Rise of the Tiny Homes

Gone are the days of the McMansions. America is moving on from super-sizing homes and cars, and the minimalist trend is gaining traction. The rising popularity of Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” is a perfect example of a new wave of minimalism that makes keeping up with the Joneses a thing of the past. Americans aren’t just cleaning out their closets; they’re also looking for ways to downsize their homes—in a big way. Cue the tiny homes.

Tiny homes are usually a meager 100-400 square feet, but the number of amenities in these houses are impressive considering the size. Country Living Magazine featured “44 of the Most Impressive Tiny Houses You’ve Ever Seen,” and these homes prove to be both beautiful and functional. Many have tucked away storage, sleeping lofts, kitchens, bathrooms, and porches—all the features of a typical home but on a smaller scale. One architect mentioned in the Country Living article only spent $11,000 to create her tiny piece of paradise.

The rise of the tiny homes got me thinking about how these houses could be an opportunity for individuals that want to age in place. Granted, some tiny homes have lofted bedrooms that could pose problems because of the stairs, but tiny homes have a lot of features that might appeal to individuals aging in place. The smaller square footage of these homes means less maintenance, less space to clean, and could reduce the number of potential modifications needed to make the home more accessible. A one-room, multifunctional home means there are no hallways to widen, fewer grab bars to install, and fewer stairs to climb. At the end of the day, lower maintenance means less hassle and more money in the bank.

It’ll be interesting to see if tiny homes fade away as a fad, or if they’re here to stay. I’m also curious to see if they’ll gain traction among homeowners that want to age in place. Who knows, maybe the future holds an entire independent community of tiny homes! For those that aren’t quite ready to take the plunge, they can test out a tiny home, like this one at the Tiny House Hotel in Portland that rents for $125 a night. I may just have to book a trip to Portland and try one out myself!