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Now that you’ve heard how I got into the tiny house lifestyle, let me tell you a little about the state of tiny houses and why they are they so popular today.

Tiny houses have been around forever, but our recent era of disposable income and general prosperity in the world has given rise to people building bigger and bigger houses. Not only are standard houses bigger but people fill them with more and more stuff, a symptom of rampant consumerism. We’ve gone so far in the direction of building and living in McMansions that people have started to realize several important things: (1) it’s not making them happy, (2) they don’t need to live in houses this large, and (3) there is something positive to be said about minimalism and downsizing.

I’m generalizing here, of course; everyone comes at tiny house living in a different way and with different and nuanced motivations. Some latch onto the financial angle, saying, “I’m spending all this money on housing. How can I spend less without discomfort or major sacrifice?” Some people come at it from an environmental place, saying, “This endless consumption, this growth of waste and excess in larger-space living, is not sustainable, and I want to do my part to live smaller and have a smaller carbon footprint.” Young people coming out of college with lots of debt often look at living small and say, “This could be a really viable way for me to avoid further debt (like a mortgage) while still maintaining my independence.” For all these reasons and more, interest in tiny homes has skyrocketed over the past decade, sprouting YouTube channels, books, construction companies, and more.

People are starting to realize that they can live happier and more fulfilling lives in a fairy-tale cottage than they can in a McMansion.

The specific reasons why people choose to go tiny are as diverse as the houses they go tiny in!

People often ask me, “Are tiny houses just a fad?” No, they are not a fad. Fidget spinners were a fad. Pokémon Go was a fad. We are witnessing a true shift in people’s mindsets for a variety of reasons, and so we’re seeing more people seeking alternative forms of housing.

This phenomenon has created a significant challenge to standard housing conventions. There are numerous and well-established housing, zoning, and planning norms that smaller, unconventional structures like tiny houses sometimes butt heads with. Although the process has been slow, over time more and more municipalities are allowing people to live in smaller structures. There is a massive need for affordable housing in the United States. Many municipalities don’t have a good answer for housing shortages, so they’re accepting accessory dwelling units (ADUs). An ADU is simply a small, secondary structure on a property that already has an actual house on it. This creates potentially affordable housing while not putting any additional infrastructure burden on the municipality in the form of sewer or electric provision—so it’s a bit of a win-win for all involved.

I’m excited about the tiny house movement, and that’s why I’m sharing this book with you. I hope that some of that excitement rubs off and this book helps you bridge that gap between just being curious about tiny houses to actually building your own four-walled space. Anyway, that’s me on my soapbox about tiny houses and why they’re so great. If you want a deeper dive into the hows and whys of tiny house living, my first book is a great place to start. It contains interviews with several full-time tiny house dwellers who share their personal stories as to why tiny house living was right for them, as well as more detailed information on modern motivations for tiny house living, minimalism, and more.

The increase in zoning laws for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) makes situating your tiny house more feasible.

The tiny house movement has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and you’re taking your first steps to becoming a part of that movement.