The Art of Living in a Small Space — Designing and Building a Mini House
As urban living continues to grow in popularity, more people are choosing to live in smaller spaces. And if you’re one of them, you might be feeling a little hemmed in. If that’s the case, you may be considering downsizing even further by moving into a small house or micro home — also known as a compact house or mini house. Small houses can take many forms and come in all shapes and sizes. They usually measure less than 500 square feet but may be as small as 160 square feet. So if you want to explore this lifestyle further, here is everything you need to know about living in a small space, including what it’s like to live in one day-to-day and how to go about building your own mini house if that’s something you’d like to do.
What Is a Small House?
A small house is any residential property measuring less than 500 square feet. That doesn’t mean a small house is small in other ways, however. In fact, small houses can come in all shapes and sizes. They can be one-story or two-story, single-room or multi-room, freestanding or attached to a larger house. They can be detached or semi-detached, or even part of a cohousing development. You can find small houses in a number of different architectural styles, including modern, contemporary, traditional, and even rustic. So, really, there are no set “rules” when it comes to what a small house is and what it looks like.
Why Live in a Small House?
There are lots of reasons why someone might choose to live in a small house, and lots of benefits to doing so. For many people, the main reason for living in a small house is financial. Small houses generally cost less than other forms of housing, which means they’re often more affordable than regular-sized houses. That’s particularly true of tiny houses, which are generally less than 160 square feet. Some tiny houses can cost less than $10,000 to build. But it’s not just people on a low income who might find the tiny house lifestyle appealing. Many people are attracted to the simplicity and minimalism of tiny houses, and wish to live a more simplified, less cluttered life. Others might want to downsize or simplify their lives to help with health issues, such as mobility issues. Living in a small house can make things like gardening and maintenance much easier, too.
How to Live in a Small Space
If you’re thinking about living in a small house, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First of all, you should make sure you have good organizational skills, as living in a small space requires good organization. You should also make sure you’re comfortable living in a smaller space, as it can be very difficult to adjust to living in a small space if you’re not used to it. You should also make sure you have everything you need in your small home. You can achieve this by making the most of vertical space (piling things on top of one another to save floor space), and buying things that are as small and lightweight as possible. You should also make sure everything you own has a purpose; items that don’t get used should be donated to charity or thrown out. Finally, you should make sure you have enough natural light in your small home. This will help make the space feel larger, and will also help with the organization aspect of living in a small space.
Building Your Own Mini House
While some people buy a house that is already small, it is also possible to build your own mini house. If you want to build your own mini house, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, you’ll need to carefully plan your small house to make sure it has everything you need. You should also decide on the architectural style of your house, and whether you want a freestanding, semi-detached, or attached house. Finally, you should get your plans approved by your local planning authority. You may also want to talk to an architect if you want to build a more complicated house. It’s important to note that the building process for a mini house will likely be long and difficult, and will involve lots of hard work. You should be prepared to spend a significant amount of money, too. Most mini houses cost between $20,000 and $40,000 to build.
Summing up
If you’re looking for a simpler way of life, a small house could be the solution. But you should be aware of the challenges involved in living in a small space and make sure you have everything you need in a smaller home. You can also explore the option of building your own mini house, which will likely be a very long and challenging process.