seem to be interested in the idea of downsizing.

For them, their needs can fit in an area that measures less than 400 square feet.

However, does the tiny house living really work for everyone?

As your reliable source of tiny house information, we don’t just talk about the rainbows and unicorns of owning and living in a tiny house. We will also shed light on critics’ statements about tiny houses.

In this article, we listed some surprising reasons why critics don’t like tiny houses.

Why critics don’t like tiny houses

They are not always right, but critics don’t base their opinions on pointless things. Again, we are a tiny house blog—but that doesn’t mean we advocate for the movement blindly.

The Tiny House movement has its advantages, yes—but our normal and our good is not the same for other people.

1. The semi-false promises of cheap cost of living.

why critics don't like tiny houses - tiny house with no roof — Does living in a tiny house like this really reduce your monthly living expenses?

When people think of tiny houses, a lower cost of living instantly comes to their mind. The thought of living with no debt, no mortgage, and cheap insurance is too sexy to pass by.

We don’t disagree, though—living in a tiny house does allow you to pay way smaller utility bills, compared to living in a bigger house. However, what about the other expenses that will add to the monthly cost of living?

The truth is that the cost of living in a tiny house can potentially balloon bigger because of the hidden costs.

You may have already paid off the construction or the prefab model, but you will still spend on the following as you reside in your small abode:

Home improvements and upgrades
Insurance plans
Zoning applications and permits
Traveling expenses
Parking spots
Service fees and maintenance for your SUV/truck, which tows your tiny house.
And many more factors, which we will expand later.

This is why tiny houses don’t get the approval of most critics. The movement itself has a semi-false promise of a cheaper cost of living when in reality, some people might have to spend a little more than a small amount.

2. Not the most ideal space for pregnancy.

This might not sound too surprising—pregnancy, after all, is a scary and overwhelming journey. So, living in a tiny house (with wheels, lord!) might sound like stepping on your own toe with thorny soles.

Yes, you can make many preparations and adjustments to make your SO or wife comfortable, but what if it comes as a surprise? Making those changes in your tiny home will be even harder.

Case in point: this couple eventually abandoned their tiny house when they became pregnant. Sadly, they came to the realization that their space was too tiny for the girl’s growing belly, and their living expenses were also increasing. Worst of all, they encountered unexpected health challenges.

Because of those and a couple of other risks, it’s unsurprising why critics don’t like tiny houses. It’s also why housing and building authorities scrutinize the safety of tiny houses on wheels.

That is why if you’re planning to start a family, you might want to think twice before you buy that plan or build that tiny abode.

3. Raising a kid is difficult.

why critics don't like tiny houses - a kid sleeping on a white bed — Raising a kid in an unsuitable environment is NOT a walk in the park.

Yes, this is the ugly truth— just because kids are small doesn’t mean their needs are the same size, too. Raising a kid is a humongous challenge on its own already—but doing it in a tiny house would be brutal.

In our blog post about raising a kid in a tiny house, we mentioned that parents should consider the ethics of the act itself. That’s because every child has different needs because every child is unique. As their parent, you should be able to cover their changing needs in the various stages of their life—this is the ethical thing to do.

California Department of Education (CDE) reports that the first eighteen months after birth is a critical stage in a child’s development. They learn how to make sense of the world—and they do it in such an overwhelming sense for the parent because they will taste, climb, and grasp everything.

As a result, it’s only imperative that a child’s environment is comfortable and safe. Being in a limited space, your challenges in securing an ideal surrounding might increase.

Add that to your existing problems and you might fail in achieving your goal in providing a good environment for them.

Therefore, even though living in a tiny house may help you save expenses, you should reflect more if you are emotionally, psychologically ready to raise a child. Remember: they depend on you, only you.

4. Structural safety concerns.

Shrewd, hungry thieves can find many ways to break into a home. That means not all houses are 100% safe, including tiny houses. However, tiny houses especially become risky when storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes are thrown into the mix of living hazards.

Safety could easily be a deal-breaker for tiny house owners, especially if they live in nearby states where hurricanes are most common. Those calamities are also why tiny houses are strictly monitored in Florida, despite the state having RV parks. In other words, it’s not a tiny house-friendly state.

Can tiny houses on foundations and on wheels withstand external elements like storms? They can. The only thing is, you have to spend time and money on ensuring they are secure.

Not only will you have to consider the structure’s endurance during the storm, but also the debris, electrical, and water damage after all that ruckus. You also have to check if the foundation, the windows, and roof panels are still in one piece.

Apart from those, you also have to be sure that moisture doesn’t stay for too long in your restricted living space. Otherwise, you’ll be sneezing and sniffling from mold and mildew in no time.

Considering how “easy” it is for a tiny house to be unsafe if the homeowners are lazy and neglectful, it’s no wonder why critics don’t like tiny houses.

5. The high cost of building one.

why critics don't like tiny houses - mobile house — You will still spend money to achieve financial freedom. Ironic, isn’t it?

Now, this might surprise a lot of people, especially those who just knew about the movement: tiny houses don’t cost a tiny amount!

Don’t let the idea of downsizing prevent you from considering the additional expenses you might have in this journey.

How much can a tiny house cost?

Excluding the hidden costs after constructing one, building a tiny house might cost you up to $30,000 alone.
The median price of buying one might also cost more than $55,000.
Ryan Fitzgerald of Raleigh Realty also recommends setting aside $65,000 for building a tiny house.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which can be considered tiny houses, might also cost you up to $200,000.

What elements affect those prices? Well, there’s plenty—materials, the builder, the building permit, and the location. If you buy a prefab model, you might also pay for a hefty shipping fee.

Buying only a kit or the blueprint and then building it on your own will allow you to save a lot of labor cost, obviously. However, you are risking that peace of mind from knowing your house is built by licensed experts.

This is why most critics refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of tiny houses. They say that people become blinded by the inexpensive lifestyle—when in truth, they will still need to spend a considerable amount of money before tasting that financial freedom.

6. Inevitable isolation.

You’re a human, not an island—you don’t always have to deal with things by yourself all the time. However, in living in a tiny house, you might find yourself in that situation frequently.

It might be challenging for you to find your tribe, a.k.a. people who also live in tiny houses. Why? Well, for one, some states are just beginning to build tiny house villages and communities, which means only a few of them exist in a state.

Another barrier is parking spots. In the U.S., it’s already hard for large vehicles like trucks to find a decent parking area. Imagine finding spots for a whole house on wheels!

Besides that, some parking spots will also cost you $300 to $600 every month. Nevertheless, it’s still way cheaper than apartment rent, which could go as high as $1216.

The point here is you will jump through several hoops before you settle in a place where you can be around like-minded individuals. Therefore, isolation, when you’re living in a tiny house, is inevitable.

Being human beings, we need socializing as it affects our overall health. Even the quality and the number of our social relationships are factors in the longevity of our lives. It has also been proven that socializing has a positive effect on relieving work stress.

For those reasons, it’s understandable why critics don’t like tiny houses. People may benefit from the low cost of living in one, but some are not really mentally equipped to handle the drawbacks that come with it—one of them being isolation.

7. Poor-performing resale value.

why critics don't like tiny houses - resale value of tiny houses are poor — Tiny house loses its value pretty quickly.

You might want to think twice if you’re buying a tiny house as an investment. Tiny houses, especially those on wheels, don’t do well in the resale value department.

There are many reasons for this. First of all, tiny houses don’t maintain almost all the critical factors that boost resale value.

Location, usable space, age, and condition—most tiny houses just can’t compete with regular houses when it comes to those. You have to deal with the irregularity and unavailability of tiny house communities, plus the constant maintaining and upgrading of the house.

The market of tiny house buyers is also not that big and active. Remember the legal hoops you have to jump through to own and live in a tiny house? Yes, that also discourages people from buying into this trend.

This is why critics don’t give this movement a chance, especially those who are long-term thinkers.

8. Sanitation issues.

Let’s talk about what most of you are really curious about… How does sanitation work in tiny houses? Do tiny houses have toilets? Where does the waste go? The questions can go on and on.

Critics specifically scrutinize sanitation in tiny houses. It’s understandable, though—a tiny space that’s not well-maintained will easily become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Moreover, apparently, the waste can be an issue to the local waste and sewage authorities, since the homeowners often use composting toilets.

It can also be challenging for plumbing professionals to install a waste system that has different specs than the average toilet, but it still has to cater to the local building code.

Tiny houses do have bathrooms with functioning toilets and showers. The toilets, in particular, are specially designed for tiny houses on foundations and for RVs.

For example, the water-only toilet is hooked up to a sewer permanently, so you can flush the waste and urine using water only. Meanwhile, a power-only toilet disposes of waste in trash, which will be picked up.

RVs can also have toilets that use both water and power to dispose of waste, which will then go into black water tanks.

As for the smell, the key is proper ventilation to induce proper indoor airflow—just like in regular-sized houses.

The myth of poor sanitation with tiny houses does not ring true all the time. It all depends on the owner. So, the critics don’t get a point on this one, even though their concern is valid.

9. There are many fakes in the industry.

woodworkers building a tiny house — You have to hire the legit builders and craftsmen even though you’re building a tiny house.

Even builders and suppliers of tiny house models and plans have weighed in on this. In every industry, there are two evils: the greater ones and the lesser ones.

The greater ones? Those who pretend to be authorities and entice people to buy into this movement using promos and low prices.

People who unfortunately fall for it are those who are starving for a downsized life.

Remember, this is a living space of which they are taking advantage—a place where people stay for years. It’s simply not fair for the scammers to use this for their own benefit, without thinking about the impact on those gullible people’s lives.

This is why even though tiny house advocates have increased in number, their critics in the government and property sectors still exist… They are still pushing against the movement.

10. Too many legal hoops and obstacles.

Finally, tiny houses get the disdain from critics because getting one right now is simply complicated.

Sure, the movement is spreading around the world, but one can’t deny that buying a tiny house is still a major event in a person’s life, even though the house is tiny.

Here’s the thing about building or even buying a regular house: it’s not that easy. Sure, you can hire a realtor or an appraiser to take care of things for you. However, it will still be a parade of exhaustion and financial setbacks. Did you know that buying a house is one of the most stressful events in life?

Now, imagine getting a property that’s not yet recognized in your state, which market is not too big yet. Indeed, the stress that comes with buying a tiny house will be, ironically, bigger.

This is why critics don’t simply have confidence in tiny houses—one has to buckle up and toughen up before they achieve that downsized, mobile life.

More about tiny house critics

The not-so-surprising reasons why critics don’t like tiny houses

why critics don't like tiny houses - little house on the prairie — Tiny houses still don’t attract some people because of simple reasons like space and sanitation.

Restricted common area

In a tiny house, every inch of the floor space and wall space matters. Tiny houses measure under 400 square feet; that’s why any allowance in your common area should only function for mobility and traffic.

It will just come out as a waste if you give yourself the luxury of allocating spaces for coffee tables, throw pillows, etc. Your guests will have to understand why your common area is small.

Not enough space for recreation

When you’re not working, what do you do? Read a book, play video games, or paint or draw—or perhaps all of these? You might have difficulty doing recreational activities in a tiny house, especially if you live with a younger kid.

Just like what we said, the floor space in a tiny house is crucial. You might have to make many adjustments to create a nook for recreational activities. For instance, you might have to make cleanups more frequent to free up space constantly.

Complicated for throwing a party

Do you like throwing gatherings in your home? Sure, it’s not impossible in a tiny house, but it will be more challenging. It might also take more time to prepare. Just think of the waste the guests will inevitably generate and the cleanup after the party. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

However, don’t lose hope that quickly. Check out our blog post on how to throw a party at your house. We listed a few tips and some recipes.

Zoning issues

The most blaring barrier to tiny house living is zoning. If you live in a state with strict zoning regulations, it might just be easier to give up and find a better and safer alternative.

Several states in the U.S. allow tiny house living, but they still have restrictions. Tiny house living is one endeavor you should only explore when you’re ready, and you are financially equipped.

Conclusion

As you can see, tiny house living is not a fairy tale. Don’t get the wrong ideas about this lifestyle. It requires patience, money, and time to achieve that downsized life.

If you are dead serious about living in a tiny house, then, by all means, start your research now. Talk to the authorities and get advice from realtors.

You’d consult a doctor when you’re sick, right? So, it’s best to converse with property experts when you’re itching to live in a tiny house.

If you have any more questions or if you disagree with our list, let us know in the comments below. We’d like to learn from you!

Tiny House Security: Ways to Protect Your Tiny House from Theft

February 24, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

tiny house miniature with key — Keeping your tiny house safe and protected is as important as keeping your full-sized house secure.

Stolen tiny houses are not something new. This is because of how mobile tiny houses are that burglars can easily pick them up. The necessity to put the security of your home on top of everything is very important.

The question is, “How do you keep your tiny home secure?” Well, this awful situation can be avoided if you are well prepared and you have the right tools with you. Remember, it is not just your stuff that you are protecting from being stolen. You are protecting the entire house as well.

Thus, a simple door lock won’t do the trick. An additional door lock can’t even keep your trailer from getting stolen.

Here are some of the things that you can do to make your tiny house as secure and as easy to find as possible:

1. Make Your Tiny House Immovable

If your tiny house is immovable then, sure enough, thieves can’t take it with them. Making your tiny house immovable is one great way to prevent your tiny house from getting stolen. To make your tiny house immovable, you have to remove the wheels.

But of course, you have to secure the wheels too. You can’t just put it anywhere. If possible, lock the wheels up somewhere that isn’t just around where your tiny house is located. This is because thieves will surely look for the wheels first to where your tiny house is parked.

If your trailers come with an adjustable coupler, then remove it. It is even better if you replace the bolts that hold it with a security bolt. There are a lot of different security bolts available in the market today.

Some are simple while others will require you to use a special keyed wrench just to remove it. Otherwise, thieves can get around the locks by replacing the locks you have installed.

Thieves are geniuses but not enough to bring their tires or couplers with them when doing the crime.

2. Lock Up Your Tiny House

Locking up your trailer has never been more convenient with the number of products designed for such function. There are heavy-duty chains that you can run through the walls of your tiny house.

Wheel locks are also available. Plus, you can use a coupler lock to prevent the trailer from being attached to a tow vehicle.

With such wide choices, choosing the best among them is kinda hard. Each of them claims to be effective, but do not simply rely on what they say. You have to do your very own thorough research to make sure that what you will get really works.

Do not get blinded with their offers. It will help if you watch videos maneuvering such products and read articles about these products. This will help you get the most out of what you are paying.

tiny-house-security-lock-home — Locking up your tiny house will ensure that thieves can’t easily steal your home.

3. Lock the Doors and Windows

What is good about the windows and doors of tiny houses is that they are stronger and of better quality. This is the reason why thieves can’t easily break-in into tiny houses.

It is very essential that you secure the door of your tiny house with a high-quality door lock. For example, you can use bump proof locks for deadbolts to secure the door of your tiny house. Just be sure that you do not put anything in your door and windows that will stop you from coming out in case of an emergency.

Securing your doors and windows with good locks are very important. After all, these are the passages where thieves can sneak in. If possible, install double locks for better security. Here’s a durable and reliable double lock for your window. Check out Barn Door Latch, 2 Pack 4” Barn Door Lock Heavy Duty.

Another good option is to install a keyless deadbolt. Aside from keeping your doors secure, this door locks will also make it easier for you to open the door from time to time. You no longer have to fumble around to look for the right key. And, keys can easily get lost or are even hard to use when you are in the dark.

For the best keyless deadbolt lock, we recommend Kwikset 92640-001 Contemporary Electronic Keypad Single Cylinder Deadbolt.

4. Install LED Outdoor Safety Lights

A motion-activated is an easy yet good way to prevent thieves from sneaking in. This LED lights will just light up if it detects any motion around it.

What is good about these lights is that they are solar-powered and waterproof. This means that your electric bill won’t actually rise because of using them. Ideally, these lights should be installed in the corners of your tiny house.

Each unit of these LED lights come with a battery and a small solar panel. The battery stores power during the day which will be used at night.

These LED lights work by staying on a very low output level when it’s dark. Then it brightens up if its motion sensors have detected any movement. When they are turned on, the lights can still light up the way.

LED lights are a good option not just to help you secure your tiny house but to help you see what is happening around during the night as well.

For heavy-duty outdoor lights, choose Upgraded SANSI LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Lights.

tiny-house-security-outdoor-lights-motion-sensor — Having motion-activated LED lights make it easier to find out if someone tries to sneak in your tiny house.

5. Have a Security System for your Tiny House

Finding a security system that perfectly fits your tiny house is very easy nowadays. This is because of the availability of all kinds of security systems out there. A security system is very helpful most especially when you are near other households.

But if your tiny house is located in a far-flung place, a security system won’t work as effectively as using it in a populated area. After all, a security system needs someone to hear it and respond to the emergency. But this does not mean that you can’t install security systems just because your tiny house is located in a remote area.

Security systems will always be of help. Thieves can get uncomfortable with an alarm that just doesn’t go off. With this, they will be forced to go away.

If your tiny house is equipped with an internet connection, you can opt for an alarm that will notify you through your phone in case someone is trying to break in. With this, you can have others check your tiny house in case you are not around.

The downfall of these security systems is that routers don’t have a backup. So, if the burglar is genius enough to unplug your house first, then you are done. Your Internet connection will go down and you might just find out what happened to your tiny house once you see it.

To prevent any of these awful events from happening, an alarm that uses the cellular signal to notify is a better option. Just pray that the thief is not that patient to wait for the battery of the alarm to die.

This Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit (1st Gen) – Home Security will add a layer of protection to your tiny home.

6. Install Security Cameras

Security cameras are very held full and are highly effective. You have two options when it comes to security cameras. You can choose a security camera that uploads videos to “the cloud” or go for a security camera that stores their video locally to a digital video recorder (DVR).

The advantage of using a camera that locally stores that store the recorded video is that they produce a higher quality video. Also, an internet connection is not needed in order for it to work. The thing is when a thief tries to break-in, the DVR might be stolen as well which means that the recorded video would be useless to you.

On the other hand, security cameras that require an internet connection allow you to store videos offsite. This means that the videos can’t be stolen or destroyed as well. This security camera is connected to the outside world through the internet or cellular network. But these cameras are more expensive. They will also need you to have a separate data plan for each of them.

Heimvision HM241 1080P Wireless Security Camera System is a security kit that allows you to monitor your home through your mobile phone. Or, you can opt for the more popular Ring Spotlight Cam Mount HD Security Camera.

Generally speaking, security cameras are a better option when it comes to the protection of your tiny house. This is because they do not just simply secure your tiny house but they can show you who the burglar is.

Conclusion

Securing your tiny house is a very challenging task since it is not just your belonging that you are protecting. You are protecting the entirety of your tiny house at his. That is why it is very important that you do everything you can to secure your tiny house.

Do everything you can to make sure that your tiny house is safe. Always remember that prevention is better than cure. It is better that you prevent your tiny house from getting stolen than looking for it once it is lost.

Family house vector illustration. Flat tiny modern property person concept. Real estate exterior with parents, children and cat. Happy everyday daily routine situation scene with harmony relationship.

12 Life-Saving Tips for Living in a Tiny House with Kids

February 23, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Living in a tiny house has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. But living in a tiny house with kids is a totally different story. One thing is for sure, it comes with a lot of benefits.

One pertinent benefit of living in a tiny house with kids is that you can save money from house and utility bills. This means that you have extra bucks to spend on other things such as treating your kids to a sweet dessert. Aside from you can save money, you are also teaching your kids to be frugal and eco-friendly when you are living in a tiny house.

But of course, living in a tiny house with kids isn’t exactly as good as it sounds. It has its drawbacks too. Normally, kids love to play around and get messy and chaotic at times.

Dealing with chaos and mess in a full-sized house is already challenging, what more in a tiny house, right? This could even make you question whether your decision to live in a tiny house with kids is right or not.

The key to successfully living in a tiny house with kids is to plan ahead of time. Living with your kids in a tiny house could be a fun learning experience for all of you. Here are 12 real-life tips on how you can survive to live in a tiny house with kids.

1. Be Practical with Your Home Design

Surviving living in a tiny house with kids starts with how you will design your home. It all starts with a plan that is made on the drafting board. If you want to live comfortably and happily in a tiny house with your kids, you have to choose a layout that is fitted for you and your kids.

The layout and features if your tiny house should simplify your lifestyle. For example, instead of going for a smaller sink, you can choose a larger one. Why? Because most probably, your dishes will get piled up with all the responsibilities you have on your shoulder.

Quality is important (more of this later), so choose a large and durable sink. We recommend KRAUS KWU110-32 Kore Workstation.

Also, you could have a small bathtub installed instead of having a shower alone. Having a shower alone is space-saving but is not practical just especially when your floor is not engineered. Remember, kids, love to run around when their feet are wet. Your floor might get destroyed easily because of that.

2. Go for a Big Porch Where Your Kids can Play and Run Around

For sure, you grew up in a full-sized house since tiny houses were invented not too long ago. This means that you have a lot of fond memories playing and running around inside the house. Just like you, kids love to play in big spaces too.

They can’t spend a long time staying indoors, more so if they are living in a tiny house. The limited space that tiny houses offer is something that they can’t easily deal with. This is most especially true when they are very active and love to play and run.

Due to this, having a large porch in your tiny house is a good idea. With this, your kids can have enough space that they need to have fun. Aside from having a place to play, they can also hang out and relax here.

If your tiny house is built somewhere with a beautiful view, like near the ocean or forest, then that is even better. They would feel like they are just camping. They can have a sense of freedom even when they are just near you.

How about buying your kids this beautiful Backyard Discovery Sweetwater All Cedar Wooden Playhouse that you can build and store easily?

3. Design Your Tiny House with Expansion Mind

If you are already in a tiny house and have plans to have more kids, you should design your homes with that thought. Make your home expandable so that you can easily make space for new family members. You can give them the space that they need so that your tiny house won’t feel too crowded.

For example, you can have a covered patio that you can easily close and turn it into an extra room once you have another kid. With this, your kids can have their own bedroom right in your tiny house.

Have your tiny house designed in such a way that you can make more room for adjustments as needed. In as much as possible, do not go for a confined design which will make it hard for you to have more space very soon when changes are necessary.

4. Set Up Spaces in Your Tiny House for Kids’ Storage

Living in a tiny house isn’t the same as living in a big suburban house. This means that most if not all of the stuff of your kids are stored in their bedroom while yours are stored somewhere in the house. But living in a tiny house doesn’t work this way.

With the limited space that you have, you and your kids have to equally share the space. Their things will be stored I lofts around the house unlike in a traditional house where their stuff is stored in their own bedrooms.

It is very important that you allot spaces for your kids’ staff to be more organized. This will also make it easier to find their things when they need them. And, your tiny house will look even better as well.

Keep in mind that your space is very limited which makes it necessary for you to be creative in maximizing the available spaces that you have for your kids. In as much as possible, do not allow even just an inch of space to be wasted. Get the most out of what your tiny house has to offer.

What about this clever and stylish ottoman that doubles as a storage box? Check out B FSOBEIIALAO Folding Storage Ottoman.

5. Set Aside Spaces for Private Time

Living in a tiny house doesn’t mean that you can’t have your own private time. That’s not the way it goes. Tiny houses don’t take away privacy from you.

Achieving privacy in a tiny house is very difficult but is possible. Privacy is important not just to you but to your kids as well most especially when you are living with a teenager. So make sure that you provide them the private space that they need.

To do so, you could have a wall dividers. But if you are rubbing out of budget, a thick curtain to cover the space will do. TheSpaceesn’t have to be big. What matters most is that they can have their own private space where no one is watching over them almost all the time.

Having a private space in a tiny house is really challenging. Like how can you even have that with such limited space? Well, creativity and resourcefulness is the key.

Wood panel dividers are good, but they often eat too much space. An excellent alternative is this RYB HOME Wall Divider Curtain.

6. At Some Point, Plan to Build Your Tiny House for your Teens

Your kids won’t kids won’t stay kids forever. They will eventually grow up and become teens. This means that the comfort they are feeling right now of having you around even when they are sleeping won’t be the same soon.

Most probably, they will crave to have their own personal space soon. They will look for autonomy and would like to try to be on their own. With this, considering such changes is very necessary when planning to build your tiny house.

A good way to give them what they want is to let them build and design their own tiny house. Doing so gives them the opportunity to do whatever they want in their tiny house while they are gaining construction skills along the way. This will also teach them to become more sufficient. And you are helping them to become financially free from paying the mortgage and all very soon.

This is indeed a good idea for your child to have more freedom and autonomy over their life. Plus, this will teach them to be more responsible for their decisions.

7. Give Kids a “Hideaway”

What does giving kids a hideaway mean? Well, there are times that a nook isn’t enough to give your kids the privacy that they need. Sometimes, what they need is a hideaway where they can be free.

Perhaps, you can build a Kid Cave for them to give them complete privacy. You can build it underneath their bed where your child fits. For your kid to have fun, you can also add fun games and activities that they can do while they are there.

In making their hideaway, make sure that they are comfortable and that they are safe. Their safety is very important. You should always consider it when making their own private space.

Your kid’s hideaway doesn’t have to be expensive. Check out this Zeke and Zoey Hanging Grey Bed Canopy.

8. Put Away Project Materials at the End of the Day

The living room of your tiny house can be very messy when you or your child is working on something. If you are living in a full-sized house, you can just leave it when you can’t finish it within the day. You can just store them in the garage, basement, or in the bedroom.

But since you are living in a tiny house, doing so is not allowed. Not unless you want to live in a total mess. With tiny houses, you do not have the luxury of enough space.

Left out projects will accumulate clutter rapidly. In no time, this could get all the spaces that you have to relax, eat, and do other activities. So, the best thing to do is to have a separate space where you can do projects. The space could also serve as storage for u finished projects and project supplies.

It is very important that you put away any material that you have used during the day. This will make your space clutter-free and more organized.

9. Use a Storage Shed for Toys

Kids love toys that they collect a lot of them. But their toys can easily add up to a lot of clutter. This makes it necessary for you to do something to ensure that your tiny house will still look organized and clutter-free.

In as much as you want to keep away the toys of your kids away, it would be impossible to do so. This is especially true when your kids are very attached to their toys. So, your best option is to build a storage shed at the back of your tiny house.

If building a shed is impossible, then your next best choice is to rent a shed nearby. What is important is that your kids can easily access their toys and your tiny house is not chaotic.

Your tiny house has very limited space. The toys of your kids will eat up much of this space if you do not put them somewhere else. So, in as much as possible, keep them away inside of your tiny house.

We found this Simplehouseware Stuffed Animal Jumbo Toy Storage Hammock. It’s the perfect place that keeps toys without eating too much space.

10. Carefully Weigh the Pros and Cons of Homeschool

Another important thing that you have to consider is whether you are going to homeschool your kids or not. Many tiny homeowners choose to homeschool their kids due to their lifestyle. Homeschooling their kids gives them the freedom to move from one place to another or to live off the grid.

But the thing is, homeschooling the kids takes away their chance to mingle and learn from their peers. They are not given the chance to experience the school setting. Moreover, their kids are only given limited means to develop their social well being.

There is no such thing as right or wrong when deciding whether you will homeschool your child or not.

It differs from one family to another. Homeschooling might be the best option for your child. But what is best for you isn’t exactly the same for others. The point is, do what you think is better and more convenient for you and your child.

To get more resources for your child’s homeschooling, check out All Digital School. They have a wide collection of resources to support your child’s home education and distance learning.

11. Go for Convertible Spaces

Living in a tiny house with kids means that you have to create multifunctional areas to maximize everything. Like for example, the bed takes up a lot of space in your tiny house. And if you make it convertible, then basically you are saving space and money at the same time.

When it comes to sleeping space and beddings for your kids, always choose designs that are multi-functional. You can find a lot of these multifunctional designs in apartments. These designs work great when adapted to tiny houses.

In as much as possible, choose a design that serves multiple functions. Instead of going for a large bed, why not choose a sofa bed instead? This way, you have something to sit on during the day and your kids can sleep there at night. Be creative in discovering what you can do to make every space useful in your ting house.

12. Focus on Quality Over Quantity

When living in a tiny house with kids, it is better that you buy high-quality stuff. Go for stuff that doesn’t easily get destroyed. This is because your kids will surely move and play around.

With the limited space that you have, your kids could easily mess up and break your stuff. With this, you will have to bug another from time to time. And, that is more expensive than you think.

If you think you have saved from buying cheaper things, then you are certainly wrong. High-quality materials last longer while cheaper materials easily get destroyed. And you might not notice it, but you actually have spent more on buying every time certain stuff is destroyed.

Get more ideas on how to live with a baby in a tiny house, check out our blog post How to Live in a Tiny House With a Baby: A Quick Guide.

Conclusion

Living in a tiny house is very challenging but is possible. You can make it work as long as you are prepared and you certainly know what to do. If you have been planning to live in a tiny house but is holding off because of your kids, then think again.

Having kids around isn’t exactly a problem. Your kids will adapt just fine in no time. So, go and live the tiny house lifestyle now.

7 Best Tiny Home Kits in Amazon

Sunset Log Cabin Kit

Allwood Dreamcatcher

Allwood Bella Cabin Kit

Timber Frame Post and Beam Vermont Cottage

Allwood Solvalla Studio Cabin Kit – tiny home kits

Allwood Arlanda XXL Tiny Home Kits

Allwood Mayflower Garden House – tiny home kits

The 4 Best Tiny Home Kits From 84 Lumber

Roving Tiny Home Kit

Degsy Tiny Home Kit

Shonsie Tiny Home Kit

Countryside Tiny Home Kit

Other Tiny Home Kits

Shelter in a Day

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses

Tumbleweed Models:

Tiny Heirloom – tiny home kits

Jamaica Cottage Shop

Final Takeaway

Related Questions

How much do tiny home kits cost?

Are tiny houses less expensive?

Are tiny houses a bad investment?

How Much Electricity Do Tiny Homes Use: Your Power Consumption

The Size of Your Tiny House

Your Household Items

The Price of Electricity

The Size of Household

The Outside Temperature

The Amount of Time Spent Outside the Household

The Different Types of Energy for Tiny Homes

Fuel Power

Solar Power

External Generators

Getting Off-The-Grid

How to Save Even More Power

Lightbulbs

Windows

Appliances

Ventilation

How to Get Power for Your Tiny Home

A. Connect to a building that already has power

B. Buy or rent a property that already has a power source

C. Use fuel or solar power

Conclusion

Related Questions

How many solar panels does it take to power a tiny house?

How do tiny houses get water?

4 Popular Tiny House Trailer Choices

1. The Deck-Between Trailer

2. Deck-Over Trailer

3. Dove Tail

4. Gooseneck

Gross Weight Vehicle Rating

Things to Consider

1. Size of Your Trailer

2. Hitch

3. Towing Vehicle

a. Light to Medium Duty

b. Medium to Heavy Duty

c. Extra Heavy Duty

d. Super Heavy Duty

4. Cost

5. Tiny House – Specific Trailers

6. Where to Park

Conclusion

Related Questions

Tiny House Rooms: 25 Amazing Decorating Ideas

1. Start with a minimalist approach.

2. It’s all in the lights.

3. Buy functional but elegant furniture.

4. Go for DIY projects.

5. Small spaces, big personalities.

6. Be smart about your storage spaces.

7. Use mirrors to your advantage.

8. Let natural light in.

9. Use multi-purpose furniture

10. Pay close attention to scale.

11. Don’t overcrowd your room.