The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Tiny House Living
Downsizing comes with downsides.
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A year ago, my husband and I set out on a less conventional journey to transform what used to be an old animal stable into a rustic welcoming tiny house. It wasn’t intended to serve as our permanent residence but more like a temporary shelter while we focused on building our forever home.
Even though it didn’t fit our life goals at the time, it was a dream come true for me. I’ve always been fascinated with the tiny house movement and binged on all videos related to tiny living.
We live in a mountain town in Transylvania, Romania. Our tiny house sits inside a larger historic wooden barn, it’s made of recycled bricks and measures just about 300 sq ft. And while its location and warm cozy interior fill us with joy and gratitude, there is a dark side to it.
Here are some aspects of living the tiny life that people rarely talk about:
It gets dirty super fast.
I’ve never been much of a tidy person, but with two people, a dog, and a tiny entryway, dirt accumulates faster than I can keep up. And not just dirt, consider dust, human skin, crumbs, and a perpetual blanket of fur. Also clutter, oh the clutter, that appears out of nowhere — just a few misplaced items make me feel like a hoarder.
It can get chaotic from one day to the next. The good news is that it gets so unbearable that I vowed to become a clean and organized person just to keep my sanity. I don’t mind if cleaning becomes a long-lasting habit of mine.
Sometimes the air gets stale.
Think about it. You sleep, cook, wash dishes, do laundry, emanate all sorts of body odors in the same 300 sq ft. Sometimes the drains get clogged. Sometimes my husband decides to eat marinated fish. Did I mention we have a dog? Her breath gets pretty bad in the morning too. So if you’re considering living in a tiny house, make sure it has excellent ventilation.
