Tiny House Living for Non-Minimalists

Not a minimalist? Love your stuff? Whether you’re moving into an apartment, moving in with friends or planning your Tiny House dream, you’ll need to sort your stuff and re-prioritize. Life tosses up a host of events that demand a spring clean – from the arrival of a baby to a change in career. Embracing the elements of minimalism is a great way to get clear of life’s clutter but keep your cherished essentials.

The less is more principle

It’s true that a minimalist lifestyle suits a Tiny House that’s designed for functionality with unnecessary wants and excesses removed. However, simpler living doesn’t always mean living in the country or off grid. Amy and Greg’s house in the photo above is parked on their friend’s goat farm on the outskirts of Brisbane giving them a shorter commute to work than they used to have in their suburban three bedroom home. The house is partially off-grid and yes, they have a TV, kids and a dog! Not all people who live in a Tiny House call themselves minimalists and not all minimalists live in Tiny Houses. Tiny house living is a lifestyle choice but there’s not a one-size-fits-all option. You get to choose what’s essential stuff for you and that’s where the delight is. Listen to Amy and Greg’s wonderful story below:

What is minimalism?

When we think of minimalism we think of the stereotypical bare walls and limited belongings but this detracts from the key point that minimalism isn’t about clearing out your possessions one weekend, it’s a lifestyle. It’s not just about what you have but how you live. 

There’s no single agreed definition of minimalism even though it’s become very popular but there are some common threads and they all involve moderation:

• Living intentionally – the reason why you say what you do and why you buy what you have.
• Creating instead of consuming – living thoughtfully and not just possessing things for their own sake.
• Purposeful living – the mindset that drives you to improve your life.

Storing your belongings in a Tiny House

Moderation and a minimalist attitude does fit neatly into life in a Tiny House. It’s about keeping the necessary parts from a standard house and leaving the rest. Australia has some of the largest houses in the world for the number of people living in them and the excess is often unnecessary. We need a kitchen and bathroom and a living space but rethink the extra dining room and an office and a spare room. How often are they used? What are they costing to heat or cool, maintain and fill with furniture? Rhetorical, don’t answer that!

It’s amazing how little we need to enjoy life. That extra saucepan at the back of the cupboard, the dining setting just in case 12 people come for dinner, the spare set of…(insert anything!). We have a habit of filling the space that we have, of spending the money we have and of using the energy we have. Minimalism and living Tiny is about respecting the resources we have and using them well.

A Tiny House on wheels has plenty of storage space. Amy and Greg don’t use all the storage areas in their Teewah 7.2 with it’s clever design. A Tiny House is not just space for the sake of size. Bigger is not better and Tiny living is an elegant solution to many of life’s burdens. An Aussie Tiny House is such a well designed space that you can have a full sized kitchen, you can have a laundry and in fact it’s way more comfortable than some studio apartments. We’ve designed a range of models so you can choose a home with a bigger living area or one with more kitchen bench space. The new Hazel 8.4 even has a master bedroom with double wardrobe and loft landing you can stand up in!  

A mindset shift

Amy and Greg said it beautifully when they spoke about being in the store and having to ask themselves “Do we really want this item?” because if not, it becomes clutter. They have a new perspective on possessions because they have a new relationship with space. Since moving into their 7.2m Teewah, Amy and Greg have more money and more time for important relationships.

Amy and Greg practised Tiny living before choosing a model from our range. They closed off the spare rooms they didn’t use in their standard three bedroom home and discovered nothing was missed. 

Making space

Do you have a garage full of unused sports or camping equipment that you’re unlikely to use again and that someone else will treasure? Free yourself up and share it with someone else either by donation or having a garage sale. Do you have clothes that you haven’t worn for over six months? You can do a spring clean on your birthday, at New Year, on a Sunday. Anytime is a good time to declutter your life.

If you’re downsizing and simplifying your life for less mental, physical and fiscal responsibilities it’s worth practising. Try Tiny living by renting a Tiny House on Airbnb or close off the spare rooms of your big house. With a Tiny House on wheels you can live somewhere convenient, somewhere you want to park – finding land is easier than you think! It is possible to live in a smaller space without feeling cramped and have enough stuff to feel comfortable and content.