Less Square Footage Means More Freedom
As people begin to wander into the world of tiny house culture, they are often struck with the principles of minimalism. Simply put, minimalism means owning fewer possessions. It means you live only with things you really need - and things that support a purpose.
This philosophy of analyzing needs and ridding yourself of distractions allows you to focus on the things that matter most. This concept leads to more intentionality. By removing things that are non-essential and don’t serve a purpose, we are also finding more clarity and ultimately more freedom.
When you go tiny, you are forced to rid yourself of non-essential items. This does not mean you have to get rid of everything you love. It instead means you need to decide the items that you need, use, and have a purpose for.
By going tiny, you are escaping consumerism
By minimizing your lifestyle, you are in a way rebelling against consumerism. Rather than falling into the consumer-driven world, a minimalist lifestyle is free from this modern mania.
By having less square footage to fill with belongings, you are happier with what you have. You will live a more abundant lifestyle and find yourself happier with simplicity.
When living in a tiny space less than 500 square feet, each item must to have its purpose. When you buy something new, you will have to remove something else. This basic practice can enhance your overall thought process on material items. Instead, you will learn to cherish moments, relationships, and experiences.
Minimalism is good for your finances too
By spending less on material items, you will save more money for things like retirement. According to Bankrate, only 20% of Americans are saving for retirement, but spend $1,700 on clothes every year. By making even small adjustments to our lifestyles, we can reanalyze the way we budget for longevity.
Smaller homes are easier to maintain
With a large home comes more upkeep and cleaning. When you have 4 bathrooms, that means you are responsible for cleaning 4 toilets. We all know cleaning and home maintenance become more costly and time-consuming than we think. This is where the saying “the more we own, the more it owns us” becomes relevant. By owning less and having a smaller home, you are freer of these things.
As you make the change to minimalism or research tiny house living, just know that this is not a guaranteed change to make you happier. Instead, it is a practice of having contentment. It is an adjustment to find joy in simple things. It is learning to embrace rituals like a morning coffee or writing down gratitude reminders in a journal.
Are you interested in learning more about tiny living? Read more from our Tiny House Blog.
