Less is More: The Tiny House Movement

LESS IS MORE THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT BACK TO SQUARE ONE 1973 2013 IN 1973, THE AVERAGE SIZE OF NEW HOUSES IN THE U.S. WAS 1,525 SQUARE FEET. IN 2013, THE AVERAGE SIZE WAS 2,598 SQUARE FEET. THE AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE HAS DROPPED FROM 3.67 IN 1948 TO 2.55 IN 2012. AVERAGE U.S. HOSEHOLD SIZE (POPULATION PER HOUSEHOLD) 1948-2012 3.67 2.55 1948 1956 1964 1972 1980 1988 1996 2004 2012 THE TYPICAL TINY HOUSE IS: TINY HOUSES ARE ALSO KNOWN AS: 100 SQ FT TO 400 SQ FT MICRO HOUSES COMPACT HOUSES MINI HOUSES LITTLE HOUSES EXAMPLE FLOOR PLANS: THE GIFFORD: FURNISHED FLOORPLAN BED W/SKYLIGHT KITCHEN PORCHI 6'-10 x 2-6 GREAT ROOM 8' x 6-6 OPEN TO FIRST FLOOR 4-6x 4 BATH 5-6x 2 1ST FLOOR LOFT CEILING HEIGHT HOUSE WIDTH: 6' 10 HOUSE LENGTH: 16' 2" CEILING HEIGHT: 6' 6" 2' 8" TAKE IT WITH YOU! DRASTIC DOWNSIZERS REASONS TO GO TINY: IRS CREIT 1234 S078 101 H SMITH LOWER TAXES DECREASED MAINTENANCE MOBILITY REDUCED LITTLE OR NO DEBT SELF SUFFICIENCY CARBON FOOTPRINT 40% > $23,000 68% THE AVERAGE PRICE OF TINY HOUSE DWELLERS OF TINY HOUSE OWNERS OF A TINY HOUSE HAVE NO MORTGAGE ARE MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD THOUGH MANY PEOPLE DO MAKE TINY HOUSES THEIR MAIN RESIDENCE, OTHERS PURCHASE OR BUILD THEM AS: HOME OFFICE IN-LAW SUITE HOME FOR RETURNING ADULT CHILDREN THE APPEAL IS REAL PERMIT 1% RECORDS SHOW ONLY 1% OF HOMES BUT TINY HOUSES ARE HARD TO TRACK DOWN SINCE MANY DON'T REQUIRE THE SAME PURCHASED ARE 1,000 SQUARE FEET OR LESS. BUILDING PERMITS AS A LARGER HOME. ME WA VT мT ND NH MA MN OR NY WI ст SD RI ID MI WY PA NJ IA NE Он DE MD NV IN IL UT wv VA CO CA KS MO KY NC TN OK AR SC AZ NM GA MI AL LA TX FL THERE ARE TINY HOUSE BUILDERS SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH DENSE POPULATIONS IN COLORADO, FLORIDA, TEXAS, WISCONSIN, AND CALIFORNIA. 15% YES! 19% MAYBE 19% WOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER A MORE THAN 50% OF 18- TO 34-YEAR-OLDS RENT MANY TINY HOUSE COMPANIES WILL SHIP A TINY HOUSE ANYWHERE, BECAUSE THEY ARE SMALL AND MOBILE, 15% OF OF 18- TO 34-YEAR-OLDS SAY THEY'D DEFINITELY LIVE IN A TINY HOUSE. TINY HOUSE. HOUSING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD A DOWN PAYMENT. WOULD YOU LIVE IN A 'TINY HOME'? ALL AMERICANS 18 TO 34 35 TO 54 55+ 57% 46% 46% 30% 22% 22% 21% 19% 18% 15% 15% 15% 11% I'D SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT I WOULDN'T GIVE IT MUCH CONSIDERATION YES, DEFINITELY DEFINITELY NOT REDUCED CARBON FOOTPRINT SMALLER HOUSES MEAN: LESS LUMBER AND OTHER SMALLER AND LESS SPACE To BUILDING MATERIALS FEWER APPLIANCES HEAT AND COOL 1/2 CUTTING A HOME'S SIZE IN THE LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF DOWNSIZING: REDUCED ELECTRICITY AND FUEL USE. MORE THAN 80% OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS DURING A HOME'S 70-YEAR HALF REDUCES LIFECYCLE EMISSIONS BY 36%. LIFE ARE ATTRIBUTED TO ELECTRICITY AND FUEL CONSUMPTION. BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE, MANY TINY HOUSES ARE BUILT FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS. TINY HOUSES, BIG IMPACT SOME CITIES HAVE PROVIDED HOMELESS COMMUNITY WITH VILLAGES OF TINY HOUSES. AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, 308-SQUARE FOOT COTTAGES SERVED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FEMA TRAILERS. CONCLUSION THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT IS GAINING INTEREST NOT JUST FOR ITS NOVELTY, BUT FOR THE ALLURE OF REDUCED COSTS, REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND A SIMPLER LIFESTYLE. SCALING DOWN ON SQUARE FOOTAGE MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT PROVES A PRACTICAL, EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR MANY. Sponsored By In Partnership With CUSTOM E MADE GHERGICH&Co. SOURCES popularmechanics.com gardening.cornell.edu pods.dasnr.okstate.edu extension.missouri.edu merriamwebster.com